Push for Terminology Change: Berber
Image Source: Wikipedia Commons
Definition
“Berber” is a term used to refer to the indigenous (non-Arab) peoples of North Africa.
The Problem
This term is derived from “barbaros,” (Greek) which was used to refer to foreigners, and later gained the connotation of “savages,” hence the term “barbarian.” As far as indigenous peoples in Africa are concerned, “Arabic-speaking Muslim writers did not use it to refer to any particular African region, culture, or ethnicity. Instead, the term referred to non-Arabic speaking Muslims who were also indigenous Africans (i.e., ‘black’).” The identity of these indigenous peoples has been erased (by declaring they are Arab) or even made illegal to acknowledge/ exhibit.
You can imagine why indigenous peoples aren’t happy to be described as ‘barbarians.’ Even more worrying is the fact that even after the North African indigenous rights movement gained traction in the 1970s, Arabic students like me are not taught about this issue, even in in recent years (say 2009-2016). I first discovered the ‘barbarian’ connotation of Berber only after I started translating professionally. Luckily, I hadn’t come across the term and perpetuated this negative term.
Alternative
As translators (and interpreters), we are sometimes bound by guidelines or client requirements to use certain terms, that’s just a fact of our profession. Yet we also have the power to change the way we discuss an issue in our target language. We can advise or suggest, or even insist, our clients use terms that better reflect the feelings, representation, or cause involved. This blog series isn’t meant to disparage the usage of a certain term; it’s meant to present terms that (many) people find problematic and some potential alternatives.
According to the Society of Linguistic Anthropology, “To combat discrimination and to reclaim their identity, the indigenous peoples use the terms: Amazigh (singular), Imazighen (plural),” which means ‘free person’ in their language (Tamazight). I don’t consider it a hardship to use terms put forward by the people (and their culture) they refer to.