Yarey

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Like Kaa'hin. Exactly as it is written, starting with letter kaf (ك) in Arabic.

By the way, if you have a unexplained question, like Huda, you can contact to Nuruddin Farah directly via his email: nfarah@bard.edu

[Ida]

22 hours ago, Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar said:

Like Kaa'hin. Exactly as it is written, starting with letter kaf (ك) in Arabic.

By the way, if you have a unexplained question, like Huda, you can contact to Nuruddin Farah directly via his email: nfarah@bard.edu

Thank you so much Miskiin. You have been so helpful so far

Could you please tell me how you read "Aw" in Aw-Cumar? 

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Aw is a prefix word of an honorary title given to elder, respected men. Or a man known for being too wise for his age. The female version is ay.

In suffix, it becomes oow, Cumaroow instead of Aw-Cumar. And female version is eey. Oow/eey is not as honourable as aw/ay, though.

Also aw is the root of awoowe, which means grandfather in Somali language. In female version of ay becomes ayeeyo - grandmother.

It is read as 'aaw.' I assume by now you know how Cumar is pronounced as. Remember 'c' letter in Somali alphabet is 'ayn (ع‎) in Arabic.

[Ida]

Thank you for your detailed explanation.

Yes, I know Cumar is read as عُمَر

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

You are welcome.

[Ida]

Hi Miskiin,

In the context below, could you please explain "Qaaraan"? How do you read it in Arabic?

There is a tradition, in Somalia, of passing round the hat for collections. It is called Qaaraan.

[Ida]

Dear Miskiin,

In the context below, do you know “Al-Mohamed” refers to whom?

And when the TV-watching public and video-producing crews turn and ask me to say something, I feel shy, I am tongue-tied. Like a child to whom an adult has given a gift, who smiles timidly and takes it, and whose mother says, “Say thank you to Uncle,” I too say, thank you one, thank you all, Uncles Sam, Sung, and Al-Mohamed too.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

8 hours ago, Ida said:

Hi Miskiin,

In the context below, could you please explain "Qaaraan"? How do you read it in Arabic?

There is a tradition, in Somalia, of passing round the hat for collections. It is called Qaaraan.

Qaaraan is centuries old tradition of go-fund-me fundraising among Somali clans. It could be among a clan, sub-clan, sub-sub-clan and so on. Sometimes it is the whole community of Somalis, especially in diaspora.

Again, it is read as it written, starting with q (qaf ق letter in Arabic).

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

6 hours ago, Ida said:

Dear Miskiin,

In the context below, do you know “Al-Mohamed” refers to whom?

And when the TV-watching public and video-producing crews turn and ask me to say something, I feel shy, I am tongue-tied. Like a child to whom an adult has given a gift, who smiles timidly and takes it, and whose mother says, “Say thank you to Uncle,” I too say, thank you one, thank you all, Uncles Sam, Sung, and Al-Mohamed too.

He just means Muhammad as any common individual, I think. Otherwise, bo idea.