Arabized Berber is derived from the Berber populations of the pre-Islamic period. Arabized Berber Arabized Berber denotes an inhabitant of the Maghreb region in northwestern Africa, whose native language is a local dialect of Arabic and whose origins are Berber. The expression holds that most populations in North Africa are of Berber heritage, including those inhabiting Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Western Sahara, and Mauritania. The widespread language shift from Berber to Arabic happened, at least partially, due to the privileged status that the Arabic language has generally been given in the states of North Africa, from the Arab conquest in 652 up
Names of the Berber people Sheba in the "Targum". According to Leo Africanus, "Amazigh" meant "free man". Etymologically, the name may be related to the well attested "aze" strong, "Tizzit" bravery, or "jeghegh" to be brave/courageous. Further it also has a cognate in the Tuareg word "Amajegh", meaning "noble". Names of the Berber people The ethnonym Berber dates to the 19th century, derived from "Barbary" the term for the Maghreb coast used during the early modern period, itself from Greek "barbaria" "land of barbarians". The contemporary self-designation current mostly in Morocco is "Imazighen" (singular "Amazigh"). This term is common in Morocco, especially among Central Atlas,