Somalis regarded as Arabs in the 1841 Aden population census

[GaradShabeel]

How are current Somalis Arabs when they can't comeup with single useful Arabic sentence? HSM already alongside Farmajo embarrassed us in Arab world stage where they had to converse with their Arab counterparts in English

There needs to be a requirement that all Somali politicians have to speak both Arabic and English properly. Otherwise, they should be disqualified from running for office.

Likewise, there needs to be an emphasis on improving the fluency of Arabic amongst the Somali public. It’s a shame that very few can speak Arabic back home, while the number of English speakers is massively increasing.

 

[Zak12]

There needs to be a requirement that all Somali politicians have to speak both Arabic and English properly. Otherwise, they should be disqualified from running for office.

Likewise, there needs to be an emphasis on improving the fluency of Arabic amongst the Somali public. It’s a shame that very few can speak Arabic back home, while the number of English speakers is massively increasing.

English in the lingua franca and the most important language of commerce, science, and media. Arabic provides little for Somalis beyond Islam. You don't see Turks or Persians trying to improve fluency of Arabic so why should Somalia?

 

[Haragwaafi]

There needs to be a requirement that all Somali politicians have to speak both Arabic and English properly. Otherwise, they should be disqualified from running for office.

Likewise, there needs to be an emphasis on improving the fluency of Arabic amongst the Somali public. It’s a shame that very few can speak Arabic back home, while the number of English speakers is massively increasing.

Arabic is our 2nd official language and yet there's no official publications in Arabic as all are done in English

 

[Haragwaafi]

English in the lingua franca and the most important language of commerce, science, and media. Arabic provides little for Somalis beyond Islam. You don't see Turks or Persians trying to improve fluency of Arabic so why should Somalia?

Cuz Arabic has been present in us for centuries and its declining among Somalis is a major concern and frankly I don't like it when there're more fluent Ethiopians in Arabic than us when we spoke it first in the region.

 

[GaradShabeel]

English in the lingua franca and the most important language of commerce, science, and media. Arabic provides little for Somalis beyond Islam. You don't see Turks or Persians trying to improve fluency of Arabic so why should Somalia?

Arabic does not provide ‘little’ benefits for us. The deen alone should be enough for us to focus on it. Everything else is secondary. Even English tbh.

Also, most of the countries in our surrounding region speak Arabic, either majority or a significant minority. As we improve our ties with them, it will be in our favor to know Arabic.

What Persians and Turk do is irrelevant for us. We should set standards on our own. I don’t see how it is disadvantageous for us to speak three languages.

 

[GaradShabeel]

Arabic is our 2nd official language and yet there's no official publications in Arabic as all are done in English

Yup. Arabic needs to be a mandatory subject in the curriculum.

Somalis in Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti have to learn Swahili, Amharic, respective French in addition to Somali and English. The least Somalia can do is pick Arabic as our second/third language.

 

[Zak12]

Arabic does not provide ‘little’ benefits for us. The deen alone should be enough for us to focus on it. Everything else is secondary. Even English tbh.

Also, most of the countries in our surrounding region speak Arabic, either majority or a significant minority. As we improve our ties with them, it will be in our favor to know Arabic.

What Persians and Turk do is irrelevant for us. We should set standards on our own. I don’t see how it is disadvantageous for us to speak three languages.

Yes, religion wise, Arabic is important and should be taught in Islamic schools. However, what relevance does it have for education or economic matters? Is Somali alone not good enough for that? At least with English it has global importance.

 

[GaradShabeel]

Yes, religion wise, Arabic is important and should be taught in Islamic schools. However, what relevance does it have for education or economic matters? Is Somali alone not good enough for that? At least with English it has global importance.

Look at my post above.

What do you loose from speaking three languages?

Again, we are surrounded by Arabic speaking countries who we trade a lot with. You don’t think that there are no economic benefits?

Likewise, in past, Arab countries is where most Somalis abroad used to study (and settle). If we learn Arabic, there can be more educational exchange between our countries. And there are more benefits.

 

[Al Adnani]

How are current Somalis Arabs when they can't comeup with single useful Arabic sentence? HSM already alongside Farmajo embarrassed us in Arab world stage where they had to converse with their Arab counterparts in English

I speak fluent Arabic and so does everyone in my family. We are Arabs

 

[Haragwaafi]

I speak fluent Arabic and so does everyone in my family. We are Arabs

Majority of Somalis back home don't

 

[GaradShabeel]

I speak fluent Arabic and so does everyone in my family. We are Arabs

Bro, let’s not confuse between being Arab speaker and being Arab. Unless you have origin in an Arab country (not Somalia).

 

[Zak12]

Look at my post above.

What do you loose from speaking three languages?

Again, we are surrounded by Arabic speaking countries who we trade a lot with. You don’t think that there are no economic benefits?

Likewise, in past, Arab countries is where most Somalis abroad used to study (and settle). If we learn Arabic, there can be more educational exchange between our countries.

Somalia has an illiteracy problem. Any effort and resouces put towards Arabic language studies would be put to much better use on increasing literacy on Somali. Three languages is counterproductive and yields very little benefits unless the nation in question in ethnically diverse.

We can trade just fine with Arabic nations, how do you Turkey, Israel and Iran does it?

 

[GaradShabeel]

Somalia has an illiteracy problem. Any effort and resouces put towards Arabic language studies would be put to much better use on increasing literacy on Somali. Three languages is counterproductive and yields very little benefits unless the nation in question in ethnically diverse.

We can trade just fine with Arabic nations, how do you Turkey, Israel and Iran does it?

You can speak for yourself. Kulaha counter productive kkk. I just told you that learning Arabic because of Islam should be more than enough. With all due respect, if you’re a practicing Muslim, I don’t see why you are against this.

We already start learning the basic of Arabic in dugsi. Why not extend to primary, middle and high school?

Your claims of illiteracy is not a valid excuse. We’ve managed to increased our literacy rate over the past 50 years, and most of us can already read and write Arabic. You’re not loosing ‘resources’ by educating your people. There are other department you can save money, if that’s what you’re seeking.

As I told you before, what other countries do is irrelevant for us. We should make decisions independently.

 

[Zak12]

You can speak for yourself. Kulaha counter productive kkk. I just told you that learning Arabic because of Islam should be more than enough. With all due respect, if you’re a practicing Muslim, I don’t see why you are against this.

We already start learning the basic of Arabic in dugsi. Why not extend to primary, middle and high school?

Your claims of illiteracy is not a valid excuse. We’ve managed to increased our literacy rate over the past 50 years, and most of us can already read and write Arabic. You’re not loosing ‘resources’ by educating your people. There are other department you can save money, if that’s what you’re seeking.

As I told you before, what other countries do is irrelevant for us. We should make decisions independently.

Alright, I'll give it to you straight. We are Somalis dude, not Arabs. I literally don't see why we should learn a language that is not native to us. You think the Arabs will think of us as one of them if we do learn it? Is that what you want?

I don't at all mind Arabic being spoken by Somalis but it shouldn't be taught in non-Islamic schools, Somali should be encouraged as it is the language of our people.

 

[Som]

Doesn't matter. Arabness is language, ancestry and culture. If you have one of these three you are Arab. We don't speak Arabic as a native language, we don't have any significant Arab ancestry with a few exceptions of mixed people like the benadiri, our culture may have some similarities with Arab culture but it's still very distinct. Conclusion: we aren't Arab, no matter what others say. We can say we are similar in some aspects to some Arabs like Yemenis but we aren't Arabs, never have been and never will be

 

[Som]

Somalia has an illiteracy problem. Any effort and resouces put towards Arabic language studies would be put to much better use on increasing literacy on Somali. Three languages is counterproductive and yields very little benefits unless the nation in question in ethnically diverse.

We can trade just fine with Arabic nations, how do you Turkey, Israel and Iran does it?

Arabic as a language is very important to learn as long as Somali is not neglected. Being bilingual or trilingual is always an advantage. Obviously our primary language is af soomaali and should be the only language used by the government, learning Arabic as a second or third language is fine

 

[Ozymandias]

You clearly have an agenda and are trying to push this Arab superiority. We don't care about Arabs. all your posts are all about Arabs.

We are not Semites or arab, respect to those people still but naga qabta ya. Even our blood disproves his statements.

 

[Khaemwaset]

There needs to be a requirement that all Somali politicians have to speak both Arabic and English properly. Otherwise, they should be disqualified from running for office.

Likewise, there needs to be an emphasis on improving the fluency of Arabic amongst the Somali public. It’s a shame that very few can speak Arabic back home, while the number of English speakers is massively increasing.

All major world leaders speak their own language on stage even if they know English. It's a sign of dignity.

The leader should know somali. Everything else can be done with a translator.

Putin and Macron know English but have you heard them speak it in these international things?

 

[Zak12]

Arabic as a language is very important to learn as long as Somali is not neglected. Being bilingual or trilingual is always an advantage. Obviously our primary language is af soomaali and should be the only language used by the government, learning Arabic as a second or third language is fine

I respectfully disagree. Arabic should only be used by Islamic and historical scholars. The average person has little use for it.

 

[GaradShabeel]

Alright, I'll give it to you straight. We are Somalis dude, not Arabs. I literally don't see why we should learn a language that is not native to us. You think the Arabs will think of us as one of them if we do learn it? Is that what you want?

You have to be joking at this point. We’re going in circles, but let me give you one last reply.

What have our ethnicity to do with the languages that we speak? You just highlighted the importance of English, but that language is not native to us either.

If you look at my other post above, then you’d see that I said there’s a difference between being Arab and being Arabic speaking. I mentioned several reasons as to why we should learn Arabic, and *never* did I mention anything about seeking validation from Arabs or being part of them. Do you get it now?

I don't at all mind Arabic being spoken by Somalis but it shouldn't be taught in non-Islamic schools, Somali should be encouraged as it is the language of our people.

Again, I did not negate the Somali language, it’s obvious that we speak Somali and should remain that way. I mentioned several times that Arabic should be our second/third language.

If you only want Arabic to be taught at Islamic schools, then that’s your opinion. I believe that it should be part of our curriculum. Let’s agree to disagree.

But in the end, since all Somalis attend Islamic school, then we will eventually become Arabic speakers, if we increase Arabic studies. So what difference does it make?