Somalispot dictionary

[Molotoff]

I imagine this thread as being a dictionary where we can post commonly used words, terms and expressions on somalispot. For us that are not familiar with them, newcomers such as myself etc.

I'll start with a few:

Cadaan: non somali white person
Ajnabi: non somali, foreigner
Madow: Derogative term for sub Saharan black African

 

[Qarboosh]

Nice try mi5

 

[Molotoff]

Nice try mi5

Been here for a while and figured out a lot of them.

 

[guntiino101]

I imagine this thread as being a dictionary where we can post commonly used words, terms and expressions on somalispot. For us that are not familiar with them, newcomers such as myself etc.

I'll start with a few:

Cadaan: non somali white person
Ajnabi: non somali, foreigner
Madow: Derogative term for sub Saharan black African

The term "Madow" is not always derogative. It's a nickname meaning "Kinky hair"
There's a clan of Bantus living in southern Somalia calling themselves "Madowweyn" meaning "the greater Madows"
They wouldn't be referring to themselves as such if they saw it as a slur against them.

 

[Molotoff]

The term "Madow" is not always derogative. It's a nickname meaning "Kinky hair"
There's a clan of Bantus living in southern Somalia calling themselves "Madowweyn" meaning "the greater Madows"
They wouldn't be referring to themselves as such if they saw it as a slur against them.

From reading the forum, it is clear that Somalis often use it in a derogative context.

 

[Molotoff]

Sxb: friend

 

[White]

The term "Madow" is not always derogative. It's a nickname meaning "Kinky hair"
There's a clan of Bantus living in southern Somalia calling themselves "Madowweyn" meaning "the greater Madows"
They wouldn't be referring to themselves as such if they saw it as a slur against them.

weyn means big, Madowweyne = big bantu

 

[Molotoff]

Madow? African American?

Indhoyars are Asians.

 

[Molotoff]

Also, how come people mostly write in English here? I am active on a couple of Bosniak forums and people there express themselves exclusively in Bosnian. Even the ones outside Bosnia.

Is knowledge of Somali among Somali youth in the Diaspora really that lacking?

 

[Hybrid]

The term "Madow" is not always derogative. It's a nickname meaning "Kinky hair"
There's a clan of Bantus living in southern Somalia calling themselves "Madowweyn" meaning "the greater Madows"
They wouldn't be referring to themselves as such if they saw it as a slur against them.

It means nappy hair not kinky. There's good number of Somalis who have kinky hair.

 

[guntiino101]

It means nappy hair not kinky. There's good number of Somalis who have kinky hair.

Define kinky. 3c hair, like this, isn't kinky. It's classified as curly, but in Somali standards it's kinky

 

[government]

Also, how come people mostly write in English here? I am active on a couple of Bosniak forums and people there express themselves exclusively in Bosnian. Even the ones outside Bosnia.

Is knowledge of Somali among Somali youth in the Diaspora really that lacking?

inta badan wa dhaqan celis iyo ma yaqaanaan luqadda

 

[Molotoff]

inta badan wa dhaqan celis iyo ma yaqaanaan luqadda

Dhaqan celis : Schooling in Somali language and culture for diaspora kids.

 

[FendiFanatic]

Also, how come people mostly write in English here? I am active on a couple of Bosniak forums and people there express themselves exclusively in Bosnian. Even the ones outside Bosnia.

Is knowledge of Somali among Somali youth in the Diaspora really that lacking?

Sax dadkani luuqada la mayaqano waaba reer hooyo mataalo

 

[Hybrid]

Define kinky. 3c hair, like this, isn't kinky. It's classified as curly, but in Somali standards it's kinky
View attachment 50997

Kinky hair are more coarser than 3-c hair. It looks like this

many Somalis especially guys have kinky hair.
timo Madow or jur'ro (in waqooye accent) means nappy hair.
Kinky hair means timo adag in Somali and like I said many Somalis do have timo adag

 

[La Xawla]

Also, how come people mostly write in English here? I am active on a couple of Bosniak forums and people there express themselves exclusively in Bosnian. Even the ones outside Bosnia.

Is knowledge of Somali among Somali youth in the Diaspora really that lacking?

Yeah, from what I can gather. I assume most can read and write but don’t want to put in the effort which is sad. Some were never taught.

 

[La Xawla]

Sax dadkani luuqada la mayaqano waaba reer hooyo mataalo

Waa sheeko cajiib

 

[Fang4]

Also, how come people mostly write in English here? I am active on a couple of Bosniak forums and people there express themselves exclusively in Bosnian. Even the ones outside Bosnia.

Is knowledge of Somali among Somali youth in the Diaspora really that lacking?

Most don’t know how to write in Somali because our writing system was created in the 70s.

 

[MARAQ DIGAAG]

Cadaan is starting to mean crack cocaine in London. I have even seen madows saying they got caught selling Cadaan.

 

[guntiino101]

Kinky hair are more coarser than 3-c hair. It looks like this

many Somalis especially guys have kinky hair.
timo Madow or jur'ro (in waqooye accent) means nappy hair.
Kinky hair means timo adag in Somali and like I said many Somalis do have timo adag

That's because they comb out their hair. That girl has her hair combed out as well, natural hair types can't look like that. You can tell the girl has naturally curly hair as well, by her pattern.