Bias towards Far Wadaad/Arab Script

[Jabuuti]

I respectfully wanted to discuss this matter. Why is there such a bias, or large amount of disliking towards Far Wadaad? Yet, there is a large support for the latin script.

I ask because some Somalis in the west say "We're not Arabs" and use that as an argument. But we're not Europeans either, so why the support towards Latin then?

 

[ImanStan001]

Tbh if we went back and used the script , the literacy rate would be 100% we all go dugsi and learn Arabic anyway .

 

[Aurelian]

because the Latin script has took it roots already, we can’t turn over the Latin script

 

[Ahmed123-]

I have notice in somali gaalo subreddits they think using the Arabic script is booty clapping to the Arabs but using the Latin script isn't the same thing ? it has to be some bias to Islam because they became gaalo it would make more sense to use Arabic script than the Latin script

 

[Dima&Damo]

because the Latin script has took it roots already, we can’t turn over the Latin script

Folk uses paint more then text in the homeland

 

[Jabuuti]

Tbh if we went back and used the script , the literacy rate would be 100% we all go dugsi and learn Arabic anyway .

It's surprising, because even the nomads in the Somali Peninsula have stone or wooden slabs with Quran verses written. Some slabs possibly being passed down and memorized that way.

 

[Jabuuti]

because the Latin script has took it roots already, we can’t turn over the Latin script

Respectfully disagree, most Somalis back home are more than capable of being able to read the Arabic script.

This thread is not about replacing the Latin script. It's about the bias that Somali Westerners have against the script.

 

[Aurelian]

Folk uses paint more then text in the homeland

Respectfully disagree, most Somalis back home are more than capable of being able to read the Arabic script.

This thread is not about replacing the Latin script. It's about the bias that Somali Westerners have against the script.

I mean the Somali language uses Latin script that most if not all Somali text are written that script, yes maybe Somalis back home know who to right Arabic script, but don’t use that to write Somali, which needs a whole new rules to right it in that script.

 

[Sophisticate]

Wadaad script was used by the literate sheiks, aka priestly/educated groups of Somalis, in the past. There is nothing wrong with it as it served its purpose in a climate without a widespread script and was not formally codified until the 20th C. So it really should not matter that it's written in Latin now. Or that Latin isn't remotely connected to the Afro-Asiatic language phylum. modern-day Vietnamese (an Austroasiatic language that formerly used a Sino-Tibetian writing script) borrows from Latin script as well. It's a non-issue. My only gripe with Somali being written in Latin script is the absence of tone markings. There are Somali-based scripts, i.e., Osmanya, Borama, and Kadare. Of these three, Osmanya was used more widely though Wadaad was more popular and Latin eventually became the main script. Borama was intended to be used among a circle of Gadabuursi intellectuals/sheiks to communicate with each other. It was an insular writing system wherein the originator was not interested in using it outside the city. While Kadare is orthographically quite accurate, it's younger than the aforementioned Somali scripts and shares a similar appearance with Osmanya and an archaic South Asian script.

 

[Gashaan]

I think we should not write our language in a foreign script whether its arabic or latin and i'm for Somalis writing in osmanya script.

 

[Awad]

Tbh if we went back and used the script , the literacy rate would be 100% we all go dugsi and learn Arabic anyway .

Doubt it, literacy rate was wayyy lower before Barres intervention (around 1-5%). Also most Somalis only know how to read Quran which uses harakat, wadaad doesn't.

 

[ZBR]

Latin script Somali is ugly and lacks elegance and beauty

 

[BasedAdalite]

Nothing wrong with wadaad script
Its just easier to learn the latin script so if you want to start a mass literacy campaign its a better option imo
both both are useful and should be learned in schools specially for religious purposes

 

[Al-Ma'mun]

Somaliland imo should readopt the Arabic script and enforce Classical Arabic & Somali Bilingualism.All signs in English should be taking down, only Somali and Classical Arabic should be spoken in Parliament.Invest more in an education system that teaches in Arabic as Somali language lacks technical terms and isn't as advanced as Classical Arabic

 

[Gashaan]

Somaliland imo should readopt the Arabic script and enforce Classical Arabic & Somali Bilingualism.All signs in English should be taking down, only Somali and Classical Arabic should be spoken in Parliament.Invest more in an education system that teaches in Arabic as Somali language lacks technical terms and isn't as advanced as Classical Arabic

 

[Al-Ma'mun]

View attachment 229789

Yes SL and Somalia should have different scripts.Just like Farsi has two different scripts

 

[Idilinaa]

It's less so about bias and more about the fact that the Arabic script was seen as unsuitable to encompass all the sounds in the Somali language.

The con with adopting the arabic alphabet is that arabic has three letters that represent long vowels and three diacritic marks which represent three short vowels. In Somali on the other hand there is five short wovels and five long vowels

It doesn't matter what script Somalis use, as long as you make the adjustments to it.

 

[reer]

It's less so about bias and more about the fact that the Arabic script was seen as unsuitable to encompass all the sounds in the Somali language.

The con with adopting the arabic alphabet is that arabic has three letters that represent long vowels and three diacritic marks which represent three short vowels. In Somali on the other hand there is five short wovels and five long vowels

It doesn't matter what script Somalis use, as long as you make the adjustments to it.

youre right. but we are in the digital era. so its easier to adapt a script today. for example uyghurs they use arabic as a full blown alphabet. and kazakhs in china/xinjiang too. they made adjustments so can somalis.

 

[Idilinaa]

youre right. but we are in the digital era. so its easier to adapt a script today. for example uyghurs they use arabic as a full blown alphabet. and turkmen in iran too. they made adjustments so can somalis.

It will definitely be a bit expensive and time consuming but what ever adjustments Somalis make it's going to involve modifcations to keyboards and printing.

 

[reer]

It will definitely be a bit expensive and time consuming but what ever adjustments Somalis make it's going to involve modifcations to keyboards and printing.

somalia should pay a craploads to have a nicer looking script for the language. i do not like reading so many Xs and ee aa.