Why we dont have "please"

[DALMAR0_0]

In af somali we don't have "please"..

Something as simple as inquiring about the translation of a word can open a pandora's box of cultural nuances.

This is one of them.

the common Somali word for please, "fadlan", is in fact not Somali. It's from Arabic (فضلاً, fadlán.)

Does that mean that Somalis are by nature ingrates or unhelpful to each other? Of course not!
It's just that Somalis tend to be very egalitarian and communal. Favor is not perceived as a social debt solicited by the receiver, but as a shouldering of responsibility carried out by the helper.
Let me repeat that again; you don't ask for a favor in Somali culture, you address your needs, knowing full well that you will be helped.
So in spoken Somali, to ask for a favor one simply establishes "kinship", then airs their need.
walaal shaqada qof i geeya ayaan u baahnahay…
"Bro/sis, I need someone to drive me to work".
maacane(masc)/macaaneey(fem) qalin kale ma haysaa..
"Sweetie do you have a spare pen?"
And so on.

So enduring words are used in place of please

 

[DALMAR0_0]

I got this explanation from somewhere but i forget where

 

[Wonyluvr]

I say “ waa kuu tuuga”

 

[Celery]

“Adiga o raali iga ah” = if you don’t mind. That’s the closest thing we have to please.

 

[Maakhri from dhahar]

In af somali we don't have "please"..

Something as simple as inquiring about the translation of a word can open a pandora's box of cultural nuances.

This is one of them.

the common Somali word for please, "fadlan", is in fact not Somali. It's from Arabic (فضلاً, fadlán.)

Does that mean that Somalis are by nature ingrates or unhelpful to each other? Of course not!
It's just that Somalis tend to be very egalitarian and communal. Favor is not perceived as a social debt solicited by the receiver, but as a shouldering of responsibility carried out by the helper.
Let me repeat that again; you don't ask for a favor in Somali culture, you address your needs, knowing full well that you will be helped.
So in spoken Somali, to ask for a favor one simply establishes "kinship", then airs their need.
walaal shaqada qof i geeya ayaan u baahnahay…
"Bro/sis, I need someone to drive me to work".
maacane(masc)/macaaneey(fem) qalin kale ma haysaa..
"Sweetie do you have a spare pen?"
And so on.

So enduring words are used in place of please

The Arabic word ( faḍlan فَضْلًا) is a neologism recently created by Arabic language academies ( المجامع اللغوية العلمية العربية ) And modern Arabic dictionaries .

Neologism ( coinage ) : a new meaning for an existing old word .

In ancient times, Arabs did not use the word ( faḍlan فَضْلًا) to ask for polite requests .
( faḍlan فَضْلًا) is the coinage of the word (please) .

please : From Middle English plesen, plaisen, borrowed from Old French plaise, conjugated form of plaisir or plaire, from Latin placeō (“to please, to seem good” ).

The real meaning ( faḍlan فَضْلًا) in the Arabic language is bounty , grace , favor, blessing , graciousness , favor .

لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [ during Hajj ] .

So that we can coin a new word like the Arabs did, I would say the best word would
be ( wanaagsan ).

aduu wanaagsan ,ma isiin kartaa koob biyo ah ? = Could you give me a glass of water please?

 

[mohamedismail]

In Af Maay the closest word we have to "please" is Iyeey, which roughly translates to please and can also be used in that context.

 

[𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒔𐒖𐒕𐒈]

I would concur, it is due to nomads' egalitarian culture, where every wo(man) is a king of his domain subscribing not to subservience. The same applies to the gentry classes of Arabia, Persia, Sino, Hindustan, Europe and elsewhere; a good example being the etymological Latin root of the the word 'please 'placere', to appease' common amongst the proletariats. Nomads neither seek permission nor offer appeasement in their dealings whereas plebeians in hierarchical cultures must do so in servitude of their sovereign masters. Upper classes neither apologise nor say please.

 

[Khaemwaset]

The Somali considers himself to great and elevated to say "please"

He simply takes as he pleases and the other Somali will either allow it or if he disproves he will do a war cry and summon his Qabil for a clan war.

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[Macawisley]

“Adiga o raali iga ah” = if you don’t mind. That’s the closest thing we have to please.

It’s the same thing in French, they don’t have a word for please instead they say. “If it pleases you” aka “S’il vous plaît” in this context it is the same in somali, Adiga oo raali ah. “If it pleases you/if it doesn’t bother you”

 

[NidarNidar]

I would concur, it is due to nomads' egalitarian culture, where every wo(man) is a king of his domain subscribing not to subservience. The same applies to the gentry classes of Arabia, Persia, Sino, Hindustan, Europe and elsewhere; a good example being the etymological Latin root of the the word 'please 'placere', to appease' common amongst the proletariats. Nomads neither seek permission nor offer appeasement in their dealings whereas plebeians in hierarchical cultures must do so in servitude of their sovereign masters. Upper classes neither apologise nor say please.

I don't like using please, even when I request something I always say can you help me with this, thanks.

 

[𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒔𐒖𐒕𐒈]

I don't like using please, even when I request something I always say can you help me with this, thanks.

Out of common courtesy and good manners, one wants to, besides, I like to think of myself as a member of the proletariat classes. In my case, the three words I used more than any were: please, cheers, and ^ll right. It might be more of an urban London sub-culture than not. I use them less now, for the Yankees are unfamiliar mistaking them for interest, for example when I say, ^ll right in passing, they think I am genuinely enquiring as to their wellbeing, and begin narrating their escapades. They are awfully rather informal, if friendly to a fault, with many having no filter.

 

[Webb]

It’s the same thing in French, they don’t have a word for please instead they say. “If it pleases you” aka “S’il vous plaît” in this context it is the same in somali, Adiga oo raali ah. “If it pleases you/if it doesn’t bother you”

Raali is from arabic راضي btw

 

[DALMAR0_0]

The Arabic word ( faḍlan فَضْلًا) is a neologism recently created by Arabic language academies ( المجامع اللغوية العلمية العربية ) And modern Arabic dictionaries .

Neologism ( coinage ) : a new meaning for an existing old word .

In ancient times, Arabs did not use the word ( faḍlan فَضْلًا) to ask for polite requests .
( faḍlan فَضْلًا) is the coinage of the word (please) .



The real meaning ( faḍlan فَضْلًا) in the Arabic language is bounty , grace , favor, blessing , graciousness , favor .

لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [ during Hajj ] .

So that we can coin a new word like the Arabs did, I would say the best word would
be ( wanaagsan ).

aduu wanaagsan ,ma isiin kartaa koob biyo ah ? = Could you give me a glass of water please?

We dont need to coin a word for 'please' since its simply expressed in a different way that is the norm in our culture.

 

[error1]

isnt it waa kuu baryay