Standard Moroccan Tamazight

Standard Moroccan Tamazight (SMT) is the standardized form of Central Atlas Tamazight, a Berber language spoken in Morocco. SMT was developed in the early 1990s by the Institute of Linguistics of the Mohammed V University in Rabat. It is now the official language of Morocco, alongside Arabic. Moroccan Tamazight has a long history, dating back to the Berber people who are thought to have arrived in the region around 12,000 years ago. The language was first written in the Tifinagh alphabet, but switched to the Latin alphabet in the 20th century. SMT is a relatively new standard, but it has already been adopted by many Moroccans as their first language. It is used in schools, universities, and by the Moroccan government. Despite its relatively short history, Standard Moroccan Tamazight has already made a significant impact on the country and its people. It is a symbol of Morocco’s Berber heritage and a reminder of the country’s linguistic diversity.