Somalia's alphabet throughout the 20th century

[Ahmed Alawi]

Osmanya alphabet

The Osmanya alphabet (Somali: Farta Cismaanya; Osmanya: ), also known as Far Soomaali ("Somali writing") and, in Arabic, as al-kitābah al-ʿuthmānīyah, is a writing script created to transcribe the Somali language. It was invented between 1920 and 1922 by Osman Yusuf Kenadid, the son of SultanYusuf Ali Kenadid and brother of Sultan Ali Yusuf Kenadid of the Sultanate of Hobyo.

While Osmanya gained reasonably wide acceptance in Somalia and quickly produced a considerable body of literature, it proved difficult to spread among the population mainly due to stiff competition from the long-established Arabic script as well as the emerging Somali Latin alphabet developed by the Somali linguist, Shire Jama Ahmed, which was based on the Latin script.

 

[Ahmed Alawi]

Borama alphabet

The Borama alphabet (Borama: ) or more generally known as the Gadabuursi script,[1] is a writing script for the Somali language. It was devised around 1933 by Sheikh Abdurahman Sh. Nur of the Gadabuursi clan

Though not as widely known as Osmanya, the other major orthography for transcribing Somali, Borama has produced a notable body of literature mainly consisting of qasidas.[3]

A quite accurate phonetic writing system,[2] the Borama script was principally used by Nuur and his circle of associates in his native city of Borama.[1][2]

 

[Ahmed Alawi]

Kaddare alphabet

The Kaddare alphabet is a writing script created to transcribe Somali, an Afro-Asiaticlanguage.

The orthography was invented in 1952 by Sheikh Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare of the Abgaal Hawiye clan.

A phonetically robust writing system, the technical commissions that appraised the Kaddare script concurred that it was a very accurate orthography for transcribing Somali.[1]

The Kaddare script uses both upper and lower case letters, with the lower case represented in cursive. Many characters are transcribed without having to lift the pen.[2]

Several of Kaddare's letters are similar to those in the Osmanya script, while others bear a resemblance to Brahmi.[2]

As there are no dedicated characters for long vowels, a vowel is made long by simply writing it twice.[2]

 

[Factz]

Kaddare alphabet
View attachment 43329
The Kaddare alphabet is a writing script created to transcribe Somali, an Afro-Asiaticlanguage.

The orthography was invented in 1952 by Sheikh Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare of the Abgaal Hawiye clan.

A phonetically robust writing system, the technical commissions that appraised the Kaddare script concurred that it was a very accurate orthography for transcribing Somali.[1]

View attachment 43330
The Kaddare script uses both upper and lower case letters, with the lower case represented in cursive. Many characters are transcribed without having to lift the pen.[2]

Several of Kaddare's letters are similar to those in the Osmanya script, while others bear a resemblance to Brahmi.[2]

As there are no dedicated characters for long vowels, a vowel is made long by simply writing it twice.[2]

Somalis also used the Arabic writing script for their language called Wadaad script during the medieval period and it was invented by a very famous Somali saint called Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Kawneyn who was the founder and ancestor of the Walashma Dynasty that governed both Ifat Sultanate and Adal Sultanate during the middle ages. Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusuf_bin_Ahmad_al-Kawneyn

Wadaad writing script.

A 14th century Somali tablet during the Ajuran Empire period.

Learn about Wadaad script used by our medieval ancestors. Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadaad_writing

 

[SumMo]

Thanks to wahhabism/salafism, this is our alphanet now:

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[Xooshdheere]

Siad Barre saved our dhaqan.

 

[Xooshdheere]

Thanks to wahhabism/salafism, this is our alphanet now:
View attachment 43341

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