An Endangered Zenati Dialect: Exploring the Use of some Surviving Lexical Words among Beni Zidaz Old

People in Beni Snous

Ms. ADDER Fatima Z. Tlemcen

Univ.

Outline *Introduction

*The Purpose of the Study *Beni Snous: A Brief Geo-historical

Background

*Origins of Beni Snous Inhabitants *What is an Endangered Language ?

*Degrees of Endangerment *Research Design & Methodology

*Data Analysis & Interpretation *Conclusion

Introduction

-A brief overview about the Berber

varieties in North Africa & Algeria

-Arabizing Berbers

--The maintenance of these varieties in

many regions

The Purpose of the Study :

Exploring the use and the nature of

some surviving Tamazight words

in Beni Snous

in correlation with age

Beni Snous: A Brief Geo-historical

Overview -Geographical Location :

Beni Zidaz - Beni Snous, South-west of Tlemcen

-Important Historical Facts: Pre-roman era

Roman era During Ottomans

French occupation Post-independence era

Origins of Beni Snous Inhabitants

B.S: Berber Zenati Tribe

Canal, J. : members of a Zenati

tribe

Destaing, E. : occupied by Beni

Habib tribe

Ibn Khaldoun: it belongs to Beni

Koumia

What is an Endangered Language?

An Endangered Language is a language /

linguistic variety that is at risk of falling

out of use as its speakers die out or

shift to speaking another language .

Degrees of EndangermentDegree of Endangerment

Grade

Speaker Population

Safe 5 The language is used by all ages, from children up.

Unsafe 4 The language is used by some children in all domains; it is used by all children in limited domains.

Definitely Endangered

3 The language is used mostly by the parental generation and up.

Severely Endangered

2 The language is used mostly by the grandparental generation and up.

Critically Endangered

1 The language is used mostly by very few speakers, of great-grandparental generation.

Extinct 0 There exists no speaker.

Research Design & Methodology-Informants

-Basic Data Gathering Instruments: Semi-structured Interviews +

Recordings

-The Structure of the Interview

Data Analysis & Interpretation

Speaking B.Z.T: with whom?

-Among old people: grandparents and parents

-No adults or children speaking it

Speaking B.Z.T: Where?

Maintenance of words related:

*To agriculture & commerce *Kitchen utensils

*Names of clothes & colours *Food

*Animals *Words related to weather and water

Dialectal Arabic Gloss B.Z Tamazight English Gloss

[zra] [tNme:n] “Barley”

[gam] [Nrdan] “Wheat”

[jarat] [ jBkkraz] “He plows”

[jaAd ] [ jataad] “He mows ”

[jneN] [jattakas ] “ He picks up”

[jbi:] [snu:zan] “He sells ”

[jaGrN] [jasN] “He buys ”Table 1. B.Z Tamazight Words Related to Agriculture & commerce

DA Gloss B.Z Tamazight Nbr

of inf.

English Gloss

[ mNlqa] [tWanFa:jBt ]-

[tNanFa:jBn ]

(pl.)

5 “ Spoon(s) ”

[qadra ] [ tWjdu:rt] 1 “A cooking-

pot”

[ ka:nu:n] [tWfa'qqunt ] 1 “Traditional fire

place”

[lamna:Ab ] [Nnja:n](pl.) 5 “ Stones by

which the fire

place is built”

Table 2. B.Z Tamazight Maintained Words of Kitchen Utensils

D A Gloss B.Z Tamazight Nbr of

inf.

English Gloss

[bja ] [WmB'llal] 5 “White”

[kal] [WbBrka:n] 5 “Black”

[mAr] [Wzu'gga:

]

4 “Red”

[Ar] [Wzi:za] 4 “Green”

[fAr] [Wwra:] 4 “Yellow”

Table 3. B.Z Tamazight Maintained Words of Colours

D A Gloss B.Z Tamazight English Gloss

[ubz ] [ Wro:m] “ Bread”

[lBm ] [Wjsu:m ] “Meat ”

[ be:A]-[be: ] [tWmalla:lt ]-

[tNmalla:li:n]

“An egg ”/

“eggs”

[ lali:b] [ WN] “ Milk”

[lasal ] [tNmmN] “Honey ”

[lban] [ WN

Wssama:m]

“Buttermilk”

[kabu:ja ] [ ta:sa:jBt] “Pumpkin ”

[ddqi:q ] [Wran ] “Flour ”

[karmo:s ] [ta:za:rt] “ Figs”

[Nnab ] [Wsammu:m ] “Grapes”

[urGaf] ['Ia:ga] “Artichoke”

Table 4. B.Z Tamazight Maintained Words of Food

Yet, some food names (both vegetables and fruits) fell out of use and are currently substituted by the local Arabic words as: DA Gloss English Gloss DA Gloss English Gloss

[baAA] “potatoes” [falfal] “pepper”

[Falba:n] “peas ” [ta'ffa:] “apples”

[lu:bja] “beans” [u:] “peaches”

[zro:dNja] “carrots” [maGma:G] “apricots”

[bala] “onions” [llu:z] “almonds”

D A Gloss B.Z Tamazight English Gloss

Sing. Pl.

[ ArbA:n] [ Wjru] “Skunk”

[lqanfu:d ] [NnsN ] “A hedgehog

”

[ lqa] [ 'mmoG] “A cat”

[kalb ] [WjdN] “ A dog”

[lugni:na] [tWqni:nat] [tNqna:jan]“Rabbit(s)”

[aFla] [tWsakku:rt ] [tNsakkuri:n]“Partridge(s) ”

[ro:f ] [tNzmart] [NzmWri:n]“Ram(s)”

D A Gloss Tamazight Gloss English Gloss

Sing. Pl.

[dFa:Fa ] [tjae: ]

[jazNAn]“Hen(s) ”

[farro:F][aqu:l] “A cock ”

[fallu:s ][Gi:Gu ]

[NGi:Gwan]“Chick(s)”

[ma:ma ][tWma:mat ]

[tNmami:n]“Dove(s)”

[ baqra][tWfuna:st ]

[Nfuna:san]“Cow(s) ”

[mA:r ] [ Wju:l] “ A

donkey”

[ bal] [Wsardu:n] “A mule ”

DA Gloss Tamazight Gloss English Gloss

Sing. Pl.

[awd] [ NjjBs] “A horse ”

[maza ] [ a:t][tNBAn]

“Goat(s) ”

[allu:f ] [Nlaf ][Nlfa:n]

“Pig(s) ”

[ sba]

and [nnmar]

“Lion”

and “tiger”

Table 5. B.Z Tamazight Names of Animals

DA Gloss B.Z Tamazight English Gloss

['nnu ] [tbi:ka ] “Rain ”

[talF] [ Wdfal] “Snow”

[GGams] [tfu:jBt] “Sun”

[lbard] [WAmme:d] “Cold”

[li:n ] [e:] -

[tNA:wan]

“Source ”/

“sources”

[lma] [Wma:n] “Water”

[lwa:d] [NzAr] “River”

Table 6. B.Z Tamazight Words Related to Weather and Water

Conclusion

-B.Z Tamazight is a ‘Severely Endangered

Language’

-Domains of use: more and more limited

-Absence of intergenerational transmission

-Further profound research is intended in this

area for determining the real level of

endangerment.

-A future dictionary of the language