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The Osmanya script ( so, Farta Cismaanya 𐒍𐒖𐒇𐒂𐒖 π’‹π’˜π’ˆπ’‘π’›π’’π’•π’–), also known as Far Soomaali (𐒍𐒖𐒇 π’˜π’π’ˆπ’‘π’›π’˜, "Somali writing") and, in Arabic, as ''al-kitābah al-ΚΏuthmānΔ«yah'' (Ψ§Ω„ΩƒΨͺΨ§Ψ¨Ψ© Ψ§Ω„ΨΉΨ«Ω…Ψ§Ω†ΩŠΨ©; "Osman writing"), is a writing script created to transcribe the
Somali language Somali (Latin script: ; Wadaad: ; Osmanya: 𐒖𐒍 π’ˆπ’π’‘π’›π’π’˜ ) is an Afroasiatic language belonging to the Cushitic branch. It is spoken as a mother tongue by Somalis in Greater Somalia and the Somali diaspora. Somali is an ...
. It was invented between 1920 and 1922 by
Osman Yusuf Kenadid Osman Yusuf Kenadid ( so, Cusmaan Yuusuf Keenadiid; ar, ΨΉΨ«Ω…Ψ§Ω† يوسف ΩƒΩŠΩ†Ψ§Ψ―ΩŠΨ―; 1889 – 14 August 1972) was a Somali poet, writer, teacher and ruler. Born in Ceel Huur in 1889, he went on to create the Osmanya alphabet for writing ...
, the son of
Sultan Sultan (; ar, Ψ³Ω„Ψ·Ψ§Ω† ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it c ...
Yusuf Ali Kenadid Yusuf Ali Kenadid ( so, Yuusuf Cali Keenadiid; 1837 - 14 August 1911) was a Somali Sultan. He was the founder of the Sultanate of Hobyo in April 1878. He was succeeded atop the throne by his son Ali Yusuf Kenadid. Family Yusuf Ali Kenadid was bo ...
and brother of Sultan
Ali Yusuf Kenadid Ali Yusuf Kenadid ( so, Cali Yuusuf Keenadiid, ar, ΨΉΩ„ΩŠ يوسف ΩƒΩŠΩ†Ψ§ΩŠΨ―ΩŠΨΆ) was a Somali ruler. He was the second ruler of the Sultanate of Hobyo. History Ali Yusuf was born into a Majeerteen Darod family. His father, Sultan Yusuf Ali ...
of the
Sultanate of Hobyo The Sultanate of Hobyo ( so, Saldanadda Hobyo, ar, Ψ³Ω„Ψ·Ω†Ψ© Ω‡ΩˆΨ¨ΩŠΩˆ), also known as the Sultanate of Obbia,''New International Encyclopedia'', Volume 21, (Dodd, Mead: 1916), p.283. was a 19th-century Somali kingdom in present-day northeaste ...
.


History

While Osmanya gained reasonably wide acceptance in
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: π’ˆπ’π’‘π’›π’π’˜π’•π’–; ar, Ψ§Ω„Ψ΅ΩˆΩ…Ψ§Ω„, aαΉ£-αΉ’Ε«māl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...
and quickly produced a considerable body of literature, it proved difficult to spread among the population mainly due to stiff competition from the long-established
Arabic script The Arabic script is the writing system used for Arabic and several other languages of Asia and Africa. It is the second-most widely used writing system in the world by number of countries using it or a script directly derived from it, and th ...
as well as the emerging Somali Latin alphabet developed by a number of leading scholars of
Somali Somali may refer to: Horn of Africa * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis ** Somali culture ** Somali cuisine ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Somali ...
, including Musa Haji Ismail Galal,
B. W. Andrzejewski BogumiΕ‚ Witalis "Goosh" Andrzejewski (1922–1994) was a Polish-born, British-naturalised linguist whose research focused on the Somali language Somali (Latin script: ; Wadaad: ; Osmanya: 𐒖𐒍 π’ˆπ’π’‘π’›π’π’˜ ) is an Afroasia ...
and Shire Jama Ahmed. As nationalist sentiments grew and since the Somali language had long lost its ancient script, the adoption of a universally recognized writing script for the Somali language became an important point of discussion. After independence, little progress was made on the issue, as opinion was divided over whether the Arabic or Latin scripts should be used instead. In October 1972, because of the Latin script's simplicity, its ability to cope with all of the sounds in the language, and the widespread existence of machines and typewriters designed for its use,Economist Intelligence Unit (Great Britain), ''Middle East annual review'', (1975), p.229 made President Mohamed Siad Barre require it for writing Somali instead of the Arabic or Osmanya scripts.Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi, ''Culture and Customs of Somalia'', (Greenwood Press: 2001), p.73 Barre's administration subsequently launched a massive literacy campaign designed to ensure its sole adoption, which led to a sharp decline in use of Osmanya.


Description

The direction of reading and writing in Osmanya is from left to right. Letter names are based on the names of letters in
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
, and the
long vowels In linguistics, vowel length is the perceived length of a vowel sound: the corresponding physical measurement is duration. In some languages vowel length is an important phonemic factor, meaning vowel length can change the meaning of the word, ...
''uu'' and ''ii'' are represented by the letters ''waaw'' and ''yaa'', respectively.


Letters


Numbers


Unicode

Osmanya script was added to the
Unicode Unicode, formally The Unicode Standard,The formal version reference is is an information technology standard for the consistent encoding, representation, and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems. The standard, ...
Standard in April 2003 with the release of version 4.0. The Unicode block for Osmanya is U+10480–U+104AF:


See also

*
Kaddare script The Kaddare alphabet is a writing script created to transcribe Somali, a Cushitic language in the Afroasiatic language family. History The orthography was invented in 1952 by a Sufi Sheikh, named Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare. A phonetically ...
*
Somali alphabets A number of writing systems have been used to transcribe the Somali language. Of these, the Somali Latin alphabet is the most widely used. It has been the official writing script in Somalia since the Supreme Revolutionary Council formally intro ...


Notes


References

* I.M. Lewis (1958) ''Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies'',
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...
, Vol. 21 pp 134–156.


External links


Osmanya, Borama, Wadaad's writing and the Somali language

''Afkeenna iyo fartiisa''
- a book in Osmanya
Somali Native Alphabet

The report of the Somali Language Committee






- Lexilogos {{writing systems Writing systems of Africa Somali language Somali orthography Obsolete writing systems 1920s establishments in Somalia