Editing Kabyle language (section)

==Classification==
[[File:WIKITONGUES-_Ghiles_speaking_Kabyle.webm|thumb|right|A Kabyle speaker, recorded in [[Algeria]]]]
Kabyle is one of the [[Northern Berber languages]], a branch of the [[Berber languages|Berber language family]] within [[Afroasiatic languages|Afroasiatic]]. It is believed to have broken off very early from [[proto-Berber language|Proto-Berber]], although after the [[Zenaga language]] did so.<ref>'The Saharan Berber diaspora and the southern frontiers of Vandal and [[Byzantine North Africa]]', J. Conant and S. Stevens (eds), North Africa under Byzantium and Early Islam, ca. 500 – ca. 800 (Dumbarton Oaks Byzantine Symposia and Colloquia. Washington, D.C.)</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Elizabeth Fentress|author2=Andrew Wilson|editor1-last=Stevens|editor1-first=Susan|editor2-last=Conant|editor2-first=Jonathan|title=North Africa under Byzantium and Early Islam|publisher=Dumbarton Oaks|isbn=978-0-88402-408-8|page=52|chapter=The Saharan Berber Diaspora and the Southern Frontiers of Byzantine North Africa|year=2016}}</ref> According to [[Maarten Kossmann|Kossmann]] (2020), Kabyle appears to be quite distinct. In several respects, it shares certain linguistic innovations with the [[Atlas languages|western Moroccan dialect]] group. However, it is unclear whether these similarities result from an earlier expansion of that group into Algeria, which was later interrupted by the spread of [[Zenati languages|Zenati dialects]], or whether they represent independent, parallel developments.<ref>{{Citation |last=Kossmann |first=Maarten |title=Berber |date=2020-05-07 |work=The Oxford Handbook of African Languages |pages=284 |editor-last=Vossen |editor-first=Rainer |url=https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/38608/chapter/334725433 |access-date=2025-05-26 |edition=1 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199609895.013.37 |isbn=978-0-19-960989-5 |quote=Kabyle seems to stand alone. [...] In a number of cases, Kabyle has undergone similar innovations to the western Moroccan block. It is difficult to decide, at this point, whether this points to an earlier extension of this block towards Algeria (separated by the incursion of Zenatic), or whether they represent parallel developments. |editor2-last=Dimmendaal |editor2-first=Gerrit J.}}</ref>