Mereja.Forum

[Naga Tuma]

I am not a linguist. However I am a native speaker of Afan Oromo.

Many people probably think that the native language that they speak is rich. That may well be viewed as a subjective assessment by others. So, I once started to use some simple but objective parameters in order to gauge the richness of any language.

One of these simple parameters is the use of unique identifiers of generational lineage: እልመ (son,) አባ (father,) አካከዩ (grandfather,) አባበዩ (great grandfather,) አካክሌ (great great grandfather,) አባብሌ (great great great grandfather.)

Notice how the unique identifiers in the English language stop after two generations and those in Afan Oromo go to six generations. Notice also how these unique identifiers inform us about how many generations some people may have lived in the past. Simply put, was there a family member that lived for six generations for the family to come up with the identifier አባብሌ or was the word used for a deceased family member? If someone had ever lived for six generations, how old might he have lived before he passed away? Perhaps, our anthropologists can give a definite answer for these questions.

Now, coming back to writing Afan Oromo, I have seen it written using Sabean ፊደል in በሪሳ and in books written for literary campaign during the time of Dergue. I have personally used those books briefly as part of that literary campaign.

I have also seen it use Qube after 1991. I have in the past argued in favor of using Qube.

One day, I was reading a book written in Afan Oromo in a shuttle while going to work. An African American lady who was sitting next to me and took a glance of a page in the book that I was reading asked me in what language the book was written. I told her that it was written in one of Ethiopia's languages. Her next question was if it was colonized by the British. I was caught off guard by the question and told her it was not.

Although I was caught off guard by that question, it wasn't consequential for my use of Qube.

Later on, I started to notice some similarities between Sabean and Latin alphabets. That realization amused me much and reminded me the saying ኣልሽሹም ዞር ኣሉ።

Here are a few examples:
ወ, w
መ, m
ሃ, h (rotate one to see a near mirror image of the other)
ጋ, G (rotate this one also)
የ, y
ተ, t
ቀ, q

I can go on. I hope these examples make the similarities clear enough.

While I think that language matters can be left to Administrative States of now or the future where they are spoken, informed decisions by those districts may be worthwhile.

[sun]

Really?

You are by far too late to convince even a new born child with your fake substandard childish magic games. If you were born in the 18th century and writing what you are writing now you might have some 10% chance for fooling the uninitiated segment of the citizens. But yet you still have your democratic right to choose writing In Sabean, Hebrew or Arabic.

Otherwise all of the Ethiopian nations and nationalities choose to speak and write in their languages since diversity is the mother of innovation first and foremost and then after that learn lots of other languages as much as possible. "Attalay inna asmessay fanddiyya Wur'aage" said my Silxe Gurage friend named, Zabarga.

"The rhythm of my body is the same as my mother tongue. It is in this rhythm where I find sanctity, that I can return to my mother who is everywhere in the universe."~Kim Hyeson

I am not a linguist. However I am a native speaker of Afan Oromo.

Many people probably think that the native language that they speak is rich. That may well be viewed as a subjective assessment by others. So, I once started to use some simple but objective parameters in order to gauge the richness of any language.

One of these simple parameters is the use of unique identifiers of generational lineage: እልመ (son,) አባ (father,) አካከዩ (grandfather,) አባበዩ (great grandfather,) አካክሌ (great great grandfather,) አባብሌ (great great great grandfather.)

Notice how the unique identifiers in the English language stop after two generations and those in Afan Oromo go to six generations. Notice also how these unique identifiers inform us about how many generations some people may have lived in the past. Simply put, was there a family member that lived for six generations for the family to come up with the identifier አባብሌ or was the word used for a deceased family member? If someone had ever lived for six generations, how old might he have lived before he passed away? Perhaps, our anthropologists can give a definite answer for these questions.

Now, coming back to writing Afan Oromo, I have seen it written using Sabean ፊደል in በሪሳ and in books written for literary campaign during the time of Dergue. I have personally used those books briefly as part of that literary campaign.

I have also seen it use Qube after 1991. I have in the past argued in favor of using Qube.

One day, I was reading a book written in Afan Oromo in a shuttle while going to work. An African American lady who was sitting next to me and took a glance of a page in the book that I was reading asked me in what language the book was written. I told her that it was written in one of Ethiopia's languages. Her next question was if it was colonized by the British. I was caught off guard by the question and told her it was not.

Although I was caught off guard by that question, it wasn't consequential for my use of Qube.

Later on, I started to notice some similarities between Sabean and Latin alphabets. That realization amused me much and reminded me the saying ኣልሽሹም ዞር ኣሉ።

Here are a few examples:
ወ, w
መ, m
ሃ, h (rotate one to see a near mirror image of the other)
ጋ, G (rotate this one also)
የ, y
ተ, t
ቀ, q

I can go on. I hope these examples make the similarities clear enough.

While I think that language matters can be left to Administrative States of now or the future where they are spoken, informed decisions by those districts may be worthwhile.

[Somaliman]

I think we should first question ourselves why Latin script was chosen to write Oromo (language) and not Sabean, or Cyrillic, Arabic, Hanzi, Kanji, Hanja, or Han Nom, etc.

I believe it was chosen for the same reason that it was chosen to write Somali (language). I might be wrong as I’m not sure.

One of the factors, or aspects, of a language that influence whether a language is easier or harder to learn is the script in which it’s written. The more complex the script is, the harder the language tends to become for the learner.

For instance, although unique scripts were conceived and developed to write the Somali, which took decades, Latin was lastly chosen simply due to the fact that Latin script was easier to write compared to the other scripts that were on the table. And since the country was launching a massive fast track literacy program, Latin was found suitable for the purpose and fitting the bill.

Although I can’t claim that Sabean is harder than Latin script as I don’t speak any language written in Sabean, from my very brief experience in learning Amharic when I was very young, I found Sabean not easy to learn. While with 30-minute instructions, anyone can read Somali language without major difficulties, and I think this might also be valid for Oromo language!


Just a thought!

[Fitawrari Meshesha]

The first time I ever smell gojJam pus$y was when one I was 10 years old and the gered in my house bend over to clean some cloth so I came from behind and smell the pu$sy she dednt mind she as laughing and so after we get close she let me put my finger Inside before I go to school especially she dednt wash for 1 week I use to smell my finger all day in school and later when the smell reducing I was very angry but I was put finger in my nose and sniff very hard until I take all the sweet smelling of gojjam pus$y

Don’t smell gurage they smell like qocho

[Naga Tuma]

Yes, really.
This is for some synapses, not for some organic bones or inorganic rocks. Synapses don't need convincing when they have the capacity to be convinced.

Really?

You are by far too late to convince even a new born child with your fake substandard childish magic games. If you were born in the 18th century and writing what you are writing now you might have some 10% chance for fooling the uninitiated segment of the citizens. But yet you still have your democratic right to choose writing In Sabean, Hebrew or Arabic.

Otherwise all of the Ethiopian nations and nationalities choose to speak and write in their languages since diversity is the mother of innovation first and foremost and then after that learn lots of other languages as much as possible. "Attalay inna asmessay fanddiyya Wur'aage" said my Silxe Gurage friend named, Zabarga.

"The rhythm of my body is the same as my mother tongue. It is in this rhythm where I find sanctity, that I can return to my mother who is everywhere in the universe."~Kim Hyeson

I am not a linguist. However I am a native speaker of Afan Oromo.

Many people probably think that the native language that they speak is rich. That may well be viewed as a subjective assessment by others. So, I once started to use some simple but objective parameters in order to gauge the richness of any language.

One of these simple parameters is the use of unique identifiers of generational lineage: እልመ (son,) አባ (father,) አካከዩ (grandfather,) አባበዩ (great grandfather,) አካክሌ (great great grandfather,) አባብሌ (great great great grandfather.)

Notice how the unique identifiers in the English language stop after two generations and those in Afan Oromo go to six generations. Notice also how these unique identifiers inform us about how many generations some people may have lived in the past. Simply put, was there a family member that lived for six generations for the family to come up with the identifier አባብሌ or was the word used for a deceased family member? If someone had ever lived for six generations, how old might he have lived before he passed away? Perhaps, our anthropologists can give a definite answer for these questions.

Now, coming back to writing Afan Oromo, I have seen it written using Sabean ፊደል in በሪሳ and in books written for literary campaign during the time of Dergue. I have personally used those books briefly as part of that literary campaign.

I have also seen it use Qube after 1991. I have in the past argued in favor of using Qube.

One day, I was reading a book written in Afan Oromo in a shuttle while going to work. An African American lady who was sitting next to me and took a glance of a page in the book that I was reading asked me in what language the book was written. I told her that it was written in one of Ethiopia's languages. Her next question was if it was colonized by the British. I was caught off guard by the question and told her it was not.

Although I was caught off guard by that question, it wasn't consequential for my use of Qube.

Later on, I started to notice some similarities between Sabean and Latin alphabets. That realization amused me much and reminded me the saying ኣልሽሹም ዞር ኣሉ።

Here are a few examples:
ወ, w
መ, m
ሃ, h (rotate one to see a near mirror image of the other)
ጋ, G (rotate this one also)
የ, y
ተ, t
ቀ, q

I can go on. I hope these examples make the similarities clear enough.

While I think that language matters can be left to Administrative States of now or the future where they are spoken, informed decisions by those districts may be worthwhile.

[Naga Tuma]

I think we should first question ourselves why Latin script was chosen to write Oromo (language) and not Sabean, or Cyrillic, Arabic, Hanzi, Kanji, Hanja, or Han Nom, etc.

I believe it was chosen for the same reason that it was chosen to write Somali (language). I might be wrong as I’m not sure.

One of the factors, or aspects, of a language that influence whether a language is easier or harder to learn is the script in which it’s written. The more complex the script is, the harder the language tends to become for the learner.

For instance, although unique scripts were conceived and developed to write the Somali, which took decades, Latin was lastly chosen simply due to the fact that Latin script was easier to write compared to the other scripts that were on the table. And since the country was launching a massive fast track literacy program, Latin was found suitable for the purpose and fitting the bill.

Although I can’t claim that Sabean is harder than Latin script as I don’t speak any language written in Sabean, from my very brief experience in learning Amharic when I was very young, I found Sabean not easy to learn. While with 30-minute instructions, anyone can read Somali language without major difficulties, and I think this might also be valid for Oromo language!


Just a thought!

Somaliman,
Have you ran your questions by some Pharaohs and Buddha's who didn't have difficulty creating their owns scripts or symbols that their distant descendants do not have any difficulty in using? This too is a thought.