How to purify and restore the Somali Language

[Homerlilian]

We are not Arabs the Quran can be translated in Somali. These Arabs are not special previous revelation from Allah was given in Hebrew and Aramaic.

this Nigga wants to make Arabic in Somali you can’t make this shit up

 

[daljirkadahsoon]

But he’s right? I see Somalis who genuinely believe themselves to be Arab. The loanwords aren’t that bad considering we live very close to the Middle East thanks to Yemen. Groups of people throughout history tend to borrow some aspects of their cultures from each other, we Somalis and Arabs are no different.

my problem is the fact that the Arabic language and Arab people themselves are glorified. I’m glad you brought up Ataturk, because Türkiye is actually a good model to follow, except the banning of religion. Other than that, the people of Türkiye prioritised their culture, language and people FIRST. They all know who they are and they’re proud of their Turkish identity. They don’t view themselves as Arab.

Arabic is hardly spoken in Somalia minus the small amounts people learn with reading the Qur'an etc- it is not 'glorified' at all. No one glorifies Arabs either I don't know where you guys get your info from

 

[daljirkadahsoon]

View attachment 325767
this Nigga wants to make Arabic in Somali you can’t make this shit up

Colonised mindset weeye

 

[Magan Joseph]

It's troubling to see Somali culture and language being overshadowed, with Arabic and English receiving equal footing. Somali language is the essence of our identity, deserving the highest regard. While acknowledging the importance of Arabic and English globally, prioritizing Somali ensures the preservation of our heritage and fosters a sense of belonging.


The solution in my opinion is to elevate the Somali language through political legislations and discourses. This includes:

• Making Somali the only official language of Somalia/Somaliweyn
• Only allow Somali to be spoken at parliament.
• Mandate the use of pure Somali on all official discourse, including political documents, TV-stations, news papers, educational books, official documents from doctors etc. No loan words from any other language.
• Encourage academics in Somali language studies, including the study, expansion and purification of Somali.
• Mandate the religion to be preached in Somali. No more aw screaming at people in Arabic at the mosque.
• Mandate all religious people to use pure Somali to translate from religious texts. No loan words or there might be fines.
• Mandate the use of pure Somali in marketing, advertisement, signs, documents etc from private companies. No loanwords or serious fines are to be expected.

This will position the Somali language as a serious and noble language that is to be cherished. Not watered down, let alone put next to another irrelevant languages. The will also refine the perception of Somali in the eyes of the bourgeoisie as they're forced to use Somali when engaging with society in any meaningful way.

Also, a bonus of these changes is that all Somali governments will have to hire Somali academics or people who are knowledgeable in Somali language to make these changes, which will create more jobs.

There’s an eelay mp in the so called parliament that has trouble speaking Somali called mukhtar this fake parliament is a joke. And what’s more ironic is he was voting against Somaliweyn residents getting citizenship saying they’re Ethiopian and Kenyan nacala.

 

[Askari]

I wholeheartedly agree with the OP,I was recently in hargiesa and I stunned by the amount of English signs in the city.I wouldn’t find Somali to Somali dictionary in the whole city.

 

[Emir of Zayla]

It's troubling to see Somali culture and language being overshadowed, with Arabic and English receiving equal footing. Somali language is the essence of our identity, deserving the highest regard. While acknowledging the importance of Arabic and English globally, prioritizing Somali ensures the preservation of our heritage and fosters a sense of belonging.


The solution in my opinion is to elevate the Somali language through political legislations and discourses. This includes:

• Making Somali the only official language of Somalia/Somaliweyn
• Only allow Somali to be spoken at parliament.
• Mandate the use of pure Somali on all official discourse, including political documents, TV-stations, news papers, educational books, official documents from doctors etc. No loan words from any other language.
• Encourage academics in Somali language studies, including the study, expansion and purification of Somali.
• Mandate the religion to be preached in Somali. No more aw screaming at people in Arabic at the mosque.
• Mandate all religious people to use pure Somali to translate from religious texts. No loan words or there might be fines.
• Mandate the use of pure Somali in marketing, advertisement, signs, documents etc from private companies. No loanwords or serious fines are to be expected.

This will position the Somali language as a serious and noble language that is to be cherished. Not watered down, let alone put next to another irrelevant languages. The will also refine the perception of Somali in the eyes of the bourgeoisie as they're forced to use Somali when engaging with society in any meaningful way.

Also, a bonus of these changes is that all Somali governments will have to hire Somali academics or people who are knowledgeable in Somali language to make these changes, which will create more jobs.

You’re too extreme. Serious fines for using loan words? Translate the Quran to Somali? This will never happen.

Arabic has been our second language ever since the dawn of Islam. Somali and Arabic can be spoken side by side.

As for the issue of loanwords, Somalis have been using loan words since forever. From Semitic languages like Arabic or Old South Arabian to Indo-Aryan languages like Persian or Urdu, It shows a long history of trade and cultural influence that went both ways and is part of the history of the language and our cosmopolitan ancestors. Besides the number of loan words we use isn’t much and doesn’t deserve such attention when we have bigger problems in our country.

 

[ZBR]

Why do you think Western Europeans use Latin text and Orthrodox Slavics use Cyrillic text, because of the Bible they use even Hidius use Sanskrit

Countries with actual poor people know that religious education is the foundation of a nation’s poors literacy that’s why still Iran Pakistan and Afghanistan still use Arabic text

 

[daljirkadahsoon]

Just saw this this is the outcome they want basically

Except Somali doesn't even have that many loanwords to begin with. This is an illustration of Ataturk's speech with and without Persian, Arabic and Latinate loanwords from like French and other Latin languages

 

[Jimmy Hopkins]

Just saw this this is the outcome they want basically

Except Somali doesn't even have that many loanwords to begin with. This is an illustration of Ataturk's speech with and without Persian, Arabic and Latinate loanwords from like French and other Latin languages

How do you contradict yourself in your first to sentences? If it doesn't have that many loanwords like Turkish's collective then how would it have Turkish's outcome?

 

[Jimmy Hopkins]

our own little Ataturk

I fully disagree with you on translating religious texts, and to be fined for it?? Nuts.


I dont know, do you not pay attention to home? Somali is the only thing spoken over in somalia, they have nothing else. Trying to stop the introduction of loan words into a language is like trying to mop the sea. Its simply impossible in this time period, especially with massive diaspora like ours. But still, people back home speak somali properly and obviously the institutions and schools use somali.

English is the global language, its a product of globalization, banning it would be stupid.

Also arabic aswell, We are muslim and we have had ties to arabic world for centuries (We arent arab tho) It is the language of our religion, of course it would be present. Its not even much of an issue, outside professionals and religion. Arabic isnt really spoken.

The somali script should be written in the arabic script though, it would boost literacy in somalia. + a revised latin script with additional letters and diacritics to properly fit the sounds of the somali language.

Arabic should only be for Islamic Religious Context and Somalis should create a Personal Writing System for Somali and that should dominate every facet of Somali life from governance to school to media etc, and then translate the Quran to Somali to help Somalis understand the meaning of the Quran and its interpretations in Arabic.

Problem solved, someone should tell you Somalis that you can reach jannah and please Allah without licking the foot of Arabs and Glorifying their Language and Culture while you abandon yours, coincidentally Islam encourages Indigenous Languages and Cultures but it seems your Salivation for Arabs are far stronger than that Principle.

 

[caano_shaah]

The question is what native writing script should we choose? Personally I like the Osmanya script, I think it should replace the Latin script and should be adopted nationwide

 

[Jimmy Hopkins]

The question is what native writing script should we choose? Personally I like the Osmanya script, I think it should replace the Latin script and should be adopted nationwide

I created a New Writing System for Somali

I have created a Blueprint for the Somali Writing System and Somali Calligraphy for the Somali Language. Somali Writing System and Somali Calligraphy to directly derives from the Endemic Flora that’s indigenous to Somaliweyn and only found in this part of the world and also the Aquatic Flora of...

www.somalispot.com

Planning on developing this, once completed fully-I think it should be established.

 

[Guure⁸]

Arabic should only be for Islamic Religious Context and Somalis should create a Personal Writing System for Somali and that should dominate every facet of Somali life from governance to school to media etc, and then translate the Quran to Somali to help Somalis understand the meaning of the Quran and its interpretations in Arabic.

Problem solved, someone should tell you Somalis that you can reach jannah and please Allah without licking the foot of Arabs and Glorifying their Language and Culture while you abandon yours, coincidentally Islam encourages Indigenous Languages and Cultures but it seems your Salivation for Arabs are far stronger than that Principle.

He never said we should "glorifie" Arabs

 

[Jimmy Hopkins]

He never said we should "glorifie" Arabs

You can say things without directly saying them.

This unnecessary promotion of the Arabic language and distorting Islam so you can reinforce Arabic Language and Culture is indeed glorification.

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