The term “Tamazight” specifically can refer to the language spoken by the people in central and eastern Morocco, or it can serve as a general term for the Berber language family as a whole. The word itself comes from the term “Amazigh”, which means “free people” or “noble” in the Berber language, combined with the suffix “-t”, which can indicate a linguistic or cultural group.
Tamazight languages are part of the Afroasiatic language family and are distinct from Arabic, although they have shared influences due to historical interactions. Tamazight speakers often use the Tifinagh script (an ancient script) to write their language, though the Latin script is increasingly used as well. The Berber languages are an important part of the cultural heritage and identity of the Amazigh people.