Standard Moroccan Amazigh

Standard Moroccan Amazigh is typically referred to as Tamazight, Amazigh, or Berber, although these terms can also be used to refer to any other Amazigh language, or to Amazigh languages as a whole, including those outside Morocco.^[3][1][4][6]

Criticism[edit]

The 2003 adoption of Tifinagh was met with widespread criticism, particularly among Amazigh activists, who find the choice impractical and limiting in the promotion of Tamazight.^[18] Most Moroccan speakers of Amazigh use the Latin alphabet, rather than Tifinagh, and the Latin alphabet is the official script used for Amazigh languages outside of Morocco.^{[15][17][20][22]} As a result, the adoption of Tifinagh is seen as limiting both within Morocco, and in connecting Morocco with broader Amazigh culture in North Africa, with the decision's harshest critics viewing it as an intentional ploy by the government.^[15][17][18] Linguist Salem Chaker argued that the decision was "dangerous" and intended to "[drive] this transitional period of Amazigh writing and teaching into a sure dead end."^[23] However, most non-activists opposed the official adoption of the Latin alphabet for Amazigh, and a 2011 survey found that 45.5% of respondents agreed that Tifinagh was the most appropriate script for writing Tamazight.^[14][18][22]


In practice, while all three languages are used in primary school textbooks, Tashelhit otherwise appears to be the main basis of the standard used in Amazigh-language materials produced by the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture, supplemented by numerous puristic neologisms. This has led some critics to argue that Morocco's official "language policy" is marginalizing the northern and eastern Berber languages of Morocco, and tacitly making all the Berber languages of Morocco 'non-standard', particularly those whose speakers do not identify with any of the three major languages used by IRCAM, such as Iznasen in the far northeast, Senhaja-Ktama in the north, Eastern Atlas Tamazight in central Morocco, Figuig, and Southeastern Berber.^[24][25][26]