Why is Arabic an official language of Somalia?

[MaliPrince]

Still trying to figure this one out. Most Somalis can't speak the language. The few that do either live in arab countries or are religous scholars and had to study it to learn what is in the quran. Most Somalis can't read arabic. Sorry but reading the quran ain't the same as modern arabic. And even if some of us can translate our quranic reading skills to standard arabic, we don't understand it.

I know Islam is important to most somalis, but having Arabic as an official language when almost no one in the country can speak it is pretty comical. English has more right to be an official language of Somalia than Arabic given the fact far more Somalis can speak English than can speak Arabic.

I won't be surprised that by the time the Turks are through with Xamar, Turkish will become another official langauge of Somalia.

[Itrah]

In the West and maybe Kenya more Somalis speak English than Arabic, but actually inside Somalia, the Ogaden and Djibouti I wager that more Somalis speak Arabic than English.

Also, the reason why Arabic is official is largely geopolitical (member seat in the useless Arab league).

[jalaaludin5]

Arabic is important and should be thought in every school across somalia from jabuuti to kismaayo.

But that shouldn't be at expense of our mother tongue.

Somali is a rich language and the only way one can appreciate that richness is through poetry suugaanta.
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Interesting debate below...

[youtube]N4rbs_ANQ-U#t=16[/youtube]

Professor Abdirahman abdilahi guri barwaaqo iyo yonis ali nuur.

If any of you have seen this before...Whats the deal with the two guest?

Especialy yonis cali nuur seem to keep contradicting professor abdirahman Like he has an ax to grind (or am i reading too much in to it) and you can even see abdirahman's frustration with the old man.

At the end they mention how in Somaliland shops and restaurants prefer to use english instead of Somali and the host gives a funny example about a guy who use a sign at his place of business that reads...Local Food Restaurant but the way the host drop it walahi made me fall of my chair...gamadi bu ibiinaya markasuu ku leeyahay local food restaurant...

[GAMES]

LooL where do hear Arabic is the Official language? Do u not watch enuff videos from back home? Almost every sentence I hear has some English words it. Watch when they are interviewing someone, 10% is english.

[Libix]

What is comical is you having the audacity to utter such malarkey.

[nord]

Somalis have like 10% Arabic words but Yh it's shouldn't be officially

[MaliPrince]

In the West and maybe Kenya more Somalis speak English than Arabic, but actually inside Somalia, the Ogaden and Djibouti I wager that more Somalis speak Arabic than English.

Also, the reason why Arabic is official is largely geopolitical (member seat in the useless Arab league).

still doesn't change the fact that 99% of somalis in somalia can only speak af somali. out of all my relatives, the only ones who can speak arabic (and they are few) are those who lived in the gulf. and then one guy who is an imam. other than that its all somali. and the ones who live in the west speak english.

[MaliPrince]

LooL where do hear Arabic is the Official language? Do u not watch enuff videos from back home? Almost every sentence I hear has some English words it. Watch when they are interviewing someone, 10% is english.

I know no one speaks it. And I know its never used but if you check wikipedia, it says that arabic along with somali are the official languages of somalia.

I was simply surprised by this since like you said, I almost never hear any Somalis speaking arabic outside of the context of speaking with arabs.

[GAMES]

LooL where do hear Arabic is the Official language? Do u not watch enuff videos from back home? Almost every sentence I hear has some English words it. Watch when they are interviewing someone, 10% is english.

I know no one speaks it. And I know its never used but if you check wikipedia, it says that arabic along with somali are the official languages of somalia.

I was simply surprised by this since like you said, I almost never hear any Somalis speaking arabic outside of the context of speaking with arabs.

It's probably gesture towards our connection to Arabs or something. Nothing really a biggie.

[LilEmperor]

More importantly why Is ARABIC official language spoken by God?

I

[LilEmperor]

Islam and arab is politics. Why would God choose one language and disregared the rest?

[Vivacious]

LooL where do hear Arabic is the Official language? Do u not watch enuff videos from back home? Almost every sentence I hear has some English words it. Watch when they are interviewing someone, 10% is english.

I know no one speaks it. And I know its never used but if you check wikipedia, it says that arabic along with somali are the official languages of somalia.

I was simply surprised by this since like you said, I almost never hear any Somalis speaking arabic outside of the context of speaking with arabs.

Wikipedia ?
You can do better than that.

[BlackVelvet]

I don't think it is.

When government officials were forced to use af Somaali

[SultanOrder]

LooL where do hear Arabic is the Official language? Do u not watch enuff videos from back home? Almost every sentence I hear has some English words it. Watch when they are interviewing someone, 10% is english.

Dude how dumb can you be

I'm glad it's an official language and it should be taught, I think all Somali should be at least three other languages. It pays to know a lot of languages.

[BlackVelvet]

LooL where do hear Arabic is the Official language? Do u not watch enuff videos from back home? Almost every sentence I hear has some English words it. Watch when they are interviewing someone, 10% is english.

Dude how dumb can you be

I'm glad it's an official language and it should be taught, I think all Somali should be at least three other languages. It pays to know a lot of languages.

There is something called national identity and your language is where it starts. You can teach as many languages as you want but an official language is a very precious title.