Demonstrating how easily the Arabic script can be repurposed for Soomaali
- Thread starter Shimbiris
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Apollo
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@Shimbiris @TekNiKo @Aurelian
Honestly I don't like the Arabic writing system. It is a really poorly designed one and it causes its users to stop using diacritics after a certain level of proficiency (inherent in its design). That is terrible for areas with low levels of literacy like Somaliweyn where Arabic script would make the learning curve unnecessarily steeper.
Arabic abjad is best for the Semitic grammar system which tends to rehash consonant groups to form related words (e.g. k-t-b for writing / studying related words). Somali doesn't do this.
It is nowhere near as bad as the Chinese writing system, but IMO it is still harder than the Roman one.
Either the Roman script or a new script which is a combination of the previous major Somali developed scripts and approved of by a group of linguists from multiple clans and maybe even some foreign advisors.
Honestly I don't like the Arabic writing system. It is a really poorly designed one and it causes its users to stop using diacritics after a certain level of proficiency (inherent in its design). That is terrible for areas with low levels of literacy like Somaliweyn where Arabic script would make the learning curve unnecessarily steeper.
Arabic abjad is best for the Semitic grammar system which tends to rehash consonant groups to form related words (e.g. k-t-b for writing / studying related words). Somali doesn't do this.
It is nowhere near as bad as the Chinese writing system, but IMO it is still harder than the Roman one.
Either the Roman script or a new script which is a combination of the previous major Somali developed scripts and approved of by a group of linguists from multiple clans and maybe even some foreign advisors.
So you're saying the edited version I demonstrated does not make you feel like Arabic can work for Somali? Why? It's literally being used exactly how Latin is for Somali. Just replacing some of the double letters (ee, uu etc) with diacritic versions which, quite frankly, is what Somalis should have done with the Latin script (ē, ō) to look more neat and be simpler. And at least far carabi has actual letters for consonants in Soomaali like xa, ca and kha unlike Latin.
Apollo
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The way it is designed causes people to drop diacritics. Even Hebrew, Persian, Urdu all do this because they use scripts with a similar logic behind it.
I think you may be biased here because you are a native Arabic speaker with years of Arabic training under your belt. As you know, I attempted learning Arabic recently, but hot damn, the writing system gave me a massive headache. Learning Arabic would be 65% easier if they wrote in the Roman script. Chinese would be 99% easier, lol (their grammar is retardedly easy, only the tones and the writing system are the only hard things about Chinese).
Kkkkkk says the native German speaker who has years of exclusively Latin scribbling under his belt.
And it's not a written rule that the diacritics will stop being used, walaal. You can easily emphasize to Somalis not to drop their use and they probably will be incentivized to not do so because entire letters will disappear if you don't use diacritics. I dunno, I find this point silly because it's not like Latin diacritic variants used by many Germanics, Slavs and the Turks don't sometimes have this same problem but ultimately no one minds and gets around it.
Apollo
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Kkkkkk says the native German speaker who has years of exclusively Latin scribbling under his belt.
And it's not a written rule that the diacritics will stop being used, walaal. You can easily emphasize to Somalis not to drop their use and they probably will be incentivized to not do so because entire letters will disappear if you don't use diacritics. I dunno, I find this point silly because it's not like Latin diacritic variants used by many Germanics, Slavs and the Turks don't sometimes have this same problem but ultimately no one minds and gets around it.
Call me a coon, but I hear the Ge'ez writing system is kind of better than the Arabic one as they have a grouping for consonant + vowel combos.
It also kind of looks nicer than the Arabic one, at least when comparing how it is written normally and not calligraphy.
Honestly, if I was forced to use a writing system for Somali, I would pick the Latin one and drop the double vowels or have diacritics for the double vowels, see:
Iyadoo aqoonsiga sharafta uu ku dhashay iyo xuquuqda maguurtada ah ee ay u siman-yihiin dadweynaha adduunku uu yahay saldhigga xorriyada, caddaaladda iyo nabadda dunida.
Iyadoo aqoonsi la'aanta iyo ku tumashada xuquuqda aadanuhu ay ka dhasheen falal waxashtinimo ah oo shucuurta aadanuhu ka danqato iyo iyadoo gaaritaanka duni aadanaha ku nooli haystaan xornimo ay ku cabbiraan fikradahooda iyo waxay aaminsan yihiin iyo iyagoon qabin cabsi iyo baahi, laguna dhawaaqay inay tahay ujeedada ugu weyn ee uu dadku leeyahay.
VS
Iyadō aqōnsiga sharafta ū ku dhashay iyo xuqūqda magūrtada ah ē ay u siman-yihīn dadweynaha addūnku ū yahay saldhigga xorriyada, caddāladda iyo nabadda dunida.
Iyadō aqōnsi la'ānta iyo ku tumashada xuqūqda ādanuhu ay ka dhashēn falal waxashtinimo ah ō shucūrta ādanuhu ka danqato iyo iyadō gāritānka duni ādanaha ku nōli haystān xornimo ay ku cabbirān fikradahōda iyo waxay āminsan yihīn iyo iyagōn qabin cabsi iyo bāhi, laguna dhawāqay inay tahay ujēdada ugu weyn ē ū dadku lēyahay.
Apollo
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^ PS. In computer programs such as Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Write, or browser extensions, somebody could make a tool that would automatically convert all double vowels into that (ā ē ō ū etc.). So you could still type fast in Af-Somali using Af-Gaab writing.
It is the best upgrade Somali can do in my opinion and it would not be that controversial.
It is the best upgrade Somali can do in my opinion and it would not be that controversial.
Yes, if we insist on latin we should add diacritics and neaten it up. As for that Ge'ez comment:
Though I don't get why Cushitic speaking groups in Ethiopia and Eritrea didn't just adopt it. Would work just fine for them and is less culture la'aan than Latin which it also looks better than. I'm actually surprised western madows don't appropriate this en masse for cringey tattoos the way cadaans do with the Chinese derived scripts:
Anyway, I'm pro-Arabic for the many reasons shared and think it can even boost literacy back home as even some of the most rural of rural know how to read it as I've pointed out.
Apollo
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@Shimbiris
I am thinking of creating a Cushitic Esperanto for the lulz, but I think it would take up way too much time and in the end nobody would use it.
If I did it, I would make the language 30% Somali, 30% Oromo, 15% Afar, 10% Agaw, 10% Beja, 5% various laangaabs.
I am thinking of creating a Cushitic Esperanto for the lulz, but I think it would take up way too much time and in the end nobody would use it.
If I did it, I would make the language 30% Somali, 30% Oromo, 15% Afar, 10% Agaw, 10% Beja, 5% various laangaabs.
I love this idea
I’m pro-Arabic script but I’m anti changing the script while we have no money.
I believe it’s infinitely more useful and practical than the Latin and Osmanya script as more people back home are literate in the Arabic script due to the Quran.
But our government has too many priorities with its money and time to consider such an endeavour. We could be buying bread or vaccines for the people.
If we were to receive external funding and logistical assistance that will solve the time and money issues then I’ll think differently.
I believe it’s infinitely more useful and practical than the Latin and Osmanya script as more people back home are literate in the Arabic script due to the Quran.
But our government has too many priorities with its money and time to consider such an endeavour. We could be buying bread or vaccines for the people.
If we were to receive external funding and logistical assistance that will solve the time and money issues then I’ll think differently.
Yeah but that brings our literacy rate to zero and we simply don’t have the time or money resources to build a literate population from scratch.
The reason why Arabic is ideal is that most of the country can read the Quran and Hadith in Arabic.
By switching the script to Arabic, your literacy rate goes up not down but you still have deal with spending a shit ton of money we don’t have.
@Shimbiris
I am thinking of creating a Cushitic Esperanto for the lulz, but I think it would take up way too much time and in the end nobody would use it.
If I did it, I would make the language 30% Somali, 30% Oromo, 15% Afar, 10% Agaw, 10% Beja, 5% various laangaabs.
petition for all the verbs to follow this pattern
Xoxoxo
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Yeah but why though? It isn’t ours and it’s clown behaviour because it isn’t ours to begin with.
tbh we should stick with Latin or make our own.
Most of the world use a script that isn’t theirs.
The Arabic script has been used for centuries. I feel like squabbling over a script is useless nationalism.
The primary case for the Arabic script is that it will increase our literacy rate.
Apollo
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People with dyslexia suffer more in the Arab world compared to the West. Check google scholar for ''dyslexia+Arabic".
reer
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@Shimbiris what about double consonants. bb gg dd etc.
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