|
Current and
Recent Efforts |
The most recent
attempt to transcribe Maay was carried out by the
late Mustapha Sheikh who used the first Latin-based
transcription. However, the first organized and
systematic attempt to institutionalize the Alif-Maay
script was initiated by a group of young, well
educated expatriate workers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
in 1988. This group produced the first modern script
in a small booklet entitled “Baroy Af-Somali Maay"
(Learn Alif-Maay). They have also produced a
collection of over 500 proverbs and substantial
number of vocabularies.
In 1993, another
young, and well educated group in Toronto, Canada,
produced an improved version of the Jeddah Group
and presented a paper entitled, “Alif-Maay” at the
First International Conference of the Inter-riverine
Studies Association held in Toronto in November,
1994.
More than a decade
later, another group including members of the
initial Toronto Group along with a number of
intellectuals, community leaders, and traditional
elders created a forum called Kulung Technical
Committee. The purpose of this committee, like
those that preceded it, is to come up with a more
standardized Af-Maay Script. This group met several
times in London, and Toronto, Canada. After long
discussions, we, the Alif-Maay Group, working
under the direction of Kulung Technical Committee,
are convinced that this version of the script is as
good it can be, and therefore comprehensive enough
to be presented for comments by the Maay speaking
peoples. Thus, we seek comments and suggestions, as
well as any instruction that you may kindly give to
improve on the current script
|
Maay Alphabet ( English Version ) |
The alphabet used for
writing Maay language is the same as the
international Roman alphabet, with letters chosen to
represent the Maay phones (sound structure). It also
uses digraphs i.e. a sequence of two letters to
represent single sounds. The Maay alphabet has five
primary vowels: a, e, i, o, u, and one
semi-vowel ( Y )
and twenty four consonants.
(1.00)
Consonants:
B P T J
JH D TH R S SH DH G GH F Q K L M N
NG W H Y Y’
(1.01) Vowels:
Maay has two major
categories of vowels: short and long according to
the position they occupy in the word in which they
are located. Long vowels are spelled as double
vowels. They are pronounced exactly like short
vowels except that they are longer:
A E
I O U
AA EE
II OO UU
(1.02)
Semi-vowel Y
Maay has one
semi-vowel “Y” which has a distinct
pronunciation that is different from the vowel sound
produced by the vowel i and is used to
represent the “ieh” sound occurring
( felt ) most often at
the end of Maay words. Example:
teesy
(fly) moory (animal enclosure) lamy
(two) sedy (three)
Since the letter
'Y' is used both a consonant and vowel, because
of its double role the following Shorongshoor
rule has been put together to clarify when one can
use 'Y' as a consonant and as a vowel:
(1.03)
Shorongshoor
(b) If the letter 'y'
is preceded by a vowel it is used as consonant and
is pronounced as it is 'y'.
Example: Bay
(name of a region) Biyooley
( name of a city)
siyeed (eight)
(P) On the other
hand, if the letter 'y' is preceded by a consonant,
then the letter 'y' is used like vowel and is
pronounced as 'ieh'.
Example: toory =
knife misgy = sorghum Jyny = heaven shyny
= bee
(1.04) Glottal
stop (Shalreepy) (‘)
A vowel followed by
different vowel or the same vowel which is not a
long vowel is separated from the other vowel by an
apostrophe(‘)
'shalreepy'.
Example:
ta'ady = betray ba'iid = deer
su’aal = question
(1.05) Doubling
In the Maay alphabet,
only letters 'r' and 'l'
are doubled within some words.
Example :
RR
arry (soil) irry (grey
hair) marry ( the
whole quran)
LL
hillimy (dream)
billaawy (diger) duullaang ( to invade)
(1.06)
Pronunciation Guide
P
The letter 'p' is
used when the sound of ‘b’is not stressed. Its
sound is produced by the lips,
it is some what similar to the letter 'p' in the
English alphabet.
apaal =
gratitude heped = chest Hapiipy
= name of a female lipee = lion
Jh:
It is guttural and it
has similar sound as 'J'. It
represent a special Maay sound structure,
jhab
= fracture jheer = shyness jhiring
=beard jhaapy = fire wood
Th:
It is pronounced as
the article 'the' in the English language, it is
used when the sound of ‘d’
is not stressed.
mathal =
appointment etheb = politeness mathy = head
mithow = black
Gh:
It sounds like the
" ghain " of the Arabic alphabet, and it is used
when the sound of ‘g’ is not stressed.
maghy =
name aghaar = green meghyng = refuge
lughy = legs
Ng:
It represent a
special Maay sound structure, it is similar to the
end sound of many English words (eg. morning,
caring, helping)
angkaar
= curse oong = thirst ming = house lang =
man sang = nose
Y’
It represent a
special Maay sound structure, the sound that the
letter 'y’' represents is also found in the words
signore, and agnello of the
Italian language.
y’aay’uur = cat
y’isaang = the
youngest maay’y = ocean
(1.07)
Pronunciation difference of (b, d, g) and (p,
th, gh)
The letters b, d, and
g are stressed when they are part of a word, but
they are not doubled within a word. When they are
not stressed, the letter p, th,
gh and are used respectively in their place. Note
how the following words are pronounced.
B P
barbaar =
youth hupung = joint (organ) dabaal
= fool heped = chest hilib =
meet apaar = drought
D Th
derdaar = advice mathy = head
sedy = three mathal = appointment bad =
ocean naathy = anouncement
G
Gh
legding = wrestling maghy =
name/ noun shalgo = seperation saghaal
= nine dheg =
ear dheghaaly = deaf
(1.08) Similar
spellings
The following Maay
words are written similarly (have the same spelling)
but have different pronunciations and different
meanings. They are distinguished according to the
position they occupy in the words and sentences in
which they are located as shown in the following
example:
weel
= vessel
---------weel = a person’s children
dood
= hobble
rope for camels -- dood = argument
eleeng = ram
eleeng = above
jeer
= days of
the week -----jeer = hippopotamus
fool
= human face -------------fool = birth
labor
beer
= liver ------------------beer =
farm
ALIF MAAY
Farty Afky Maayky may
liing etheegsythey Alifky Roomangky, yeetho haruufo
bersho liing doorythi weerdhingty Afky Maayky ing
gaarky e. Alifky Afky Maayky may leyaa lapaatung i
afar shibly, shang
shaghal oo aasaaas e, i hal shaghal ing yaal:
(1.00) Shible
B P T J JH D
TH R S SH DH G GH F Q K L M N NG W H
Y Y’
(1.01) Shaghal
A
E I O
U
AA EE II
OO UU
(1.02)
Shaghal ing yaal (Y)
Afky Maayky may leyaa
hal shaghal ing yaal oo e harafky (Y),
kaasoo weerdhingtis ku
gediising weerdhingty shaghale (i , e). Shaghal
ing yaalky “Y” may liing etheegsythey weerdhing ing
gaar e Afky Maayky, oo e “ieh”
taasoo eed liingku dereemow dhamaadky kelmetho Afky
Maayky.
Misaal:
teesy sedy lamy
misgy bary
Maadaama harafky “Y”
liing etheegsythow shibly i shaghal haangby, sy
liing shak kasy madi usy shibly eyi i madi usy
shaghal eyi, may liing
suubiyey sher’e ly erraw Shorongshoor:
(1.03)
Shorongshoor:
(b) Hooby “Y” hortiye
shaghal jery , may
naghythaase shibly, weerdhingtiyeeny misbedelaasy
sithiye ley haathasy.
Misaal:
Bay Biyooley
siyeed biyi
(P) Hoopy “Y” hortiye
shibly jery, may
naghythaase shaghal, weerdhingtiyeeny may
naghythaase “ieh”. (Y - may
galaase meelli weerdhingtiye ing naghythy waayty
shaghalky “i” misy “e”).
Misaal:
toory misgy jyny
shyny maghy
(1.04)
Shalreepy (‘)
Hooby is rahaang lamy
shaghal oo shaghal dheer ing haayny may lyky
shalreebey hamsy (“) oo liingky maghy dari
Shalreepy.
Misaal:
ta’ady ba’iid
su’aal saa’ad
(1.05) lamylaab
Alifky Afky Maayky harfo “R” i “L” sheleethiyoley
lamylaabymaayang.
Misaal:
RR arry irry
marry
LL hillimy billaawy
duullaang
(1.06)
Weerdhingty harfo gaarky e:
P
Harafky “P” may ly
etheegsythey madi harafky “B” weerdhingtis futhudy,
weerdhingtiisny may ku kooyase faruuy’o mayny ing
dhowya harafky afky Ingriisky ‘P”.
Misaal:
apaal heped lipee
hapoog Hapiipy
JH
Harafky “JH” may
liing etheegsythey weerdhing Af
Maay ing gaar e o haku bahaasy dhuungky, mayny ing
dhowya harafky “J”.
Misaal:
jhab jheer jhiryng galaangjhy
jhaathyjhaathy
TH
Harafky “TH” may ly
etheegsythey madi harafky “D” weerdhingtis futhudy,
mayny ly too eyaa weerdhingty
kelmydy Afky Ingriisky e “the”.
Misaal:
mathal etheb mathy
mithow
GH
Harafky “GH” may ly
etheegsythey madi harafky “G” weerdhingtis futhudy,
mayny weerdhingtis ly too
etaa harafky Af Arbeedky e ( ).
Misaal:
maghy aghaar meghyng
lughy dhaghar
NG
Harafky “NG” may
liing etheegsythey weerdhing ing gaar e Af Maay,
mayny weerdhingtis may ing dhowta weerdhingty
dhamaadky kelmytho Afky Ingriisky e
“ morning, caring,
helping”.
Misaal:
angkaar ming
lang sang bang
Y’
Harafky Y” may liing
etheegsythey weerdhing ing gaar e
Af Maay, weerdhingtiisny
may ly too etaa weerdhingty ky jerty kelmytho afky
Telyaanighy (signore, agnello).
Misaal:
y’aay’ur y’isaang
maay’y muy’y
(1.07) Farqyghy
Weerdhingty Harfo (b,d,g,
n) i (p, th, gh, ng)
B
P
barbaar
hupung
dabaal
dapaal derby
dupy
dharbaang depeel
D
TH
derdaar
mathy
sedy
mathal
sody
detheb
G
GH
legdyng
maghy
lug
lughy
dugsy
meghaad
N
NG
tinaar
lang naar
ming
suny shang
(1.08) Dhikaal
is too e:
Af Maay may leyaa
kelmythy dhikaaliyo is too e, laaking ma’naasho shal
gediising, mayny ly gorythey ma’naasho madi jumly
ky jeraang. Misaal:
weel
(weelky wal ky shib)-----weel (weelka
weelshey kiing etheeghy) dood
(gurbyghy ha dood)-----------------dood (
doody bathyng dhaaf) eleeng
(eleengky haniing goori)---------eleeng
(eleeng ing geng) jeer
(jeermaaw geeky)--------------------jeer (
jeer wepi ky jerty) beer
( beer eryng)--------------------------beer
( beer gooymy)
(1.09) Hegaad
b
bal bed bir
bohol bur
p
apaal heped lipe
hapoog hupung
t
tab teneneg ting tol
tub
j
jawaang jelmed jilib jowhar
jug
jh
jhab jheer jhiring jhiir
jhuug
d dar
derdaar dilow dopool dubud
th athar
etheer ithing othow
uthur
r
raad reer riyy
roob ruung
s sar
sed sir soor suul
sh shang sher
shir shoor shughul
dh
dhaang dheel dhiiry dhoob
dhul
g gar ger
goob guur gengber
gh maghaar
dhaghar maghy lughy ighir
q quly
qiyaas quud qalqaaly qereer
k kal
keer keped koor kuul
l lab
laab leeb liiling
ludaay
m malmal
meghed ming moory
n nal
neped nikaa nolol nuur
ng lang
mingdily shang bung lung
w waaly
weysy withaad wehel waany
h haang
heraay hiraab hoory huur
y yahaas
yeemby yeraang yasow yoong
y’
y’aay’y muy’y maay’y
y’aay’ur
| Gopey:
1. Aaw reer ing
wiino ul malaag
ing fuully
eleeng liing
fiiriya arryng luku sughaaw
eretybyho ky
eediyoony ly etheegsythaw
umyty liing
eleeyo ilkoo liing edaayaw
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
2. Unugi af
gaapyno owaadjkey
yeraathy
aathisba
ilduufase iyow hang towaane
amanglaathowa
errase any gaaly iwaayti
opood ildamyno
inaathis ly rooghy
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
3. Irmaangshey
lang ughub i
odooly eyaa
eghyng ly roogho
dughaag aruushe e
iry dhiithi
ilaalmy i owraad mal fara
usyghiiby ho
iniing dhuglahayny heela
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
4. Iid wiing i
oroos iyoowa
liing mallythey
ariiti isky
toosing uungsysheeya tilmaang e
oorky I aba
fersaadky isgowka lyky gorythe
alaayly alalaathy
weerti aghal weydiyaasy
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
5. Ol wiinaghy
athablaaghy i uburee dhatiyo
aarmighi haani
isku anaanythey erraayi
amuuthema oodey
angshuur mal ku usaaw
owlaaditiyoony ho
obow jiringka leyiing
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
6. Obsy haang ing
goryne il nugheel
luku waayi
afaafsho kii ha
surumooby usbyghy ing raariyaayi
edkyjho
amarsythywaayi iritiyo hangku gakaany
ay leheey ho ku
dhiithi araathitiyoony reedsho
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
7. Abtirsiimothis
lang meel dheer
orooraso
asalshey eeb ing
lahaayne isirshey lygorythaw
amaangtiyo liing
dhikaane abshey lysuuraw
usuuny eeng inis
weela madby meelo uskythaw
Allyma
aykiingly moqyng
8. Alifky
quraang lang
edkyjhey lyky hegaathiya
Alifly
kordhowey ly erraa Alifly hoos dhowey
Afkyjhey wal
lyky agriya tani arry waaqow
usuuny Afki
aathislang lyly ursiyey ingkiraaw
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
9. Aryghaaby
lang dhipa uungky
athy kiing neeb
.
othow iribta
gooyaw ehel mykiing naghytha
isheethy lang
moogho Ally i rasuul ing goryny
islaang kang ky
aala ehebiya oo hee guraaw
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
10. Afartaas irbid
haang ibaarti my qaatine
ishaarothey
dheerta eed miing aftiimine
wali any ly
ufkulooby etheedi mahakii singne
ingly jeedothey
eda langki illaa i haty ingkasny
Allyma ay
kiingly moqyng
Abdullahi
Haji Hassan (Awsoomow)
|
|
