What's The Official Language of Somalia??

[Mario B]

Somalis should be multi-lingual, we should have 3 official languages Somali, English and Arabic. We should also learn Portuguese so we can trade with future economic power houses of Brazil, Angola and Mozambique. We should also be able to use swahili and Mandarin if possible.

[burahadeer]

more speak English,italian,dutch,norwegian,finnish,swahili,amharic,french but Somali is & always be the official language.

[Chimera]

Mario B;951906 wrote:

Somalis should be multi-lingual, we should have 3 official languages Somali, English and Arabic. We should also learn Portuguese so we can trade with future economic power houses of Brazil, Angola and Mozambique. We should also be able to use swahili and Mandarin if possible.

Somali should be the official language only, our membership in the Arab League required official status for that bloc's language, but that can be rectified eventually when we leave that organisation. None of the languages you mentioned should even be considered, official status is overkill. The Federal government should instead create specific language teams, each 25 man/woman strong that act as economic lobbying groups, but who, unlike embassies, reach out to foreign businessmen and companies.

[Haatu]

Somali should be the sole official language, however kids should have the opportunity to pick up useful languages at school.

 

Mad Mullah, that is a terrible thing to see (the sign board). Somali has been relegated to the dustbin and the President is simply all smiles like the beggars he is and represents.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

^The president is a damuljadiid he supports Arabic influence in his country

[Mario B]

I don't see a problem with our government conducting it's affairs in Somali, English and Arabic. it's pragmatic and makes sense IMHO.

[Haatu]

Mario B;951958 wrote:

I don't see a problem with our government conducting it's affairs in Somali, English and Arabic. it's pragmatic and makes sense IMHO.

What's the need for all three when we all understand each other in Somali?

[Mario B]

Haatu;951959 wrote:

What's the need for all three when we all understand each other in Somali?

I said our 'government', yes me and you can communicate in Somali but I want my government to be to deal with a large diaspora and expatriate from the Arab and English speaking world with ease. it makes business sense.

[Haatu]

Of course there will be educated people who can communicate in English/Arabic but why does it need to conduct its AFFAIRS in 3 languages when most of it concerns just Somalis? This will mean have warmurtiyeed (press statements), everyday meetings, speeches etc. in 3 languages. Doesn't make sense.

[brainblaster456]

Mario B;951963 wrote:

I said our 'government', yes me and you can communicate in Somali but I want my government to be to deal with a large diaspora and expatriate from the Arab and English speaking world with ease. it makes business sense.

 

Could be a good buisness language or reaching out to more like Somalia has always been doing. but it still should'nt be an official language though...

 

official languages of Somalia: Somali and Af-Maay

[Safferz]

brainblaster456;952007 wrote:

 

Could be a good buisness language or reaching out to more like Somalia has always been doing. but it still should'nt be an official language though...

 

official languages of Somalia: Somali and Af-Maay

The minority languages should be recognized as well -- Chimwiini, Kibajuni, Mushunguli, along with the Somali languages (Northern, Benaadir, Maay).

[Mad_Mullah]

Why should we leave the Arab League though? Lack of ambition. If Somalia can regain it's power and nurture that power and become stronger WE can become a big player. Especially as we might be able to control the Red Sea (from the Gulf of Aden).

 

It's either Yemen or Somalia that should play an influential role due to our countries being the gateway to Europe. (From Gulf Aden > Red Sea > Suez Canal > Medditerean)

[metta]

Arabic is not spoken in Somalia. It is a rare language. You don't even find many imaams who speak Arabic. But it is still one of the official languages of Somalia. But some of the literate Somalis can read Arabic. They learn it in school. That is as far as they go.

 

When the government has an Arab delegation or when they go to the Middle East, they have one translator that the whole Somali delegation of 15 share. The average Somali can't speak a word of Arabic. The highest concentration of Arabic speakers in the Somali regions is in Muqdisho but I think it is not even 5% of the population. There are more English speakers than Arabic speakers.

[brainblaster456]

Safferz;952009 wrote:

The minority languages should be recognized as well -- Chimwiini, Kibajuni, Mushunguli, along with the Somali languages (Northern, Benaadir, Maay).

I'm confused wallahi; i thought that Af Maay was a brother language of Af Somali. I hear people saying it's a Somali dialect, ii fasir nooh. There is no need of recognizing or in la kala saaro Waqooyi iyo Banaadiri, ku daa uun Standard Somali.

 

You know better than me about these other Swahili minority languages, laakin aren't these languages dying?

[Safferz]

brainblaster456;953279 wrote:

I'm confused wallahi; i thought that Af Maay was a brother language of Af Somali. I hear people saying it's a Somali dialect, ii fasir nooh. There is no need of recognizing or in la kala saaro Waqooyi iyo Banaadiri, ku daa uun Standard Somali.

 

You know better than me about these other Swahili minority languages, laakin aren't these languages dying?

Most linguists consider Af Maay a branch of Somali, or one of what we can call "Somali languages." I'm not sure about the current status of the Swahili languages in Somalia, but I think it's important that all languages spoken by Somalis are recognized and only then can languages be preserved.