APMorph: finite-state transducer for Amazigh pronominal morphology

Our work aims to present an amazigh pronominal morphological analyzer (APMorph) based on xerox’s finite-state transducer (XFST). Our system revolves around a large lexicon named “APlex” including the affixed pronoun to the noun and to the verb and the characteristics relating to each lemma. A set of rules are added to define the inflectional behavior and morphosyntactic links of each entry as well as the relationship between the different lexical units. The implementation and the evaluation of our approach will be detailed within this article. The use of XFST remains a relevant choice in the sense that this platform allows both analysis and generation. The robustness of our system makes it able to be integrated in other applications of natural language processing (NLP) especially spellchecking, machine translation, and machine learning. This paper presents a continuation of our previous works on the automatic processing of Amazigh nouns and verbs

AmAMorph: Finite State Morphological Analyzer for Amazighe

This paper presents AmAMorph, a morphological analyzer for Amazighe language using a system based on the NooJ linguistic development environment. The paper begins with the development of Amazighe lexicons with large coverage formalization. The built electronic lexicons, named ‘NAmLex’, ‘VAmLex’ and ‘PAmLex’ which stand for ‘Noun Amazighe Lexicon’, ‘Verb Amazighe Lexicon’ and ‘Particles Amazighe Lexicon’, link inflectional, morphological, and syntacticsemantic information to the list of lemmas. Automated inflectional and derivational routines are applied to each lemma producing over inflected forms. To our knowledge,AmAMorph is the first morphological analyzer for Amazighe. It identifies the component morphemes of the forms using large coverage morphological grammars. Along with the description of how the analyzer is implemented, this paper gives an evaluation of the analyzer

Theory and Applications for Advanced Text Mining

Due to the growth of computer technologies and web technologies, we can easily collect and store large amounts of text data. We can believe that the data include useful knowledge. Text mining techniques have been studied aggressively in order to extract the knowledge from the data since late 1990s. Even if many important techniques have been developed, the text mining research field continues to expand for the needs arising from various application fields. This book is composed of 9 chapters introducing advanced text mining techniques. They are various techniques from relation extraction to under or less resourced language. I believe that this book will give new knowledge in the text mining field and help many readers open their new research fields

Attrition and revival in Awjila BerberFacebook posts as a new data source for an endangered Berber language

Awjila Berber is a highly endangered Berber variety spoken in eastern Libya. The minimal material available on it reveals that the language is in some respects very archaic and in others grammatically unique, and as such is of particular comparative and historical interest. Fieldwork has been impossible for decades due to the political situation. Recently, however, several inhabitants of Awjila have set up a Facebook group Ašal=ənnax (“our village”), posting largely in Awjili. Analysis of this partly conversational corpus makes it possible to extend our knowledge of the language, yielding unattested words and constructions. Examination of its grammatical features also reveals that these posters’ usage is heavily influenced by Arabic, showing language attrition absent from earlier data; even subject-verb agreement has been extensively reworked. In both respects, this study casts light upon the uses and limits of social media as a source of linguistic material.Attrition et renouveau dans le berbère Awjila. Les messages Facebook comme nouvelle source de données pour une langue berbère en voie de disparition Le berbère d’Awjila est une langue de l’est de la Libye qui est en danger de disparition. Les rares données disponibles indiquent que cette langue a des traits très conservateurs et d’autres qui sont uniques dans le cadre des langues berbères. Elle est alors d’un intérêt exceptionnel pour les études comparatives et historiques. Pour des raisons politiques, aucune recherche sur le terrain n’a été possible depuis plusieurs décennies. Or plusieurs citoyens d’Awjila ont récemment créé un groupe sur Facebook, Ašal=ənnax (« notre village »), où ils écrivent en awjili. L’analyse de ce corpus, en partie conversationnel, nous permet d’élargir notre connaissance de cette langue et fournit des mots et des constructions inconnus auparavant. L’étude de ses traits grammaticaux révèle une grande influence arabe sur leur usage, et montre un degré d’attrition qui ne se trouve pas dans les anciennes données; y compris la transformation de l’accord du verbe avec le sujet. Ces résultats aident à mieux comprendre l’utilité et les limites des médias sociaux comme source de données linguistiques

On the semantics of Tarifiyt verbs of seeing

The Amazigh (aka Berber) language Tarifiyt has two different roots for ‘to see’, ẓr, and wř, which are in partial complementary distribution depending on the aspect of the verb. In this article, the exact distribution of these verb roots is discussed for one paticular variety of Tarifiyt, that spoken in and around the city of Nador. It is shown that there are two, partially overlapping, verbs, one ‘to go/come and see’, which is always expressed by ẓr, and the other a general ‘see’ verb, which uses the root wř in the Imperfective stems, and ẓr in the Aorist and Perfective stems. However, the distribution is more complicated than that, and in the negation of irrealis events, Imperfective ẓr can also be used with the general ‘see’ verb. Moreover, it is shown that the choice of the aspect in the general ‘see’ verb is different in its details from that of other verbs, something that it may share with other verbs of experience perception.Descriptive and Comparative Linguistic

Restauraciones antiguas: enfoque estructural numérico para la identificación y reinterpretación de la secuencia constructiva del Medracen

[EN] This paper addresses the importance of a structural approach for identifying and interpreting building chronology, as well as for the establishment of historical stratigraphy. Through structural analyses, carried out on the oldest extant royal mausoleum in North Africa, the Medracen (4th-3rd century BC), located in eastern Algeria, it has been possible to identify building sequences and structural characteristics; a reinterpretation of its constructive sequence within a specific historical context was also suggested. A static linear Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis was performed on a simplified 3D model conceived with solid elements to assess the structural behaviour of the structure under the effect of its self-weight and to identify, consequently, its construction sequence. The equilibrium approach was effective in identifying the structure s geometry. Results show that Medracen s ancient restoration was a strengthening intervention strategy and had a symbolic aim related to the function of the funerary building. Restoration works, consisting of repairing specific parts of the building and adding an external cladding, as a whole architectural entity, contributed to reducing the effect of tensile stress, therefore, stabilizing the inner core. Besides, this same action was a means for the Numidian elite to transform an ancient monumental burial (sepulchrum) into a monument (monumentum) with cultural significance likely to convey socio-political messages relating to power and sovereignty. Therefore, we can speak of an evolutionary restoration that reflects the ambitions of the Numidian elite to become part of the Mediterranean orbit.[ES] Este artículo aborda la importancia del análisis estructural para la identificación e interpretación de la cronología de la construcción y el establecimiento de una estratigrafía histórica. A través de un análisis estructural, realizado sobre el mausoleo real más antiguo que se conserva en Argelia en el norte de África, el Medracen (siglos IV-III a.C.) localizado en su parte oriental, se han podido identificar algunas secuencias constructivas y características estructurales con el objetivo de sugerir una reinterpretación de su cronología constructiva enmarcada en un contexto histórico específico. Se realizó un análisis estático lineal por elementos finitos sobre un modelo 3D simplificado, concebido con elementos sólidos, para evaluar el comportamiento estructural del monumento bajo el efecto de su peso propio e identificar, en consecuencia, su secuencia constructiva. Por otro lado, el enfoque del equilibrio del conjunto fue eficaz para identificar la geometría de la estructura. Los resultados muestran que la antigua restauración de Medracen tuvo como meta una intervención de refuerzo y un objetivo simbólico relacionado con la función del edificio funerario. La restauración, consistente en la reparación de partes específicas del edificio y la adición de un paramento exterior, como entidad arquitectónica de pleno derecho, contribuyó a reducir el efecto de las tensiones de tracción, estabilizando así el núcleo interno. Además, esta misma acción fue un medio para que la élite Númida transformase un antiguo sepulcro (sepulchrum) en un monumento (monumentum) con significado cultural capaz de transmitir mensajes sociopolíticos relacionados con el poder y la soberanía. Por lo tanto, se puede hablar de una "restauración evolutiva" que refleja las ambiciones de la élite númida de integrarse en la órbita mediterránea.Amokrane, L.; Kassab, T.; Monjo-Carrio, J. (2022). Ancient restorations: computer-based structural approach for the identification and reinterpretation of the Medracen's constructive sequence. Virtual Archaeology Review. 13(27):33-48. https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2022.17394OJS3348132

Grammatical Contact in the Sahara: Arabic, Berber, and Songhay in Tabelbala and Siwa

This thesis examines the effects of contact on the grammars of the languages of two Saharan oases, Siwa and Tabelbala. These share similar linguistic ecologies in many respects, and can be regarded as among the most extreme representatives of a language contact situation ongoing for centuries across the oases of the northern Sahara. This work identifies and argues for contact effects across a wide range of core morphology and syntax, using these both to shed new light on regional history and to test claims about the limits on, and expected outcomes of, contact. While reaffirming the ubiquity of pattern copying, the results encourage an expanded understanding of the role of material borrowing in grammatical contact, showing that the borrowing of functional morphemes and of paradigmatic sets of words or phrases containing them can lead to grammatical change. More generally, it confirms the uniformitarian principle that diachronic change arises through the long-term application of processes observable in synchronic language contact situations. The similarity of the sociolinguistic situations provides a close approximation to a natural controlled experiment, allowing us to pinpoint cases where differences in the original structure of the recipient language appear to have influenced its receptivity to external influence in those aspects of structure