Chapter 12. Food, contact phenomena and reconstruction in Oriental Berber
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Amina Mettouchi
Abstract
Berber subclassification is notoriously problematic, due to overlapping innovations and retentions across hypothesized sub-branches. Focussing on Oriental Berber, we analyze the lexicon of food, on the assumption that linguistic contacts within Berber and between Berber and Arabic are reflected in material and immaterial culture. An original method for the analysis of food terms and their denotations is proposed. We illustrate the method through a case-study of food preparation, in which various denominations are cognates of the stem *βazin, and which confirms most linguistic hypotheses about subgroupings and contacts, additionally exemplifying a case of levelling due to borrowing into Arabic followed by re-borrowing into Berber. Our results also point to further contacts across Berber language groups (best analyzed in terms of linkage), and confirm the relevance of the study of food culture in support of the historical reconstruction of Berber languages.
Abstract
Berber subclassification is notoriously problematic, due to overlapping innovations and retentions across hypothesized sub-branches. Focussing on Oriental Berber, we analyze the lexicon of food, on the assumption that linguistic contacts within Berber and between Berber and Arabic are reflected in material and immaterial culture. An original method for the analysis of food terms and their denotations is proposed. We illustrate the method through a case-study of food preparation, in which various denominations are cognates of the stem *βazin, and which confirms most linguistic hypotheses about subgroupings and contacts, additionally exemplifying a case of levelling due to borrowing into Arabic followed by re-borrowing into Berber. Our results also point to further contacts across Berber language groups (best analyzed in terms of linkage), and confirm the relevance of the study of food culture in support of the historical reconstruction of Berber languages.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors’ introduction 1
- Chapter 1. Signs of prehistoric language shifts involving Unangam Tunuu (Aleut) 8
- Chapter 2. Early compound accent in Japanese Tōkyō -type dialects 36
- Chapter 3. Phylogenetic signal in the lexicon 59
- Chapter 4. Solving Galton’s problem 74
- Chapter 5. Re-examining initial geminates 109
- Chapter 6. Recurrent change in pronouns 146
- Chapter 7. The role of geography and migration in the branching and spread of the Japonic language family 172
- Chapter 8. Iconicity principles from an evolutionary perspective 194
- Chapter 9. Modality across semantic spaces 216
- Chapter 10. Something out of nothing 240
- Chapter 11. The diachronic development of postverbal dé 得 in Chinese 260
- Chapter 12. Food, contact phenomena and reconstruction in Oriental Berber 283
- Chapter 13. A cognitive-typological perspective on the origins of causative‑applicative polysemy 330
- Index 367
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors’ introduction 1
- Chapter 1. Signs of prehistoric language shifts involving Unangam Tunuu (Aleut) 8
- Chapter 2. Early compound accent in Japanese Tōkyō -type dialects 36
- Chapter 3. Phylogenetic signal in the lexicon 59
- Chapter 4. Solving Galton’s problem 74
- Chapter 5. Re-examining initial geminates 109
- Chapter 6. Recurrent change in pronouns 146
- Chapter 7. The role of geography and migration in the branching and spread of the Japonic language family 172
- Chapter 8. Iconicity principles from an evolutionary perspective 194
- Chapter 9. Modality across semantic spaces 216
- Chapter 10. Something out of nothing 240
- Chapter 11. The diachronic development of postverbal dé 得 in Chinese 260
- Chapter 12. Food, contact phenomena and reconstruction in Oriental Berber 283
- Chapter 13. A cognitive-typological perspective on the origins of causative‑applicative polysemy 330
- Index 367
