His father, Augustin Berque, was a scholar and Arabist of distinction, one of the few to take an interest in the Muslim culture of the Maghreb.
hɪz fˈɑːðɚ, ˈɔːɡəstˌɪn bˈɜːk, wʌzɐ skˈɑːlɚ ænd ˈæɹɐbˌɪst ʌv dɪstˈɪŋkʃən, wˈʌn ʌvðə fjˈuː tə tˈeɪk ɐn ˈɪntɹɛst ɪnðə mˈʊzlɪm kˈʌltʃɚɹ ʌvðə mˈæɡɹɛb.