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)

A Proposal for a Standardized writing system for Maay Language Devised and Developed by Baidoa.com Web Site in collaboration with Kulung Technical Committee                        June, 2004