Meaning of the term ' Berber'

[The_Cosmos]

Many Somalis use this terms to try and make a point of how they were described in the world, almost taking pride in it. What they seem to not understand is that the term has negative connotations that not only applies to them but also to the people of Berber.

The term Berber is a variation of the Greek original word barbaros ("barbarian"), earlier in history applied by Romans specifically to their northern hostile neighbors from Germania (modern Germany) and Celts, Iberians, Gauls, Goths and Thracians. The variation is a French one when spelled Berbere and English when spelled Berber. The term appeared first in the 4th century in the religious conflicts between Saint Augustine, a Numidian Berber-Roman bishop of the Catholic faith, and the Berber Donatists of the Donatism faith who were allies of the Barbarian Vandals. The Vandals migrated from Iberia (modern Spain and Portugal) where they were assailed by the Gauls allied to the Romans, and settled west of the Roman city of Carthage (in modern Tunisia) in the highlands (in modern Algeria). The Greek term "βάρβαρος / βάρβαροι" was originally a term for all non-Greek speakers, not necessarily used derogatively. The nonsense syllables "bar-bar" have no meaning in Greek; the term implied that all languages other than Greek were a collection of nonsense syllables. The term has been variously translated as "stutterers," "stammerers," or "babblers." The term did in origin refer to any people of "incomprehensible speech", including Persia and Egypt; its connotation of uncivilized rudeness, now the primary meaning of the term "barbarian", appears to have emerged in the Roman era or with the Migration period.

Because the Berbers were called Al-Barbar by the Arabs, the early modern Barbary seems to be a re-adoption of the name from Arabic.[citation needed] Muslim historiography has an eponymous Barbar as the ancestor of the Berbers, "the Berbers were the descendants of Barbar, the son of Tamalla, the son of Mazigh, the son of Canaan, the son of Ham, the son of Noah" (Ibn Khaldun, The History of Ibn Khaldun, Chapter 3).

"Another people called Berbers by medieval Arab and ancient Greek geographers, respectively, were the ancestors of the Somalilanders. Barbara, an ancient region on the northern coast of Somaliland was referred to as Bilad al-Barbar (Land of the Berbers)."

These are terrible terms applied to our ancestors that we seem to ignorantly regurgitate.

 

[Apollo]

Berbera = Barbarian city @waraabe

 

[Mohamud]

Iirc Europeans also routinely categorized us as Moors. Europeans don't really know how to classify things.

 

[cantspeak]

Iirc Europeans also routinely categorized us as Moors. Europeans don't really know how to classify things.

And now we're just all Blacks

 

[Apollo]

And now we're just all Blacks

Hamitic master race responsible for the Great Zimbabwe, the Nubian pyramids and any other sliver of ancient Civilization in Africa.

 

[Nin xun]

Hamitic master race responsible for the Great Zimbabwe, the Nubian pyramids and any other sliver of ancient Civilization in Africa.

We wuz civilization N shi.

 

[maestro]

No one takes pride in it. That's just what we were called by Greeks then Arabs. It's just a historic term that no one cares about anymore. If we weren't already Somali then British would have named the place Berbera by its historic name like they did Lebanon and Jordan but instead they gave the name to a city.

Portuguese and Spaniards called us Moors. If they were as influential as the Greeks then Moors would have stuck today like Berber did back then

 

[The_Cosmos]

No one takes pride in it. That's just what we were called by Greeks then Arabs. It's just a historic term that no one cares about anymore. If we weren't already Somali then British would have named the place Berbera by its historic name like they did Lebanon and Jordan but instead they gave the name to a city.

Portuguese and Spaniards called us Moors. If they were as influential as the Greeks then Moors would have stuck today like Berber did back then

I don't deny that, I was just saying that many Somalis do without actually understanding what the terms imply. I am simply pointing out the root meaning of the word.

 

[waraabe]

Don't claim muh history

 

[flyman]

Many Somalis use this terms to try and make a point of how they were described in the world, almost taking pride in it. What they seem to not understand is that the term has negative connotations that not only applies to them but also to the people of Berber.



"Another people called Berbers by medieval Arab and ancient Greek geographers, respectively, were the ancestors of the Somalilanders. Barbara, an ancient region on the northern coast of Somaliland was referred to as Bilad al-Barbar (Land of the Berbers)."

These are terrible terms applied to our ancestors that we seem to ignorantly regurgitate.

They said we couldn't be ruled (by foreigners) That's a good name in my opinion. Btw the name berbera was around before the Arabs called us berbers.

 

[waraabe]

Look at these fufus claiming my history

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

Look at these fufus claiming my history

View attachment 11791

Your history is my history. No need for the hardcore qabiilism sxb.

 

[waraabe]

Your history is my history. No need for the hardcore qabiilism sxb.

Negro

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

Negro

Relax keyboard warrior, by your logic, you're a "negro" as well.

 

[merka]

Bilad al barbar and the City of Berbera were named after the spices that were sold only in that area. It has nothing to do with barbarians.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbere

There's a difference between بلاد البربر (North Africa) and بلاد الباربار (Somaliland)

I know you love Europeans but even the Greeks used to call Berbera Malao.

Come correct next time you try to come after the holy land.

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

Bilad al barbar and the City of Berbera were named after the spices that were sold only in that area. It has nothing to do with barbarians.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbere

There's a difference between بلاد البربر (North Africa) and بلاد الباربار (Somaliland)

I know you love Europeans but even the Greeks used to call Berbera Malao.

Come correct next time you try to come after the holy land.

Sxb wiki isn't the best source of information, i think you know that as well.

That ibn battuta fella referred to Somalis in the area as "Berbers". We shouldn't take pride in that, even the north africans reject it and to be called Amazigh.

 

[Mohamud]

Don't claim muh history

I was mistaken unfortunately. We are completely different races

Still my favourite comment from you

 

[merka]

Sxb wiki isn't the best source of information, i think you know that as well.

That ibn battuta fella referred to Somalis in the area as "Berbers". We shouldn't take pride in that, even the north africans reject it and to be called Amazigh.

That's what the spice is called, it's well known.

Ibn Battuta was from North Africa so he'd obviously call Somalis Berbers since we look similar to them.

You don't need to take pride in anything, you're not from Berbera so it doesn't concern you.

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

That's what the spice is called, it's well known.

Ibn Battuta was from North Africa so he'd obviously call Somalis Berbers since we look similar to them.

You don't need to take pride in anything, you're not from Berbera so it doesn't concern you.

Warya stop the calcaal, all im saying is being called a barbarian ain't cool.

Each to their own i guess.

 

[Prince of Lasanod]

That's what the spice is called, it's well known.

Ibn Battuta was from North Africa so he'd obviously call Somalis Berbers since we look similar to them.

You don't need to take pride in anything, you're not from Berbera so it doesn't concern you.

But he called the Mogadishu Sultan "a Berber" and said that he spoke "a Berber language". I don't think he's from Berbera sxb.

But yet again, you people seem to take it as if it means Somalilanders are a different race.