Asalka magacyada magaalooyinka ardu Somal

[𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒔𐒖𐒕𐒈]

Kani waa muuqaal aad u bilan, curiyuhuna waa fariid.

 

[𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒔𐒖𐒕𐒈]

Some of the names are very interesting, others are obvious, whereas some look far-fetched.

- Muqdisho: maqcad al shah, as in the seat of the King.

- Hargeysa: Harar geysa, the route to Harar.

- Boosaaso: previously known as Bander Qassim, the name of the founder of the city, is named after his he-camel, but what does it mean?

- Banaadir (region, not city): is the plural of Bander, a Farsi word for cities abutting bodies of water.

- Kismaayo: As in 'kasi maa', I do not know.

- Garowe: a thorny tree popular in the Nugaal region.

- Baydhaba: as in 'il bay dhawi', a source of surface water.

- Bay: as in 'dhoodi', solid surface

- Boorama: New year in Oromo language, or named after the land of Booraan, a tribal Oromo name.

- Burco: a water well in an elevated patch of land suitable for grazing.

- Gaalkacyo: removed from the Gaalla (Oromo) people.

- Zaylac: land of the Zayli'iyun, nomadic tribes off the Hijaz terrain.

 

[𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒔𐒖𐒕𐒈]

The one name, which has been eluding me the longest is: 'Ceerigaabo'.

 

[Burqad]

Some of the names are very interesting, others are obvious, whereas some look far-fetched.

- Muqdisho: maqcad al shah, as in the seat of the King.

- Hargeysa: Harar geysa, the route to Harar.

- Boosaaso: previously known as Bander Qassim, the name of the founder of the city, is named after his he-camel, but what does it mean?

- Banaadir (region, not city): is the plural of Bander, a Farsi word for cities abutting bodies of water.

- Kismaayo: As in 'kasi maa', I do not know.

- Garowe: a thorny tree popular in the Nugaal region.

- Baydhaba: as in 'il bay dhawi', a source of surface water.

- Bay: as in 'dhoodi', solid surface

- Boorama: New year in Oromo language, or named after the land of Booraan, a tribal Oromo name.

- Burco: a water well in an elevated patch of land suitable for grazing.

- Gaalkacyo: removed from the Gaalla (Oromo) people.

- Zaylac: land of the Zayli'iyun, nomadic tribes off the Hijaz terrain.

Many of these are wrong folk suugo etymologies brother

muqdishu is Muqaal-Disho (Blinds with beauty)

hargeysa was a leather trading post before Sheeik Madar (AUN) built his jamaaca there

Bandar in Somali sailor languages means “Land”, Qassim means I think fair.

Banadiir means the mainland

kisimayo means in af bajuun something about wells.

Garowe, Bay and Baydhaba is right

Boorama is totally wrong. Oromos did not exist in Somalia outside of Juba under the Warday from 1600-1900. They did not reach or name Borama

Burco is right

Gaalkacyo means Where the camels rise

Saylac has nothing to do with Arabic tribes, I forgot it’s actual meaning in Somalia though.

 

[Burqad]

The one name, which has been eluding me the longest is: 'Ceerigaabo'.

I believe it means “Where the fog comes close to the ground”

 

[Northern Swordsman]

Some of the names are very interesting, others are obvious, whereas some look far-fetched.

- Muqdisho: maqcad al shah, as in the seat of the King.

- Hargeysa: Harar geysa, the route to Harar.

- Boosaaso: previously known as Bander Qassim, the name of the founder of the city, is named after his he-camel, but what does it mean?

- Banaadir (region, not city): is the plural of Bander, a Farsi word for cities abutting bodies of water.

- Kismaayo: As in 'kasi maa', I do not know.

- Garowe: a thorny tree popular in the Nugaal region.

- Baydhaba: as in 'il bay dhawi', a source of surface water.

- Bay: as in 'dhoodi', solid surface

- Boorama: New year in Oromo language, or named after the land of Booraan, a tribal Oromo name.

- Burco: a water well in an elevated patch of land suitable for grazing.

- Gaalkacyo: removed from the Gaalla (Oromo) people.

- Zaylac: land of the Zayli'iyun, nomadic tribes off the Hijaz terrain.

I'd correct you on the following meanings:

Boorama; from Booraan a large hole or decreased place. Boorama is between mountains.

Burco; from burco which means a plane terrain, also means a small elevation from the ground with soft sand.

Btw Burco comes from Proto-Afroasiatic /*bur/ which means dry land, sand, dust. Its related with the somali words bur "flour, powder" and boor/boodh "dust"

Landers nickname for Burco is "Burco boodh badanay" lol.

Gaalkacyo; refers to the revolution against the Italian colonisers gaal-kacyo lit. kacinta gaalada ie driving out infidels.

 

[Burqad]

I'd correct you on the following meanings:

Boorama; from Booraan a large hole or decreased place. Boorama is between mountains.

Burco; from burco which means a plane terrain, also means a small elevation from the ground with soft sand.

Btw Burco comes from Proto-Afroasiatic /*bur/ which means dry land, sand, dust. Its related with the somali words bur "flour, powder" and boor/boodh "dust"

Landers nickname for Burco is "Burco boodh badanay" lol.

Gaalkacyo; refers to the revolution against the Italian colonisers gaal-kacyo lit. kacinta gaalada ie driving out infidels.

Gaalkacyo was called that before the Italians or Cumar Samantar. It’s name comes from the classical Somali word “Gaal” for Geel, so it’s Where the Camels rise.

The rest is good information.

 

[𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒔𐒖𐒕𐒈]

How does 'Geel' morph into 'Gaal', in the case of Gaalkacyo, and Abgaal, when both are regular words in Somali? Or is one (latter) borrowed? And if so, how do the natives mix a borrowed term for the local?

 

[Burqad]

How does 'Geel' morph into 'Gaal', in the case of Gaalkacyo, and Abgaal, when both are regular words in Somali? Or is one (latter) borrowed? And if so, how do the natives mix a borrowed term for the local?

there was a vowel shift in the 16th century

 

[Hamzza]

there was a vowel shift in the 16th century

Raxanweyn still use "Gaal" word for the Camel

 

[reer_ugaas_hussein]

Some of the names are very interesting, others are obvious, whereas some look far-fetched.

- Muqdisho: maqcad al shah, as in the seat of the King.

- Hargeysa: Harar geysa, the route to Harar.

- Boosaaso: previously known as Bander Qassim, the name of the founder of the city, is named after his he-camel, but what does it mean?

- Banaadir (region, not city): is the plural of Bander, a Farsi word for cities abutting bodies of water.

- Kismaayo: As in 'kasi maa', I do not know.

- Garowe: a thorny tree popular in the Nugaal region.

- Baydhaba: as in 'il bay dhawi', a source of surface water.

- Bay: as in 'dhoodi', solid surface

- Boorama: New year in Oromo language, or named after the land of Booraan, a tribal Oromo name.

- Burco: a water well in an elevated patch of land suitable for grazing.

- Gaalkacyo: removed from the Gaalla (Oromo) people.

- Zaylac: land of the Zayli'iyun, nomadic tribes off the Hijaz terrain.

Kisimayo is from kibajuni (bajuni dialect of swahili) for "top of the well"
Also gaal is camel in af maay not just old somali, the raxanweyn for example say "gaaljire" instead of "geeljire" and abgaal, gaaljecel can also be explaindd that way

 

[Deekhow]

Ceerigaabo is a form of Somali folklore dance and song, just like dhaanto, jaandheer, saylici etc.

 

[Awd]

- Boorama: New year in Oromo language, or named after the land of Booraan, a tribal Oromo name.

This is incorrect. The name Borama is named after the famous Sufi Sheikh called Sheekh Rooble Borama who is buried in the town.