Shire Jama Script (Somali written language)

[Voltage]

This isn't about Voltage. This is about the Father of the Somali script.

[RovingMadness]

[Voltage]

He should be your hero as well. I don't know why you act like what an individual man achieved by his own individual hard work and for all of our benefit is more mine than yours.

[RovingMadness]

He should be your hero as well. I don't know why you act like what an individual man achieved by his own individual hard work and for all of our benefit is more mine than yours.

This is when you become interesting.

You very well know that I have consistently argued that the choosing of the Latin Script was the correct & practical decision even though Dr Hussein Sh Ahmed Kaddare who was from my own clan and whose script was chosen twice to be the best indigenous Somali Script was in the competition and committee to choose a national script. If I really wanted I would have gone on a nationalist trip & hailed the Kaddare Script as the true Somali Script. That I instead suppor & have consistently defended the Latin Script actually speaks volumes about my sincere intentions. You don't notice because you very much rather reduce every discussion to its most provincial element.

[Voltage]

You have yet to acknowledge the specific man UNESCO hailed as having the best adapted and most practical script for Somali even among the "Latin" competitors.

[RovingMadness]

You are going loco. The Latin Script was most certainly not invented by Shire & nor did he add a single letter to it. So saying he invented it is part of your attempt to exaggerate things without examining the facts in detail

[Voltage]

You are going loco. The Latin Script was most certainly not invented by Shire & nor did he add a single letter to it. So saying he invented it is part of your attempt to exaggerate things without examining the facts in detail

Thank you.

[RovingMadness]

You are very welcome

The Latin Script

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_script

[Cilmiile]

Shire Jaamac Axmed was the man who developed the Somali Script that was adopted by Siyaad's language commision. The only thing they changed in his script was the adoption of X for the guttural sound instead of his CH.

Voltage, Where are the essays I wrote about this subject when I debunked the Isaaq English Orphans who were trying to credit Muuse Galaal. I thought you archived in the Sade blog. Please post them here for the edification of the unwashed.

And dont blame Grant's adoration of the disgraceful Xirsi Magan. He was young and impressionable and the filthy Xirsi Magan colonized his young mind. Patriotic Somalis have nothing contempt for that man. He used to champion the Amharic-looking chicken scratch he Cusmaaniya. He defected to Ethiopia and was organizing the destruction of his country from Addis Ababa in 1975. And he brought into this world the thoroughly disgusting and foul Ayaan Xirsi Magan. May he rot in hell.

[Voltage]

Cilmiile are you talking about the article by Professor Xussein Tanzania on Shire Jama? Also I don't know if you got around to reading the whole topic, but I laid the whole nature of the discussion completely to rest in the last page. BTW about "X" I read that somewhere as well but while looking at the original work of Shire's magazine he was always using "x"

UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science, Cultural Organization) recommendation to the Somali linguistic commission in 1966



UNESCO
Paris
August 1966
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/0 ... 8072eb.pdf

In the end not only did Shire's preferred method of Latin get picked but as well as his specifically developed version which UNESCO as well as Somali and non-Somali experts were supporting since the early 1960's.




Shire was also the first President of the Somali National Academy of Culture and also founded the first Somali literary magazine which quenched the thirst of Somali intellectuals.




Shire Jama Ahmed ("Juge") A Somali national icon.

[Cilmiile]

Yes I read the whole thread. Grant's assertion that Shire Jaamac Axmed was credited with his pioneering work on the Somali Script was because of nepotism by Siyaad is laughable. He was getting credit from impartial foreigners like Andrszejeweski (nicknamed ceeb, pronounced Goosh not Hoosh) and I M Lewis. He was also given full credit by Husein Tanzania in his Master's thesis. I quoted from that work extensively in my posting few years back. My purpose back then was to debunk the claims made for Muuse Galaal by the Objectionable Guntarland folk but now we have Grant making a completely uninformed case for the awful Xirsi Magan (Ethiopian Stooge and Amharic script champion)

[Voltage]

You are talking about this short biography on him written by Professor Tanzania I presume

This piece of biography about the Creator of Written Somali was written by the Isaaq-Habar Yoonis intellectual Dr. Xuseen Tanzaaniya:


"When people talk of Xirsi Magan Ciise and his commitment to the Cusmaaniya script, they often (almost in the same breath) mention Shire Jaamac Axmed and his commitment to a modified Latin version for Somali. The 1961 Linguistic Commission (in which Shire Jaamac acted as Secretary) had in fact recommended his Latin version for adoption. The 1965 Linguistic Commission did the same (Should Somali Government opt for Latin characters) and went on to suggest some modification which have been gladly accepted by Shire Jaamac. Shire is as committed as Xirsi Magan though not with the same energey and single-mindedness. He appears more social ( sometimes short-tempered) than Xirsi Magan and this, together with the fact that he enjoys some rapport with the educated (civil servants, the 'graduates") Somalis, means that he spends a lot of time in Mogadishu coffee shops in what may be termed an 'oral propagation' of his views. While Xirsi acts like someone who has no time to lose, Shire may seem like someone who has all the time in the world, He does believe, in fact, in that "time is on his side".

Nevertheless, he has published a number of books and pamphlets in Somali using his Latin version. From November 1966 to July 1967 he has published about six issues of the popular booklet entitled Iftiinka Aqoonta covering various subjects such as Somali grammar, proverbs, folklore, and history. He has also published numerous books on Somali grammar for foreigners such as An Elementary Somali Drill Book (prepared by Shire Jaamac Axmed and Charless Kozoll for the Somali Education and Legal Assistance Peace Corps Training Program at the Teacher's College, Columbia University). Using modern language methods that he learned while teaching Peace Corps volunteers in America, Shire Jaamac has been able to make an outstanding contribution of immense help to foreigners interested in learning Somali.

Shire was born in Wardheer (near Walwaal now called the Ogaadeeniya province of Ethiopia) in 1936. He belongs to the Mareexaan clan of the Daarood. From 1940-1942 he attended a Koranic school and was later made a "kabiir", which means that he had excelled enough to be able to help the Sheekh in teaching other students. He was able to study some English as well as Arabic by 1945 when his father brought him to Mogadishu. He attended teacher training courses(1945-51) in a school organized by the British Military Administration of Somalia. When the Italians came back to administer Somalia as a UN trusteeship, Shire decided to switch onto Arabic studies because Italian administrators did not want to recognize his English training qualifications.

From 1951-54 he took up studies in advanced Arabic, Islamic Law and theology at an Egyptian-sponsored school in Mogadishu whose teachers were mainly Al-Azhar graduates. in order to win his bread and butter, Shire took up part time teaching jobs (teaching Arabic mainly) in SYL-sponsored schools. He as given a scholarship to study at Al Azhar University and he left for Cairo in 1955. He did not find conditions at Al Azhar much to his satisfaction and so he switched over to study agriculture at another institute in Cairo. But the Suez crisis of 55-56 and other personal consideration prompted him to return to Somalia after a year's stay in Egypt.

Yet his Egyptian experience had made a permanent impression on him. Shire is widely read in Arabic. While in Cairo, he took a special interest in Critical Readings pertaining to the Arabic language and culture in general. He admits to having been deeply influenced by Taha Hussein, Ahmed Amin, Salama Musa and other eminent Arabic scholars. He made a special collection of scholarly criticism on the Arabic script. Agreeing with those Arabic scholars who advocated Latin for the Arabic language, he became convinced that Somalis would be making a grave mistake should they opt for the Arabic script.

Back in Somalia Shire taught Somali to Italian school-children for two years before going to the London School of Oriental and African Studies(1959-1960) where he took a diploma in linguistics. From 1960-1965 he has taught English in USAID and USIS programmes in Mogadishu. He has also been abroad several times especially in connection with teaching Somali to peace corps volunteers(at Syracuse University in 1965 and at Columbia University in 1966). This has caused his opponents to accuse him of complying with American designs to impose Latin script on Somalis ( references to this effect are made in his letter quoted previously in this chapter). His desire to prove his own independence of Americans seems to be one of the reasons that have made him leave Mogadishu in September 1967 to study linguistics and philology in Moscow on a USSR-sponsored scholarship. He did this after he failed in his plans to attend McGill University in Canada to study for a BA in Linguistics and anthropology.

Shire Jaamac expressed succinctly his reason for advocating the Latin script in a letter addressed to the Editor of La Tribuna:

"I think that the most useful script for transcribing Somali is Latin. It is economically wise to accept Latin since we are already in possession of an adequate amount of Latin type-writers and printing presses and any additional quantities can be obtained at reasonable cost. Latin is an international alphabet and Somali would benefit by using it. The other alphabets suggested would entail a loss of time and money. The adoption of Latin characters would facilitate the printing of Somali textbooks. It would also be possible to use scientific symbols and formulas. This would not be the case were we to choose a Somali originated script. A Somali-originated script would not spare our children the burden of learning two other scripts: Arabic and Latin, the former for religious studies and the other for advanced secular and scientific studies. The Latin script is so convenient that one is able to publish a national periodical like Iftiinka Aqoonta utilizing existing printing presses.

We should also not ignore the fact that the majority of our people are aware of the Latin script and all the educated Somalis know how to use it. Let us not forget the fact that the International Telegraphic Code is Latin. It is time to stop paying attention to those perfidious enough to propagate against the adoption of Latin for our mother tongue. Hiding their true aims, these elements have coined phrases such as Laatiin = Laa Diin in order to exploit the feelings of our people in an irrational, illogical way. I would like to urge the Somali youth - our young and prejudice-free brothers and sisters - to adopt Latin scripts in full awareness of the fact that it would not compromise or prejudice neither our national spirit nor the sanctity of our religion."

Shire Jama was also involved in Prime Minister Cabdulaahi Ciise's 1946 abortive attempt to publish Somali pages in the government paper Corriera della Somalia. From September to November 1966 he conducted a course on the use of Latin for Somali for about 25 teachers of the Somali National Congress ( a political party that favors Latin). Although Shire Jaamac has provided symbols for representing the sounds of Somali, he (like all the other advocates) has not yet come into full grips with spelling conventions and word-division rules that are to be attached to the symbol-system. Maybe he plans to continue tackling this problem while carrying on his studies in the Soviet Union."

[Cilmiile]

The 1960s language commissions recommended his script. The Kacaan commission recommended his script. All the historical and linguistic experts and UN bodies credit him as the pioneer researcher of Somali Orthography. Far from being the beneficiary of nepotism, it can be adduced that he himself was the victim of discrimination in the sixties.

Shire Jaamac Axmed = Founder of Somali Script. Case Closed.

[Grant]

Professor Tanzania's history in incomplete and somewhat misleading. The Peace Corps AfSomali program at Columbia in 1966 was headed by Hirsi Magan Cisse, assisted by Shire Jamac Achmed and a gentleman whose first name was Jamac. The materials were written by Hirsi and had his name on the front cover. X was written H with a / through it. The system of doubled letters had not yet been established, which has led to the confusion of nearly all the Somali Volunteers in all nine groups with respect to the "new letters". The script that we used was NOT Shire's and the development of the scrip was ongoing and apparently still in flux when it reached the commission.

You will notice that John Johnson was quoted in this thread. He is a member of my group and worked with Goosh (OK, Cimillie, I was off by one letter) for many years. Their combined life's works are in the archive at Indiana State University. I have an e-mail out to John because he can credibly confirm what I am telling you here.

Musse Galaal had a hand in it, as did many others who were trying to commit afSomali to paper during that significant period before MSB made a single script official..

Shire got the credit, and certainly deserved some of it, but others contributed and only got the shaft. I still feel Hirsi was ignored because he preferred Osmaniya and because he was already at that time in the Opposition. Why Musse Galaal was ignored is beyond me; certainly his contribution was at least equivalent. It seems to me that the differences were just a matter of public advocacy: Shire argued for the economy of any Latin script, and we have seen that the script that was finally adopted was not totally his.

So shoot me for a jahil. I will get back to you when I get an answer from John. He may even be able to find a copy of the original materials.

[Grant]

Hirsi was a proponent of the Cismaaniya script, not the Latin script.
Cismaaniya was one of about 30 alphabets proposed before the gov't
chose the Latin script after Siyaad Bare took control of the gov't.
Cismaaniya was composed of made-up characters not from the Latin
alphabet.

Shire Jaamac Axmed has been given a lot of credit for developing the
Latin script, but Goosh Andrzejewski and Muusa Galaal were using a
Latin script years before Shire. I do not know why Shire gets credit.

It was Muusa that began to use the "C" for the "ayn. For a long time,
he would raise his typewriter patten up 1/2 a notch (it took 2 clicks
to equal a line) and type a lower case c before the "first letter" of a
word, which he capitalized. Muusa said he got tired of clicking the
patten: thus the "C" was dropped down to the line and instituted for
the 'ayn in such words as Cabdi and Cali.

Perhaps it was Shire who suggested the "X" for the pharengeal
fricative, producing such spellings as Axmed and subax. Muusa and Goosh
would spell these words thus: Ahhmed, subahh. They even developed a new
symbol giving the capital "H" two cross marks and crossing the lower
case "h" like a "t." This did not catch on because these symbols cannot
be used on an English/Italian typewriter.

The final decision on alphabets was made by the second language
commission during the Siyad Bare regine, made up of about 25 people.
Muusa and Shire were both members. There had been a first language
commission made up of Muusa, Goosh, Cismaan (of the script mentioned
above), and 7 other members I cannot identify in their photograph. This
commission met during the Republic era, or maybe it was during the
Trusteeship era. Their recommendations were never put into practice
because of politics.

For what it's worth, I suggested using a "z" for the glottal stop, as
in the word "lozda" (the cow), but this has never caught on. The point
of the International Phonetic Alphabet, developed by the U.N., was not
to use diacritics for phonemes. This is why I suggested the "Z."
Somalis continue to use the diacritic "'", thus: "lo'da."

Our study materials (Isku Wax u Qabso)? I do not know who did that
work, but I suspect it was a committee, which included Hirsi, who
undoubted participated against his will. When we all went to Mog on the
trade truck during the first school break, Hirsi organized a protest
march before the Peace Corps Office to protest our use of Latin script.

I may still have these materials somewhere, but please don't ask me to
hunt for them now. I am busier than a one-armed wall-paper hanger. Ask
me after Christmas.

Yours,
John