Toponymy of Maghreb

The toponymy of Maghreb is the product of ancient civilizations, invasions, and migrations of multiple peoples of different origins and languages, recorded primarily via Berber, Arabic, Spanish, and French traditions,[1] but also certain influence of Phoenicians, Ancient Greeks, and the Ancient Rome. The recorded names were often distorted due to imperfection of medieval recording the pronunciation of Berber toponyms by Arabs and further by inadequacy of the records of French colonial administration of the territories of Maghreb (Tunisia, Lybia, Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauretania). The transcription of the names is also aggravated by a variety of local spoken dialects.[2] All these problems have been known since as early as the 11th century, and they still have to be handled by modern researchers and cartographers seeking standardization of toponymy.[3]

The 14th-century Arabic scholar Ibn Khaldun recorded over 1,000 toponyms of Maghreb in his Kitāb al-ʻIbar.[3]

In the toponymy of Maghreb, Mohamed Meouak singles out three linguistic factors: hybrid toponyms (Arabic-Berber), "cross-bred" anthroponyms used in place names, and the interactions between Islamic and Christian topographies.[4] Arabic influence may be classified into replacement of Berber toponymy with Arabic and the Arabization of Berber names.[2]

The issue is also pertinent to atlases of Maghreb in other countries, e.g., in Hungary.[1]

Table

Toponyms of settlements in the Maghreb
Settlement Country Historical forms and Names Meaning
Tetouan Morocco Titawin; Tetteguin [5] Eyes in Berber Languages, plural form of "tiṭṭ" ⵜⵉⵟⵟ.
Rabat Morocco Ribāṭ Fortified monastery; ribāṭ refers to a fortified religious establishment or frontier outpost. [6][7]
Beni Mellal Morocco Beni is derived from the Arabic Bani meaning "Sons of" which corresponds to the Berber Ait, Ath and At.[8] Mellal comes from the Berber root M-L-L meaning white.
Algiers Algeria Icosium The Arabic name al-Jazāʾir (الجزائر), means 'the Islands'.
Tripolis Libya Ṭarābulus al-Gharb; Oea From Greek, meaning three cities.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Malak Alasli, Maghrebian toponym variants in Hungarian school atlases, GEODÉZIA ÉS KARTOGRÁFIA 2021/3 (issue 73) doi:10.30921/GK.73.2021.3.6
  2. 1 2 André Basset, "Sur la toponymie berbere et spécialement sur la toponymie des Ait Frah." Onomastica 2, no. 2 (1948), pp. 123-126.
  3. 1 2 Bogusław R. Zagórski, IBN KHALDUN'S HISTORY AS A SOURCE BOOK OF MAGHREBIAN TOPONYMY
  4. ↑ Mohamed Meouak, Place-names and personal names in medieval Maghreb: some observations on Arabic and Berber in contact
  5. ↑ Leo, Africanus (2010). The history and description of Africa and of the notable things therein contained. Brown, Robert, 1842-1895. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 511. ISBN 9781108012881. OCLC 717137503.
  6. ↑ تاريخ رباط الفتح – عبد الله السويسي (in Arabic).
  7. ↑ "دعوة الحق – رباط الفتح". habous.gov.ma. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  8. ↑ https://referenceworks.brill.com/display/entries/EI1O/SIM-0480.xml

Further reading

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