I discovered that one language dies ever14 days. There are more than 6 thousands language around the world. I am not going to say the Somali language is endangered language at this moment. But soon it will be.
Somali people are all over the world. I have cousins don't speak "afsomali"They were born abroad and these kids don't not even know one word. All of our neighbors 99% of their kids DO NOT SPEAK SOMALI. when I say they don't speak it, i don't mean fluently I am mean NOT EVEN A WORD they cannot say one sentence correctly.
These dying languages didn't vanish over night. Those who spoke it didn't share and taught the second generation and it disappear from there.
When a language dies the culture dies, when the culture dies the heritage dies.
I honestly blame the parents. I was not born in Somali. Matter fact I have ever been to Somali. But I speak, read and write fluently. When I was growing up I loved to read in Somali. But there was not enough books to read, I remember reading adult novels book that was almost 100+ pages I read it more than 10 times. I was just so in love with the idea of reading.
So there is not many books to read. And as far as I am consider reading is the best tool to learn how to write. Read and over all improves your vocabulary. Google launched endangered languages website it's neat. I like it.
Like I said if we don't take action and do something about it one day this language will be in the endangered languages list.
It honestly hurts me to watch our beautiful language die
I wish I could do something about it. For those of you who are parents, especially mothers please and please teach your children their language.
This is a really good post, languages and cultures are disappearing all the time, merging into global identity whic most try to conform to. There are so many factors that cause the dissapearance of language some of which is just blatant absent-mindedness on the parents part and some are so subtle it just creeps up on you.
ReplyDeleteAs for you country Somalia, I really don't think you have much to worry about, firstly there are plenty of Somalis still in and running to Somalia, secondly don't worry about the children of those who left, Somali have a lot of children is really it like no one ever left! ( I say that respectfully) thirdly, the country is starting to build up again slowly. I think Somalis love Somali/Somalia/themselves too much to let their language go, but saying that, it would have been better if they retained their original letters.
You are so right when you said a people will lose their culture if they loose their language, you live in America, I let you figure the rest out!
Question to you, can there if be a circumstance where it is positive or beneficial to substitute your language for another? Eg, some Muslims will say I want my child's first language to be Arabic or the parents will raise children in a Arab country without speaking in their mother tongue, whatis you opinion on this? Because surely we mu all learn Arabic for the purpose of understanding the Quran, Hadith and lectures but should we neglect our languages subsequently loosing our culture which everyone is entitled to?
So does a scenario like what I just mentioned lead to the arabization of people instead of the Islamisation of people from different cultures practicing Islam?
You are fluent in read and writing Somali but have 5-6 blogs in English...........lol, I think it time to open a new account........
There are a few typos in my comment like when I said running to Somalia I was ment to say returning.......never write a blog on an iPad
If it was one language kind of deal "maybe" lol But Allah swt gave us the ability to learn multiple languages.
ReplyDeleteSo I couldn't really thing of a circumstance where it would be beneficial to sub another language when you can learn it both.
it all depends on the reason you are doing it and your intention whether you're influenced to incorporates Arab culture.or you just want to increase your knowledge in Islamic. Although one might argue that not speaking Arabic will not hinder anyone from learning the Islamic religion as well as the native did.
Pero, I would definitely teach my children Arabic, insha'Allah righ after they learn how to speak Somali lol