Tifinagh   

Origin

The Tifinagh alphabet is thought to have derived from the ancient Berber script. The name Tifinagh means 'the Phoenician letters', or possibly comes from the Greek word for writing tablet, 'pínaks'.

Since September 2003, the Tifinagh alphabet children in Moroccan primary schools have been taught to write Tamazight with the Tifinagh alphabet. It is also used by the Tuareg, particularly the women, for private notes, love letters and in decoration. For public purposes, the Arabic alphabet is normally used.

Notable features

• Type of writing system: alphabet.
• Direction of writing: left to right in horizontal lines.

Used to write

Berber languages such as Tamazight, Tamasheq and Amazigh, which are spoken by about a million or so people in Morocco, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria and Libya.

Neo-Tifinagh alphabet as used in Morocco

Sample text in Tamazight

Transliteration

Imdanen, akken ma llan ttlalen d ilelliyen msawan di lhòweròma d yizerfan-ghur sen tamsakwit d lâquel u yessefk ad-tili tegmatt gar asen.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample text in Tamasheq (Tower of Babel)

Links

Free Tifinagh fonts
http://www.chez.com/imazighen/assckltfngh.html
http://www.mondeberbere.com/langue/polices.htm

L'école d'amazigh - online lessons in Amazigh and the Tifinagh alphabet
http://www.ircam.ma/ecoleamazighe/menu.htm

Tawalt - a Libyan Berber site in the Tifinagh and Arabic scripts
http://www.tawalt.com

Berber Language Page
http://isp.msu.edu/AfrLang/Handbook/Berber_root.htm

Monde Berbere (Berber World) - information on the Berber people of Morocco in Berber, French and English: http://www.mondeberbere.com

Amazigh World - information about Berber language and culture (in Berber and French)
http://www.amazighworld.org

Kra isallen - Le magazine en ligne de l'association Tamazgha
http://www.tamazgha.fr

TIFIN' ART - Calligraphies et peintures (Tifinagh calligraphy)
http://tifin.arts.monsite.wanadoo.fr/index.jhtml

Other consonant alphabets (abjads)

Ancient Berber, Arabic, Dhives Akuru, Hebrew, Mandaic, Middle Persian, Nabataean, Parthian, Phoenician, Proto-Hebrew, Psalter, Sabaean, Samaritan, Sogdian, South Arabian, Syriac, Tifinagh, Ugaritic

OURIMMOUT OULGMAD

NGA BOUTFALA NOUDA NILI GHOUGHARASS

KOULLOU MAYLAN AWRZ ARFLLATI TTAKLN

AAMDA NIGDAD IGHD NGIN MANI TN YOUMAN

OUR IMMOUT OULGMAD ISKA IKCHM TILLAS

A TAFOUKT LLI GHI GMR ASSOUL OURILLAN

SSM IFFGH ALGMAD IKCHMK AYANOUACH

NGA TAKNIWIN NHOUL TNNITIY NNIGH AK

AJJATANGH AKKN NAJJ ATNAKSMT A TAKAT

TILLAS AD NKKA TIYYAD ADNOUFA MDINTAGH

MANIK ARAYISFIW AYMMI WARRAW NM

NOUFAD LHYA IMMOUT NOUFAD LAMAN IZOUG

MAMNK RA TNJMT I TAWDIWIN AWOUL

LAAKL IGAN LMIZAN IRAYAS NSRS

LHAKK D LBADL ATN ISMKILIL

LAAKL ARISWINGIM SAWLN NNANIYID

LHAK IMDLT OUKARID IG FLLAS ISMKAN

WANNA YAD IGAN IZM GIN FLLASN TIDDAF

AR AS SGHALN IZMWAZZAL ASIN AS LATRT

ASS NNA TN GHIN LOUHN GIS TAWDA SOUKOURAY

GIN TIN GH IZTIY OUZAL DAWMN FLLAS AKRRAF

MACH IZM WALLIT IGAN OUR ISSN TASRGMT

KHTTAD AYJRAN AMIDN WAK WAK ANGH

YIWID OUSMAMYY NMIDN TAGHLAGHALT

TRZAYAGH TOUDRT ITTAGAS LAAKL

IFFOU LHAL AGHID RANIN TIFAWT

NSOUGGA SINTALN NSOUGGA IGHARASN

YIWIYAGH OUSWINGM YILIH AGH TALILT

OUR NSSIN MAN AZMZ RAD AGH KMMLNT

ISBAYNAGH RBBI LMNDAF OURTA YOUMZ

AFOUS GHOUFOUS ADNFSIY IKRRAFN

tiri ousfld : http://izenzaren.ifrance.com/Izenzaren_UrImmutUlegwmad.html

idr d botayri ghlbaraj nyoosaf isn tachfin

assafou zgh oussairour n l'internet

amdakl lmlih