argaz

Kabyle

Etymology

Compare Tashelhit ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵣ (argaz), Central Atlas Tamazight ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵣ (argaz) and Tarifit aryaz.

Pronunciation

Noun

argaz m (construct state wergaz, plural irgazen, plural construct state yergazen)

  1. man

Tashelhit

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Berber *a-rəgaz (man, individual), derived from Proto-Berber *r-g-z (to walk); The original meaning would thus have been "walker". Compare the etymology of Arabic رَجُل (rajul, man).

Cognate with Senhaja De Srair aryaz (man), Awjila aregaz (individual) and Zenaga aregež (man), Tayert argëz (to march),Tuareg regeh (to march), and Ghat erǧez (to walk).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arɡaz/

Noun

argaz m (construct state urgaz, plural irgazn, Tifinagh spelling ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵣ, Arabic spelling آرڭاز)

  1. man (adult male human)
    llan irgazn ġ tgmmi.the men are in the house.
  2. husband
    argaz inu aya.this is my husband.
  3. adult
    tgit argaz ġila a iwi-nuyou're an adult now, son.

Derived terms

  • abrgaz (courageous man)
  • argaz n dar uḍar (messenger)
  • irgazn n id matsn (stepfathers)
  • tirrugza (virility, manhood)

See also

References

  • Stroomer, Harry (2025), Dictionnaire berbère tachelḥiyt-français — Tome 1 a—e (Handbook of Oriental Studies – Handbuch der Orientalistik; 188/1) (in French), Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, →DOI, →ISBN, page 382b
  • Maarten Kossmann (1999), Essai sur la phonologie du proto-berbère (Grammatical analyses of african languages; 12) (in French), Leiden, The Netherlands: ‎Rüdiger Köppe, →ISBN, page 161