Why do Somalians get triggered when you call them..

[Cinnamon Spice]

...Somalian?

Whenever someone says Somalian you will always find someone pointing out the "mistake" and often angrily exclaiming "It's Somali not Somalian"

My thread title probably triggered some.. but why? Why do we detest being called Somalian as if it's a slur or something? It's just the way the English language works. According to dictionary.com, the suffix -an (and its variants -ian -ean) when attached to geographic names, "denotes provenance or membership (American; Chicagoan; Tibetan)". So by this definition it's correct to refer to someone who is a citizen of, or originally from, Somalia as "Somalian".

So what's wrong with saying Somalian? If it's because we don't refer to ourselves as "Somalians" in our language then that's a pretty dumb reason. I'm sure Italians, Indians, Eritreans, Egyptians, Norwegians, Mexicans etc., refer to themselves as something else in their native languages, yet they are known by those names in English. Because after all, it is according to the English language and not their native languages. It's just like when we say Mareekaan instead of American.

 

[Nightline Kid]

It's like calling an English person "Englandian" or a Pakistani person "Pakistanian"

 

[SuldaanGuled]

It's a matter of ethnic self determination really meaning we've the sole right to describe ourselves no one else. Our ideas of the self shall be the dictating factor not those of others. We set the standards not others

Thou shall define us according to the somali dictionary qaamuus.net


SOOMAALI1

Qaabnax: m.l.kh Isrogrogga:

Luqadda soomaalida u gaarka ah.



SOOMAALI2
Qaabnax: m.dh Isrogrogga:

Dadka Soomaaliya deggen ama ku hadla af-soomaaliga.


This should be passed on to all the other english dictionaries as they've committed an unspeakable crime against the somali people.

#WE'RE SOMALISSS

Mahadasanid

 

[maestro]

I almost punched someone who kept saying this. How wrong does "Americanian" "Britanian" "Japanian" and "Swedenian" sound?

f*ck off and say it how it is

 

[TheMadMullah]

Do you think saudian or Turkian sounds right to you?

If NO then that is what is wrong with saying Somalian. Capisci!

 

[Transparent]

I almost punched someone who kept saying this. How wrong does "Americanian" "Britanian" "Japanian" and "Swedenian" sound?

f*ck off and say it how it is

They all end with n ,Somalia ends with an a so it's natural to call it Somalian,for example:India=Indian Australia=Australian Kenya=Kenyan Uganda=Ugandan Canada=Canadian.

 

[maestro]

They all end with n ,Somalia ends with an a so it's natural to call it Somalian,for example:India=Indian Australia=Australian Kenya=Kenyan Uganda=Ugandan Canada=Canadian.

China = Chinian?

 

[Cinnamon Spice]

It's like calling an English person "Englandian" or a Pakistani person "Pakistanian"

Not really, England/Pakistan doesn't end with an i or an a, but Somalia does. People whose countries end with those letters are more likely to have demonyms that end in -an, -ian or -ean. So calling someone from Somalia "Somalian" is not like calling someone from Pakistan "Pakistanian".

It's a matter of ethnic self determination really meaning we've the sole right to describe ourselves no one else. Our ideas of the self shall be the dictating factor not those of others. We set the standards not others

Thou shall define us according to the somali dictionary qaamuus.net


SOOMAALI1

Qaabnax: m.l.kh Isrogrogga:

Luqadda soomaalida u gaarka ah.



SOOMAALI2
Qaabnax: m.dh Isrogrogga:

Dadka Soomaaliya deggen ama ku hadla af-soomaaliga.


This should be passed on to all the other english dictionaries as they've committed an unspeakable crime against the somali people.

#WE'RE SOMALISSS

Mahadasanid

So do you refer to people by their native names instead of the anglicized ones? I think it's only an issue with us because of English being an international language. I don't think we care what other ethnic groups call us in their languages. We do the same thing, like the American/Mareekaan example I gave. The English have just as much right to anglicize as we have to Somalianize.

 

[nadia]

Because the word "Somalian" you dont mind people refer to you is always used in a negative light ever been on twitter?

 

[Cinnamon Spice]

Because the word "Somalian" you dont mind people refer to you is always used in a negative light ever been on twitter?

Do you mean when people say "Som-alien"? Lol, that's so childish being offended by it is ridiculous. You're better off ignoring underage trolls like that.

 

[nadia]

Do you mean when people say "Som-alien"? Lol, that's so childish being offended by it is ridiculous. You're better off ignoring underage trolls like that.

im talking about in general type somalian first than somali and see the major difference and is not only underage trolls...

 

[Cinnamon Spice]

im talking about in general type somalian first than somali and see the major difference and is not only underage trolls...

I typed it in the search box and the first suggestion for both was pirates.

Some things we just can't run away from.

 

[Yonis]

I almost punched someone who kept saying this. How wrong does "Americanian" "Britanian" "Japanian" and "Swedenian" sound?

f*ck off and say it how it is

It's like calling an English person "Englandian" or a Pakistani person "Pakistanian"

not really.

if Pakistan was called Pakistania then calling them Pakistanian would be ok but their country is Pakistan no Pakistania, so Pakistanian is not ok, completely different situation to Somalia

Our country is called Somalia so calling Somalian would logically follow.

Same thing with Nigeria.

Nigeria = Nigerian

Malia = Malian

Algeria = Algerian

Zambia = Zambian

Somalia = Somali? no it's Somalian. I don't know why you snowflakes get triggered by this

 

[Noir]

People from SOMALIA=SOMALIANS

People from SOMALILAND=SOMALI's(general use worldwide) or LANDERS

 

[SuldaanGuled]

So do you refer to people by their native names instead of the anglicized ones? I think it's only an issue with us because of English being an international language. I don't think we care what other ethnic groups call us in their languages. We do the same thing, like the American/Mareekaan example I gave. The English have just as much right to anglicize as we have to Somalianize.

Haa walaal i do that as long as i'm able to. I agree that it's due to the fact of english having such a status in the world today but the bigger issue is that it becomes the standard to which people refer to as if it's the only valid one. If people didn't care then they wouldn't be triggered as well when somalis or any other group of people refuse to be called by what other people have defined for them. Today somalis refer to themselves as cushites but we as a people have never in our history referred ourselves as cushites until the europeans came. Why is that ?

 

[Cinnamon Spice]

Haa walaal i do that as long as i'm able to. I agree that it's due to the fact of english having such a status in the world today but the bigger issue is that it becomes the standard to which people refer to as if it's the only valid one. If people didn't care then they wouldn't be triggered as well when somalis or any other group of people refuse to be called by what other people have defined for them. Today somalis refer to themselves as cushites but we as a people have never in our history referred ourselves as cushites until the europeans came. Why is that ?

It's only the standard in English and according to how their language works. It's not like they singled us out or intended it as an insult; we can see that it's just a pattern in their language that has grammatical meaning. This is why it doesn't make sense for us to be offended/triggered by it. The Arabs call us "As-Suumaaliyiin", should we be triggered by that also?

Not all Somalis call themselves Cushites, I'm sure many don't even know what that means/is. The ones that do are probably just looking for a way to distinguish themselves from other Africans.

 

[SuldaanGuled]

It's only the standard in English and according to how their language works. It's not like they singled us out or intended it as an insult; we can see that it's just a pattern in their language that has grammatical meaning. This is why it doesn't make sense for us to be offended/triggered by it. The Arabs call us "As-Suumaaliyiin", should we be triggered by that also?

Not all Somalis call themselves Cushites, I'm sure many don't even know what that means/is. The ones that do are probably just looking for a way to distinguish themselves from other Africans.

From their point of view it makes sense to them but given the opportunity to correct them it's a must that we seize the chance to do so. We need to make an impact waku side walaal kaftaanka aside the question that we need to ask ourselves is should we just accept being called that rather than using ours.

"As-Suumaaliyiin" is plural for the somalis, the As in the beginning if i'm not mistaken is the definite article but usually they just say somal,. I would argue that theirs is closer to our labelling.

 

[Agent 47]

People from SOMALIA=SOMALIANS

People from SOMALILAND=SOMALI's(general use worldwide) or LANDERS

why not Somalistan? it just means Somaliland

 

[Cinnamon Spice]

From their point of view it makes sense to them but given the opportunity to correct them it's a must that we seize the chance to do so. We need to make an impact waku side walaal kaftaanka aside the question that we need to ask ourselves is should we just accept being called that rather than using ours.

"As-Suumaaliyiin" is plural for the somalis, the As in the beginning if i'm not mistaken is the definite article but usually they just say somal,. I would argue that theirs is closer to our labelling.

You make it sound as though they call us something entirely different to what we call ourselves; like it is the case with Egyptians, who call themselves "Misriyiin". If that were the case I would wholly agree with you in the need to correct them and assert our identity. But what we're discussing is something petty and trivial; we must allow for languages morphing words and such into their existing grammatical structures just like the Arabic example I gave. It doesn't make sense to take offence at this.

 

[SuldaanGuled]

You make it sound as though they call us something entirely different to what we call ourselves; like it is the case with Egyptians, who call themselves "Misriyiin". If that were the case I would wholly agree with you in the need to correct them and assert our identity. But what we're discussing is something petty and trivial; we must allow for languages morphing words and such into their existing grammatical structures just like the Arabic example I gave. It doesn't make sense to take offence at this.

Walaal i believe it boils down to preference some are fine with it others not so much to each their own i say. Whether or not people take offence at it is relative you will argue the opposite laakin that's just your personal opinion. We can't be dictating how other people should label themselves, if a person feels that label doesn't suit them then the best course of action to take is to describe them how they want to be described. I agree it's a trivial matter when you look at the grand scheme of things so why bother in the first place? It doesn't make sense to you but it makes sense to others it's simple as that, that's why they will come to a different conclusion than you. Trying to argue that they should come to the same viewpoint as yours will lead you no where, it only creates heated debates nothing more.

Have a koob of shaah & relax walaal