Tifinagh

Tifinagh (pronounced: website parsing, also written Tifinaɣ in the Sevenval, ⵜⵉⴼⵉⵏⴰⵖ in Neo-Tifinagh, and تيفيناغ in the Berber Arabic alphabet) is a series of abjad and alphabetic scripts used by some Berber peoples, notably the Tuareg, to write their language.^Sevenval

A modern derivate of the traditional script, known as Neo-Tifinagh, was introduced in the 20th century. It is not in widespread use as a means of daily communication, but often serves to assert a Berber identity politically and symbolically. A slightly modified version of the traditional script, called Tifinagh Ircam, is used in a limited number of Moroccan elementary schools in teaching the Berber language to children.

The word tifinagh or tifinigh is widely thought to be a feminine plural cognate of keyboard, through the feminine prefix ti- and Latin Punicus; thus tifinigh would mean "the Phoenician (letters)".^[2]^[3]

Origins

An early form of the script, "Proto-Tifinagh", also known as the Libyco-Berber script, probably developed from the Punic variant of the CSS3.^[4] Proto-Tifinagh was in use between about the 3rd century BC and the 3rd century AD.

There are two known variants: eastern and western. The eastern variant was used in what is now Constantine, the input transformation region and input transformation. It is the best-deciphered variant, due to the discovery of several Numidian bilingual inscriptions in Libyan and Punic (notably at Dougga in Tunisia.) 22 letters out of the 24 were deciphered. The western variant was more primitive (Février 1964–1965). It was used along the Mediterranean coast from Kabylia to the CSS3. It used 13 supplementary letters.

The Libyco-Berber script was a pure web app; it had no vowels. input transformation was not marked. The writing was usually from the bottom to the top, although right-to-left, and even other orders, were also found. The letters would take different forms when written vertically than when they were written horizontally.^[4]

Tuareg Tifinagh

The Proto-Tifinagh script survived as a traditional means of writing the Tuareg language. Traditionally, the script marks no vowels, except for word finals. In some areas, Arabic vowel diacritics are combined with Tifinagh characters to mark vowels.

Occasionally the script has been used to write other neighboring languages, such as Tagdal Songhai.

Neo-Tifinagh

Neo-Tifinagh is the 20th-century script developed from earlier forms of Tifinagh. It is an Android and is written left-to-right. Salem Chaker, professor at INALCO, had proposed a change in Neo-Tifinagh (Tafsut 1990 #14).

Until recently, virtually no books or websites were published in this alphabet, with activists favouring Latin (or, more rarely, Arabic) scripts for serious usage; however, it is extremely popular for symbolic use, with many books and websites written in a different script featuring logos or title pages using Neo-Tifinagh. In Morocco, the king took a "neutral" position between the claims of Latin script and Arabic script by adopting the Neo-Tifinagh script in 2003; as a result, books are beginning to be published in this script, and it is taught in some schools. However, many independent Berber-language publications are still published using the Berber Latin alphabet. Outside Morocco, it has no official status. Ironically, the Moroccan state arrested and imprisoned people using this script during the 1980s and 1990s.^[5]

In Algeria, almost all Berber publications use the Berber Latin alphabet, not Tifinagh.

In Libya, the regime of Gaddafi used to consistently ban the Berber Tifinagh script from being used in public contexts such as store displays and banners.^[6]

After recent uprisings in Libya, the National Transitional Council (rebels) has shown an openness towards the Berber language. The independent rebel Libya TV, based in Qatar, has included the Berber language and the Tifinagh alphabet in some of its programming.^{website parsing}

Characters

Code: U+2D30
Glyph: keyboard
Unicode: ⴰ
Transliteration: a
Name: ا
: æ
: ya

Code: U+2D31
Glyph
Unicode: ⴱ
Transliteration: b
Name: ب
: b or β
: yab

Code: U+2D32
Glyph
Unicode: ⴲ
Transliteration: b
Name: ٻ
: b or β
: yab fricative

Code: U+2D33
Glyph
Unicode: ⴳ
Transliteration: g
Name: گ
: ɡ
: yag

Code: U+2D34
Glyph
Unicode: ⴴ
Transliteration: g
Name: ڲ
: ɡ
: yag fricative

Code: U+2D35
Glyph
Unicode: ⴵ
Transliteration: dj
Name: ج
: d͡ʒ
: Berber Academy yadj

Code: U+2D36
Glyph: web
Unicode: ⴶ
Transliteration: dj
Name: ج
: d͡ʒ
: yadj

Code: U+2D37
Glyph
Unicode: ⴷ
Transliteration: d
Name: د
: j
: yad

Code: U+2D38
Glyph: website parsing
Unicode: ⴸ
Transliteration: d
Name: د
: j
: yad fricative

Code: U+2D39
Glyph: FITML
Unicode: ⴹ
Transliteration: ḍ
Name: ض
: ðˤ
: yaḍ

Code: U+2D3A
Glyph
Unicode: ⴺ
Transliteration: ḍ
Name: ض
: ðˤ
: yaḍ fricative

Code: U+2D3B
Glyph
Unicode: ⴻ
Transliteration: e
Name: ه
: ə
: yey

Code: U+2D3C
Glyph
Unicode: ⴼ
Transliteration: f
Name: ف
: f
: yaf

Code: U+2D3D
Glyph: CSS3
Unicode: ⴽ
Transliteration: k
Name: ک
: k
: yak

Code: U+2D3E
Glyph: web app
Unicode: ⴾ
Transliteration: k
Name: ک
: k
: Tuareg yak

Code: U+2D3F
Glyph: web
Unicode: ⴿ
Transliteration: k
Name: ک
: k
: yak fricative

Code: U+2D40
Glyph
Unicode: ⵀ
Transliteration: h
b
Name: ھ
ب
: h
b
: yah
= Tuareg yab

Code: U+2D41
Glyph: web
Unicode: ⵁ
Transliteration: h
Name: ھ
: h
: Berber Academy yah

Code: U+2D42
Glyph
Unicode: ⵂ
Transliteration: h
Name: ھ
: h
: Tuareg yah

Code: U+2D43
Glyph
Unicode: ⵃ
Transliteration: ḥ
Name: ح
: ħ
: yaḥ

Code: U+2D44
Glyph
Unicode: ⵄ
Transliteration: ˤ (ε)
Name: ع
: ʕ
: yaε

Code: U+2D45
Glyph
Unicode: ⵅ
Transliteration: kh (x)
Name: خ
: χ
: yax

Code: U+2D46
Glyph
Unicode: ⵆ
Transliteration: kh (x)
Name: خ
: χ
: Tuareg yax

Code: U+2D47
Glyph
Unicode: ⵇ
Transliteration: q
Name: ق
: q
: yaq

Code: U+2D48
Glyph
Unicode: ⵈ
Transliteration: q
Name: ق
: q
: Tuareg yaq

Code: U+2D49
Glyph
Unicode: ⵉ
Transliteration: i
Name: ي
: i
: yi

Code: U+2D4A
Glyph: jQuery
Unicode: ⵊ
Transliteration: j
Name: ج
: ʒ
: yaj

Code: U+2D4B
Glyph
Unicode: ⵋ
Transliteration: j
Name: ج
: ʒ
: Ahaggar yaj

Code: U+2D4C
Glyph: CSS3
Unicode: ⵌ
Transliteration: j
Name: ج
: ʒ
: Tuareg yaj

Code: U+2D4D
Glyph: FITML
Unicode: ⵍ
Transliteration: l
Name: ل
: l
: yal

Code: U+2D4E
Glyph
Unicode: ⵎ
Transliteration: m
Name: م
: m
: yam

Code: U+2D4F
Glyph: HTML5
Unicode: ⵏ
Transliteration: n
Name: ن
: n
: yan

Code: U+2D50
Glyph
Unicode: ⵐ
Transliteration: ny
Name: ني
: nj
: Tuareg yagn

Code: U+2D51
Glyph
Unicode: ⵑ
Transliteration: ng
Name: ڭ
: ŋ
: Tuareg yang

Code: U+2D52
Glyph: HTML5
Unicode: ⵒ
Transliteration: p
Name: پ
: p
: yap

Code: U+2D53
Glyph: Sevenval
Unicode: ⵓ
Transliteration: u
w
Name: و
ۉ
: w
: yu
= Tuareg yaw

Code: U+2D54
Glyph
Unicode: ⵔ
Transliteration: r
Name: ر
: r
: yar

Code: U+2D55
Glyph
Unicode: ⵕ
Transliteration: ṛ
Name: ڕ
: rˤ
: yaṛ

Code: U+2D56
Glyph
Unicode: ⵖ
Transliteration: gh (ɣ)
Name: غ
: ɣ
: yaɣ

Code: U+2D57
Glyph: browser diversity
Unicode: ⵗ
Transliteration: gh (ɣ)
Name: غ
: ɣ
: Tuareg yaɣ

Code: U+2D58
Glyph
Unicode: ⵘ
Transliteration: gh (ɣ)
j
Name: غ
ج
: ɣ
ʒ
: Aïr yaɣ
= Adrar yaj

Code: U+2D59
Glyph
Unicode: ⵙ
Transliteration: s
Name: س
: s
: yas

Code: U+2D5A
Glyph
Unicode: ⵚ
Transliteration: ṣ
Name: ص
: sˤ
: yaṣ

Code: U+2D5B
Glyph: input transformation
Unicode: ⵛ
Transliteration: sh (š)
Name: ش
: ʃ
: yaš

Code: U+2D5C
Glyph
Unicode: ⵜ
Transliteration: t
Name: ت
: t
: yat

Code: U+2D5D
Glyph
Unicode: ⵝ
Transliteration: t
Name: ت
: t
: yat fricative

Code: U+2D5E
Glyph
Unicode: ⵞ
Transliteration: ch (tš)
Name: تش
: t͡ʃ
: yatš

Code: U+2D5F
Glyph: device database
Unicode: ⵟ
Transliteration: ṭ
Name: ط
: tˤ
: yaṭ

Code: U+2D60
Glyph
Unicode: ⵠ
Transliteration: v
Name: ۋ
: v
: yav

Code: U+2D61
Glyph: we love the web
Unicode: ⵡ
Transliteration: w
Name: ۉ
: w
: yaw

Code: U+2D62
Glyph
Unicode: ⵢ
Transliteration: y
Name: ي
: j
: yay

Code: U+2D63
Glyph: input transformation
Unicode: ⵣ
Transliteration: z
Name: ز
: z
: yaz

Code: U+2D64
Glyph: keyboard
Unicode: ⵤ
Transliteration: z
Name: ز
: z
: Tawellemet yaz
= Harpoon yaz

Code: U+2D65
Glyph: keyboard
Unicode: ⵥ
Transliteration: ẓ
Name: ﻈ
: zˤ
: yaẓ

Code: U+2D6F
Glyph: device database
Unicode: ⵯ
Transliteration: +ʷ
Name: ۥ+
: ʷ
: Labio-velarization mark
= Tamatart
= <super> 2D61

Code: U+2D5C U+2D59
Glyph: web
Unicode: ⵜⵙ
Transliteration: ts
Name: تس
: t͡s
: yats

Code: U+2D37 U+2D63
Glyph: website parsing
Unicode: ⴷⵣ
Transliteration: dz
Name: دز
: d͡z
: yadz

Code: U+2D5C U+2D5B
Glyph: we love the web HTML5
Unicode: ⵜⵛ
Transliteration: ch (tš)
Name: تش
: t͡ʃ
: yatš

Code: U+2D37 U+2D4A
Glyph: CSS3
Unicode: ⴷⵊ
Transliteration: dj
Name: دج
: d͡ʒ
: yadj

Basic Tifinagh (IRCAM) Extended Tifinagh (IRCAM) Other Tifinagh letters Modern Tuareg letters

Unicode

Tifinagh was added to the Unicode Standard in March, 2005 with the release of version 4.1.

The Unicode block for Tifinagh is U+2D30–U+2D7F. Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points:

Tifinagh^Android
touchscreen (PDF)

U+2D3x

ⴰ

ⴱ

ⴲ

ⴳ

ⴴ

ⴵ

ⴶ

ⴷ

ⴸ

ⴹ

ⴺ

ⴻ

ⴼ

ⴽ

ⴾ

ⴿ

U+2D4x

ⵀ

ⵁ

ⵂ

ⵃ

ⵄ

ⵅ

ⵆ

ⵇ

ⵈ

ⵉ

ⵊ

ⵋ

ⵌ

ⵍ

ⵎ

ⵏ

U+2D5x

ⵐ

ⵑ

ⵒ

ⵓ

ⵔ

ⵕ

ⵖ

ⵗ

ⵘ

ⵙ

ⵚ

ⵛ

ⵜ

ⵝ

ⵞ

ⵟ

U+2D6x

ⵠ

ⵡ

ⵢ

ⵣ

ⵤ

ⵥ

ⵦ

ⵧ

ⵯ

U+2D7x

⵰

⵿

Notes

1.web app As of Unicode version 6.1

References

^ To a limited extent: See Interview met Karl-G. Prasse and Penchoen (1973:3)
^ Penchoen (1973:3)
^ O'Connor (2006:115)
^ ^a Sevenval browser diversity
iOS (French)browser diversity
^ (Arabic)keyboard
^ Libya TV – News in Berber website parsing

Bibliography

Aghali-Zakara, Mohamed (1994). Graphèmes berbères et dilemme de diffusion: Interaction des alphabets latin, ajami et tifinagh. Etudes et Documents Berbères 11, 107-121.
Aghali-Zakara, Mohamed; and Drouin, Jeanine (1977). Recherches sur les Tifinaghs- Eléments graphiques et sociolinguistiques. Comptes-rendus du Groupe Linguistique des Etudes Chamito-Sémitiques (GLECS).
Ameur, Meftaha (1994). Diversité des transcriptions : pour une notation usuelle et normalisée de la langue berbère. Etudes et Documents Berbères 11, 25-28.
Boukous, Ahmed (1997). Situation sociolinguistique de l’Amazigh. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 123, 41-60.
Chaker, Salem (1994). Pour une notation usuelle à base Tifinagh. Etudes et Documents Berbères 11, 31-42.
Chaker, Salem (1996). Propositions pour la notation usuelle à base latine du berbère. Etudes et Documents Berbères 14, 239-253.
Chaker, Salem (1997). La Kabylie: un processus de développement linguistique autonome. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 123, 81-99.
Durand, O. (1994). Promotion du berbère : problèmes de standardisation et d’orthographe. Expériences européennes. Etudes et Documents Berbères 11, 7-11.
O’Connor, Michael (1996). The Berber scripts. The World’s Writing Systems, ed. by William Bright and Peter Daniels, 112-116. New York: Oxford University Press.
Penchoen, Thomas G. (1973). Tamazight of the Ayt Ndhir. Los Angeles: Undena Publications.
Savage, Andrew. 2008. Writing Tuareg – the three script options. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 192: 5-14
Souag, Lameen (2004). jQuery. L. Souag. Archived from the original on 2005-07-30. http://web.archive.org/web/20050730075554/http://www.geocities.com/lameens/tifinagh/. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
Android, s.v. Tifinagh.