The Somali Translator's Companion

The Somali Translator’s Companion is the first e-book of its kind for Somali translators. It is based on research the author conducted between 2008 and 2012. In this e-book translators will find a wealth of information based on Standard Somali grammar with an emphasis on common mistakes in Somali translation caused by failure to observe grammar rules.

Xeerarka fagaasa labada Shibbane

Hordhac Sida laga wada dheregsanyahay, labada dhawaaq ee ‘dh’-a iyo ‘r’-a waxay ka mid yihiin laba-iyo-labaatanka shibbane ee afsoomaaliga. Haddana ereyo ay ku jiraan baa muran xoogle abuura. Tusaale ahaan labada erey ee ‘gabadh’ iyo ‘gabar’ oo isku ujeed -do ah, hayeeshe ku kala geddisan labada dhawaaq ee u dambeeya, baa ka mid ah kuwa muranka abuura. Haddii aan soo qaadanno wadarta ereygaasi waxay noqonaysaa ‘gabdho’. Waxa haddaba isweydiin leh qofka marka horaba ereyga ugu dhawaaqay ‘gabar’ muxuu kolka dambe u odhanayaa ‘gabdho’ ee uu u odhanwaayey, waa halkii Muuse Galaale, ‘gabro’?

On Arabic loan verbs in Somali

Like many languages the Somali language has borrowed words from the Arabic language . Although Somali is not in the same language group as Arabic language’s, geographic proximity and Islam have made borrowing from Arabic possible for Somalis. Arabic loan verbs in Somali have followed three of the patterns identified by linguists: 1-Verbs have been imported from Arabic and adapted to the conjugation groups for spelling and pronunciation. 2- There are composite Arabic loan verbs made up of an Arabic noun and a Somali verb. Since it is the Arabic noun that made the use of the Somali verb possible ( i.e. partial substation), this book calls this type of verb an Arabic loan verb. 3- Somalis have coined Arabic loan verbs such as bismillee (to taste something –from bismillah, meaning ‘in the name of Allah’). All Arabic loan verbs in Somali are regular verbs. Since Arabic loan verbs in Somali are from Arabic nouns and verbs Arabic language speakers may be able to figure out the meaning of many loan verbs. Somali Arabic loan verbs such as feker translated into English as ‘to think’, does not mean the same as malee ‘to think’ as in waxaan u malaynayaa in…”( I think that…) Somalis use the verb feker in a more abstract sense e.g. Waan fekerayaa ( I am worrying/ contemplating ) or Waan ka fekeri doonaa ( I will think about it). This book contains two hundred commonly used Arabic loan verbs in Somali in sentences. Where an Arabic loan verb has a variant spelling it is stated. There is information about each loan verb— the type of the verb and its conjugation group. If a loan verb was brought into existence by partial substitution the abbreviation p.s. follows the conjugation group of the verb; if the verb is a loan coinage the abbreviation l.c. comes after the conjugation group of the verb. This book assumes a knowledge of standard Somali grammar. 200 Arabic Loan Verbs in Somali By Liban Ahmad eBook (PDF), 18 Pages

The Standard Somali Grammar and Pareto Principle

In October 2012 Somali language speakers celebrated the fortieth anniversary of written Somali. Since 1972 Somali has been used as a medium instruction, for judiciary and public administration. Research into Somali – modernisation and the grammar of the language, and the use of Somali for fiction writing— constitute the most seminal but least-celebrated aspect of Somali Studies. This essay contends that Somali is easy to learn partly because the Pareto Principle is operating in the Somali grammar. Pereto Principle, also known as 80/20 Principle, was named after Vilfredo Pareto, the Italian economist. The Pareto Principle “asserts that a minority, a small number, of causes inputs or efforts usually leads to a majority of the results, outputs or rewards, so most of the outputs result from a very small part of the causes or inputs.” Applied to standard Somali grammar, the verb and adjective, 20% of Somali grammatical categories, constitute 80% of written and spoken Somali because use of tenses affects both grammatical categories.

Somali: Writing history

The following article appeared in the Chartered Institute of Linguists' magazine.

Gothenburg: Bandhigga Buugagga, Dhaqanka iyo Codka hal-abuurka

Waxa magaalada Gothenburg ka furmay barnaamijka bandhigga Buugagga iyo Dhaqanka. Wuxuu socon doonaa maalmaha Jimcaha, Sabtida iyo Axadda.

Buug naxwe ah ayaa dib loo soo saaray. Haddii aad leedahay Kindle ama kombiyuutarkaagu ama telefoonkaagu leeyahay Kindle software, waad iibsan kartaa buugga. Sidoo kale waxa jira buug la soo saaray 1999kii--Barashada Naxwaha af Soomaaliga (A Somali School Grammar).

Laaxinjire

Ku dhowaad afartan sanadood ayaa ka soo wareegtay markuu marxuum Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac (Gaarriye) daaha ka rogay miisaanka maansada. Maqaalladii taxanaha ahaa oo ku soo baxay wargeyskii Xiddigta Oktoobar waxay abuureen dood iyo cilmibaarisyo. Cabdiraxmaan Faarax (Barwaaqo), oo wax ka qoray miisaanka maansada una fududeeyay dadka inay maqaalladii Gaarriye aqristaan , ayaa kaalin wayn ka geystay barnaamijaynta miisaanka maansada. Qof kasta wuu tijaabin karaa in maanso leedahay ama la'dahay laaxin ama deelqaaf.

Abwaan Mursal Xuseen baa i baraya af Soomaaliga oo wuu maansoodaa

Qoraalka soo socda waxa ii soo diray "Abwaan Mursal Xuseen".
Wuxuu dhaliilay sida aan u higgaadiyey ereyada qaarkood. Farriintiisu waxay ku qornayd af Soomaali iyo Ingiriis. Aan idinla wadaago talada Abwaanku i siiyay:

Please pay attention to my advice:
1-try to learn well (learn your ability and your personality the first and second Language,the the way to translate-you should know that translation is a knowledge without it you can't translate!.
2-criticise yourself before others,that is to correct your deeds.
3-the study is not to argue or to debate,it is to learn deeply and perfectly.
4-read more and try to write more and to practice with the owners(natives) and who knows influently.
5-don't chase after the others where you are in mistake and misunderstood.

Do you remember when I though you the difference between "I & We" and it's use equally sometimes!!!,my School is open for all.aply u will be permitted.

Warcelinta aan u diray Abwaan Mursan Xuseen waa tan:
Dear Mursal,

I am will be happy to join your school but you wrote

Do you remember when I though you the difference between "I & We" and it's use equally sometimes!!!,my School is open for all.aply u will be permitted. Did you mean taught?

I wrote the Somali piece in 2006 when I was puzzled by the way we write Somali especially by those who are paid to translate into or write in Somali. I must have said af Soomaaliga which is correct but many Somalis, like me, write afka Soomaaliga. You write what you see; I started a debate; my aim was not to claim knowledge of Somali language. Again, remember, it is the job of the website editor to edit. Why do they publish anything?
I replied to you in English because I think you are confident in communicating in English because you concluded your email in English. Thanks for pointing out the inconsistent spellings; since 2006 I have learned a lot about Somali spelling. Where is your school based?
By the way Ramadan Karim


Four your information Mursal is a poet: his poems were publsihed in such websites as oodweynenews. This is one of his poems.

Hordhacan baa la socda maansada
Walaal waxan kuu soo tebinayaa salaantaa qaaliga ah ee Islaamka sidoo kle waxan salaamayaa Abwaanka Siciid Suleeymaan ee ay ka soo maaxatay Maansada Shiinleyda ah ee Shaamareer,waxan jecelahay anigoon shahaado ku sidan gabayga siduu dalbaday inaan Maanso gaaban oo sharraxuu Abwaanku dalbaday wax ka taabanaysa iyadoo ishaaraysa cidda arrimahan loogu noqonayo iyo sida loo gaadhayo sababaha iyo dawadoodaba ay ku xidhan tahay in bulshada qaybeheeda kulanno lala sameeyo oo ra’yigooda la isu geeyo deed laga soo saaro natiijada iyo sida dhibta jirta loo daweeynayo Maansada oo la yidhaahdo Shaqo gal waatan



Can Abwaan Mursal tell me why he used waxan when he could use waxaan? I have ignorted the spelling mistakes in the introductory note.
He signed his poems with Abwaan Mursan Xuseen. Does he call he call himself an Abwaan?

Will mistranslation lead to cooperation with Edmonton Police Service?

The Edmonton Police Service of Canada is working hard to solve homicide cases as it posted, in Somali websites, information for "a person or persons" who will receive $40,000 on any homicide case EPS solves on the basis of information provided by the community . When you click the link of the EPS ad, it leads to an EPS homepage with Somali language information. Entitled ABAAl-MARRIN ( the correct spelling is ABAAL-MARIN), the Rewards Information for Somali speakers contains three spelling errors caused, I think, by poor grasp of either the target language or the source language. Inevitably, this situation has led to mistranslation and misinformation. The sentence:

"The Edmonton Police Commission has approved the payment for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for various murders throughout the Edmonton Area." was translated into Somali as:

Dan-jiraha Booliska Magaalada Edmonton ayaa ogolaadey in la silyo $40,000 "Dilkiiba"( The Edmonton Police Commission has approved the payment of $40,000 to each "Homicide". Qofka ama Dadka ka keena warbixin Dilka iyo Dhimashad loo geystey Marxuumyada hoos ku xusan."The persons of persosn who bring information about murders of the perosns whose neames are:"

Does Edmonton Police Service use criteria for commissioning translators to translate information for people who speak community languages? Mistranslations do not lead to cooperation. Since The EPS is looking for information that can help detectives solve youth homicides in Edmonton, the Service ought to show it takes community languages seriously. Information in English is far better than a poorly translated text. The chance of finding someone who can tell you the gist of the information in Somali orally and correctly is bigger than the chance of securing the cooperation of the communities if EPS publishes incorrectly translated information for communities for whom English is not a first language.

Somalia: How BBC Somali Service Misinforms Listeners

The BBC Somali Service has not learned from past mistakes—misquoting a Somali warlord and using an exclamation mark to mock him (Muuse Suudi oo is eedeeyay !); mistranslating BBC Africa editor’s sentence in an analysis (’In Djibouti there are 900 American soldiers for preventing Al Qaida from entering the Red Sea”) (US predicts Zarqawi Africa flight as “Dalka Djibouti waxaa jooga 900 oo askari oo Mareykan ah oo loogu tala galay in ay ka hortagaan al qaacida in aysan galin badda cas”) “(In Djibouti there are 900 American soldiers for preventing Al Qaida from NOT entering the Red Sea.)”; and attributing to the British government policies that tolerate extremism in universities: “The British government said that universities in UK must fight extremist views that do not encourage hatred and violence or terrorist activitie” (Dowladda dalkan Britain ayaa sheegtay in Jaamacadaha dalka ay tahay in lagala dagaallamo fikradaha xag-jirka ah ee dhiirri gelin karin nacayb iyo in ay dadku isu gacan qaadaan amaba ay fuliyaan falal argagixiso.) (Doodda Ardeyda ).

Those examples were discussed in writing and shared with Jerry Timmins, Head of Africa and Middle East Region, BBC World Service in 2006 and 2009. According to Jerry Timmins, there ‘is’ risk of defamation if listener feedback about his department is not shared with him because “it is our policy to always look in to any specific complaints when they are raised”. Why are the standards at the BBC Somali Service declining if Mr. Timmins had taken a serious look at the evidence about Somali language misuse and breach of BBC editorial guidelines after evidence has been shared with him? Why is the BBC Somali Service making the same mistakes?.

The following examples are from the BBC Somali Service website. A new report on two Somali men released from Guantanamo and handed over to the Somaliland authorities in 2009 was headlined: Somaliland Guantanamo; a news report on clashes between Somali and Oromo communities in Ethiopia’s in 2009 was headlined Soomaali Vs Oromo.

Is Guantanamo in Somaliland or does Somaliland has its own Guantanamo? What did the BBC Somali Service editors and producers have in mind when such a headline was used to mislead the readers about the two Somali men who were released from Guantanamo? Why did BBC Somali Service treat a story about people who were killed in ethnicity based clashes as a football match between two communities in Ethiopia? Last week the Somali Islamist insurgent group Harakat al-Shabaab Mujahideen demolished tombs of Somali Sheikhs in Mogadishu.

BBC Somali Service published a report on tomb demolitions by Al Shabaab and headlined it Jihaadka Qabuuraha (Jihad of/on Graves). Does the BBC view Al Shabaab’s activities as Jihad or it is how Al Shabaab describes its campaign to demolish graves? In the same week, BBC Somali Service published a report based on the detention of ‘al-Qaeda militants’ by Saudi authorities. The report was headlined Soomaali al Qaacida ah (Al Qaida Somalis), but the headline of the story in BBC News website on which the story for Somali speaking listeners and readers was based is Saudi Arabia detains dozens of ‘al-Qaeda militants‘ .

If BBC Somali Service decided to use to translate the story from English, why had the editor failed to ensure that the headline should not label Somalis as Al Qaeda operatives? Given the BBC Somali Service’s failure to learn from past mistakes, and even make more outrageous mistakes because of unfamiliarity with BBC editorial guidelines, it is unclear why BBC World Service protects mediocrity and exposes itself to accusations about having “no concept of value for money” and not having equal opportunity policy?.

The BBC World Service’s attitude towards the Somali speaking listeners and readers is disdainful. If the BBC Somali Service were a privately run radio station, the editor and his bosses would take their work seriously and ensure that journalistic misjudgments and mistakes should not tarnish the work of the Service on which many Somalis and Somali speaking listeners and readers depend for information about Somalia and the world.

How BBC Somali Service frustrates efforts of students learning Somali as a second language

In a BBC Somali Service programme (04:00 GMT) Yoonis Cali Nuur, a veteran broadcaster introduces an interview with Maxamuud Guure, a member of the London based Somali Concern. In the audio clip Siciid Cali Muuse of the BBC Somali Service is interviewing Mr Guure. Yoonis Cali Nuur's introductory remarks were: " Maxamuud Guure oo ururkaasi ka tirsan ayaa Siciid Cali Muuse Waxa uu weyddiiyey sida ay u arkaan in dhibaatooyinka loo xallin karo." To the Somali language learner or anyone familiar with the Somali language grammar, Yoonis's introductory remarks mean the oppossite of what he wanted to say: that Mr Guure has interviewed Siciid Cali Muuse. This is another example about how we, Somalis, take liberty with Somali grammar and expect listeners or readers to understand us because we assume they know the situation or the roles of people in the story or a piece of writing: Since Siciid Cali Muuse is one of the BBC Somali Service broadcasters a Somali listener may pay less attention to the grammaticality of a sentence, and conclude that it is only a BBC staff member who interviews someone at the BBC. The focus word ayuu in reference to Siciid Cali Muuse would render the introductory remarks grammatically correct, and save a transcriber or translator confusion."Maxamuud Guure oo ururkaasi ka tirsan ayuu Siciid Cali Muuse weyddiiyey sida ay u arkaan in dhibaatooyinka loo xallin karo" or “Siciid Cali Muuse ayaa weyddiiyey Maxamuud Guure oo ururkaasi ka tirsan sida ay u arkaan in dhibaatooyinka loo xallin karo.”

Laanta af Soomaaliga ee BBCda iyo Naxwaha af Soomaaliga

Laanta af Soomaaliga ee BBCdu waxay ogaatay baahida loo qabo barashada naxwaha af Soomaaliga oo waxay samaysay bogag xambaarsan xog afeed iyo mid warbaahineed. Sidee bay xogtaas wax u tartaa shaqaalaha Laanta af Soomaaliga ee BBCda? Akhritow, aan kula wadaago warbixintan ku saabsan hoos u dhaca dhaqaalaha adduunka. Imisa gef naxweed baa ku jira wabixinta?

Somalia’s problem is partly an intralingual miscommunication

When people talk about the causes of the Somalia’s long-standing problem, clanism is cited as a basis for Somalia’s prolonged instability. The language Somalis speak, Somali, is not factored in the litany of problems Somalis are facing. It is time to consider major communication problems from misquotations and mistranslations as contributing factors to the Somali problem.

Two weeks ago the BBC Somali Service reporter in Mogadishu, misquoted the Somali Minster of Security, Omar Hashi Adan who said “Eritrea oo soddon iyo dhawr sanadood qof kasta oo iyaga oo muwaaddin ahi uu adduunka ku mari jiray baasaboorka Soomaalida…” (“for thirty plus years every Eritrean national used to travel the world using the Somali passport…” ) but the BBC Somali Service reporter in Mogadishu quoted the minister as saying: “ … muwaadiniinta Eritreeya Soomaaliya ay ku mari jireen baasaboorka Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya… “ … “Eritrean nationals used the travel Somalia using the Somali passport…”

An example about a politician saying the opposite of what he wanted to say can be found in the same BBC Somali Service report on the misquoted minister. The Somali Minister of Security, Omar Hashi Adan, said in a press conference: “Siyaasad ahaan, horeba waa uu caddaysatay dawladda Eritreeya inay ka soo horjeeddo inaan dawlad Soomaaliyeed ayna dhalan…” (“Politically, the Eritrean government has already made it clear ( to itself) that it is not against the birth of a Somali government…” The Somali Minister for Security intended to argue that the Eritrean government was against the birth of a Somali government : “Siyaasad ahaan, horeba waa uu caddaysatay dawladda Eritreeya inay ka soo horjeeddo inay dawlad Soomaaliyeed dhalato” “Politically, the Eritrean government has already made it clear ( to itself) that it is against the birth of a Somali government…”

The UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah was misquoted in Somali UN Somalia website as saying “now is the time for Somalis to strangle for their people, their region and the international community that they are finally serious about peace and leaving behind the culture of winner takes all and the ever-shifting alliances that are still devastating their nation”:“ Hadda waxaan joognaa waqtigii dadka Soomaaliyeed ay dadkooda, dadka gobolka iyo bulshada caalamkaba u miijin lahaayeen inay markaan dhab ka tahay inay nabad helaan ayna iska iloowayaan dhaqankii ku dhisnaa ninkii guuleysta ayaa wax walba qaata” although Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah was quoted in the English press release as saying “Now is the time for Somalis to show their people, their region and the international community that they are finally serious about peace and leaving behind the culture of winner takes all and the ever-shifting alliances that are still devastating their nation.”
It is not only a Somali politicians who has so far failed to avoid misuse of the negative. The BBC Somali Service editor, Yusuf Garad Omar, paid a visit to School of Oriental and African Studoies in January 2008. He reprted, in Somali, that “the British government said that universities in UK must fight extremist views that do not encourage hatred and that people resort to violence or execute terrorist activities. ” (Dowladda dalkan Britain ayaa sheegtay in Jaamacadaha dalka ay tahay in lagala dagaallamo fikradaha xag-jirka ah ee dhiirri gelin karin nacayb iyo in ay dadku isu gacan qaadaan amaba ay fuliyaan falal argagixiso”
In 2005 BBC Somali Service mistranslated a sentence in a news analysis by Martin Plaut, BBC World Serice African editor: “Dalka Djibouti waxaa jooga 900 oo askari oo Mareykan ah oo loogu tala galay in ay ka hortagaan al qaacida in aysan galin badda cas” ( In Djibouti there 900 American soldiers for prevveting Al Qaida from not entering the Red Sea.”
Mistranslations and misquotations are not confined to politics and journalism. There is mistranslation in Somali translation of the Holy Koran printed in 1991 in Al Baqara verse 177: The words وَفِي الرِّقَابِ were translated as “fakin qoor “ does/didn’t release a neck” as in
لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَالْمَلآئِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُواْ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاء والضَّرَّاء وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ:
“Samo falku ma aha inaad wajiga u jeedisaan Qorax ka soo bax iyo Qorax u dhac laakiin sama fale waa ruuxii rumeeya eebbe, Qiyaame, Malaa’igta, Kitaabka (kutubta Alle), Nabiyada, oo siiya Xoolaha isagoo jecel Qaraabada, Agoonta, Masaakiinta, Masaafirka, kuwa baryootama, Fakin qoor, oogana Salaadda, bixiyana Zakada, oofiyana ballankoda, markay ballamaan, Samra ( adkeystana) Waqtiga saboolnimada, Jirrada, iyo Dagaalka, kuwaasina waa kuwa ku runsheegay Iimaankooda waansa kuwa dhawrsada.”


The English translation the verse in The Qur’an translated by Professor M.A.S. Abdel Haleem’s the Koran( 2004) is: “Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards east or west. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travelers, beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God. “
A recent (mis)quotation example from Hiiraan Online is on a statement by the mayor of Mogadishu on clashes between Al Shabab forces and the Transitional Federal Governmnet of Somalia forces in Mogadishu. The Mogadishu reporter for the website quoted the Somali Mayor of Mogadishu Mr Mohamed Osman Ali Dhagahtur as saying: “ …ma yeelayno in dadka ku nool Gobolka Banaadir ay dhibaateeyaan dad ka yimid gobollo kale oo nabadgelyo ka jirto …” (“We will not allow people in Banadir region to victimise people from peaceful regions…”
It is not the mayor’s choice words that contradicted the point he was making; it is the structure. Had he started with the subject 'dad ka yimid gobollo kale' as in “ ma yeelayno in dad ka yimid gobollo kale oo nabadgelyo ka jirto ay dhibaateeyaan dadka ku nool Gobolka Banaadir …” which in translation would read: “We will not allow people from peaceful regions to victimise people in Banadir region…”, the mayor's message would have been clearer.
Dr John Caney, author of the book, Modernisation of Somali Vocabulary With Particular Reference to the Period from 1972 to the Present , asks: “How can sensible discussions take place when people are saying the opposite of what they mean?” More than thirty six years have passed since an epoch-making decision was made to choose Latin alphabet characters for the Somali orthography. At least four Somali language grammar books have been published since 1972; Somali has been used for administration and as a medium of instruction, and yet many Somalis make avoidable errors in spoken and written Somali due to lack of awareness about the Somali language grammar. Not long ago many Somalis were concerned about the Somali children in Diaspora who speak little or no Somali because they are not told Somali folk tales nor are they encouraged to speak Somali at home. At least we can figure out what they are saying when they speak Somali; we will have to think twice before assuming that a quote or text translated into Somali or a Somali politician's statement is correct.

Liban Ahmad
libahm@gmail.com

Miyay Hiiraan Online ku margatay xarfaha laba-laabma?

Wariyaha Muqdisho ee Hiiraan Online oo xiganaya Guddoomiye Ku-xigeenka Baarlamaanka Soomaaliyeed ayaa kala saari kari waayay magac-u-yaallada aniga iyo innaga gaar ahaan marka ay noqdaan la-fale ( object)"Haddii aan qaldanahay na saxa, laakin ha nagu sixina Madfac iyo Bastoolad” ayuu yiri Maxamed Cumar Dalxa sida ay u xigatay Hiiraan Online. Weydiintu waa: Miyuu Maxamed Cumar Dalxa isu hadlay mise wuxuu u hadlay Baarlamaanka, mise isaga ayaa isla weedh u adeegsaday magac-u-yaallada aniga iyo innaga?

Tarjumidda weero af Ingiriis ah

Waa run in erey walba oo af Ingiriis ah loo rogi karin af Soomaali. Miyay tahay suurtogal inay jiraan weero af Ingiriis ah oo aadan af Soomaali u rogi karin? Miyaa Labadan weerood ee soo socda ee uu soo bandhigay Dr John Caney, qoraha buugga The modernisation of Somali vocabulary, with particular reference to the period from 1972 to the present (1983) loo rogi karaa af Soomaali?

1-I hope that he does not go to Hargeysa.

2-I hope that he did not go to Hargeysa.

Somali is playing second fiddle to Arabic language

A couple of years ago the Somali novelist and cultural critic, Mohamed Dahir Afrah, argued that Somali is an endangered language.
Dr Afrah said Somali langauge " has" almost all the symptoms of an endangered language: Civil war; absence of central government that uses it for administration, and promotes it as medium of instruction; people prefer to use other languages because Somali languages does not help them to get decent jobs; absence of language research institutes and ; people boast about facility with a foreign language.
Evidence for Dr Afrah’s argument is plenty but the latest one has come from the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. Few weeks ago the Somali Prime Minister, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, formed a bloated cabinet. A couple of ministries contain Arabic words that replaced their Somali equivalents. A new ministry headed by Hamza Bur’i (Wasaaradda Deeganka iyo Ilaalinta Bey’ada ‘The Ministry of Environment and Environmental Protection’) shows that neither linguistic consideration nor environmental understanding was emphasised when the new ministry was being by conceived. Why use the Somali and Arabic words for the environment ( deegaan and bey’ad) ? Isn’t environmental protection within the remit of the Minister for Environment? Somali language is playing second fiddle to the Arbic language. The Ministry of Security has become in Somali Wasaaradda Aminga. The Somali equivalent of security, nabad-sugida was dumped in favour of the Arabic one Amniga. Nabad-sugidda is self-contained with the notion of security and safeguarding security. When foreign language words are used in place of Somali words that can do the trick, avoidable language and logic mistakes crop up as in the case of the new Somali Ministry of Environment and Environmental Protection.



(Mis)quoting Somalia’s Al Shabab Spokesman
I have been interested in the use of Somali language for newspapers and websites. Misquoting person is possible if a word is misspelt. Another mistake is cased by the order of words—object replacing the subject as the following headline in the Somali website: " Kooxda AlShabaab oo u gacan galay Gobolka Bakool" ( Al Shabab falls into the hands of Bakool region) –the truth is that Bakool region fell into the hands of Al Shabab.
Another Somali website quotes Abu Mansur, Al Shabab spokesman, who was quoted in Somali as saying “''Sharif ma diidanin ee Dustuurkuu wado ayaan diidanahay'' (We are not against Sharif , [ the Somali president], but I am against the constitution he is using). Why does Abu Mansur use two pronouns “we and I ( innaga and aniga) that refer to Al Shabab and himself at the same time? I think that the eighth word diidananay is supposed to be diidannahay to refer to the pronoun innaga (we). An Mistakes such as those outlined in the preceding paragraph confuse translators and students learning Somali as a second language, and it does portray the quoted people in negative light as well.

Telefishinka Universal iyo kaalintiisa isku dirka qabiillada Soomaalida

Telefishinka Universal ayaa soo daabacay sheeko cinwaankeedu yahay: Puntland Oo Rag Ka qabqabatay Degmada Guriceel Ee Galgaduud. Markii aan sheekadii akhriyey waxa aan ogaaday in aan rag laga qabqaban Guriceel waayo waxa ay sheeko wareedka Universal TV xustay in "hor[r]aantii todobaadkan ayey aheyd markii ciidamo ka tirsan maamul goboleedka Puntland dhinaca waqooyi magaalada Gaalkacyo ka qab qabteen dhal[l]inyaro gaadheysa illaa sagaal ruux, kuwaasoo lagu sheegay in ay ahaayeen arday semenaar u socotay, balse maamulka Puntland ayaa ku eedeeyey in ay ammaanka caqabad ku ahaayeen."
Goorma ayaa la rumeysan kara Universal TV? Ma marka uu sheegayo in dhallinyarda laga qabqabtay Guriceel mise marka laga qabqabtay waqooyiga Gaalkacyo? Waa arrin warbaahintii dhowraysa anshaxa warfaafinta ay raalli galin ka bixiso.

Heshiiskii Jabuuti Bil Kadib!

Maxaa kala haysta warfidiyeenka Soomaaliyeed qaarkood iyo astaamaynta? Mareegta Laanta af Soomaaliga ee Codka Maraykanka waxay ku biirtay mareegaha ku margaday astaamaynta ( hakadka, joogsiga, calaamad su'aalka, calaamadda la yaabka iwm). Bal eeg cinwaankan:
Heshiiskii Jabuuti Bil Kadib!

Hadhwanaag news oo eedeeysay hoyga Cabdiqaasim Salaad

Mareegta Hadhwanaagnews ayaa ku eedeeysay madaxweynihii hore oo dawladdii Carta lagu dhisay in hoygiisu uu fadhataystay 'ciidamo ka tirsan dawladda Embagathi' Cinwaanka sheekada Hadhwanaagnews waa:
Guriga Madaxweynihii Hore Ee Carta Cabdiqaasim Salaad Ayaa Fadhateysi Ku Sameeyey Maanta Ciidamo Ka Tirsan Dowladda Embagathi.
Maxay wadaagaan sheekada Hadhwanaagnews iyo sheekada ku saabsan Xaaji Muuse Suudi Yalaxow ?