Somali Scripts! vs LUUQAD

This app can help you get to know some of the indigenous Somali alphabets. Scroll through the letters and study their shapes and sounds. Practice tracing each one until you're familiar-- then quiz yourself on the letters! The three scripts presented are Osmanya, Borama/Gadabuursi, and Kaddare. Each one is interesting and has its short history. Unfortunately, most are not widely used since the Somali government's decision to adopt the Latin alphabet. Osmanya is the only indigenous Somali script included in unicode. This is the Osmanya alphabet. It is called Farta Cismaanya, also known as Far Soomaali. It was invented between 1920 and 1922 by Osman Yusuf Kenadid, the son of Sultan Yusuf Ali Kenadid and brother of Sultan Ali Yusuf Kenadid of the Sultanate of Hobyo. It has a numbering system and is written left-to-right. In the 1970s it reached fairly widespread use in personal correspondance, bookkeeping, and even some books and magazines. Its use declined sharply after the Somali government's official adoption of the the Latin alphabet. It is the only indigenous Somali script currently included in unicode. This is the Kaddare alphabet. It was created in 1052 by a Sufi Sheikh named Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare of the Abgaal Hawiye clan. The Kaddare script uses both upper and lower case letters, with the lower case represented in cursive. Many characters are transcribed without having to lift the pen. We list the uppercase letters first, with the lower-case ones underneath. The lower-case letters are repeated at the bottom of the list where they are shown above the capital letters. The Gadabuursi script also known as the Borama alphabet is a writing script for the Somali language. It was devised around 1933 by Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nuur of the Gadabuursi clan. Though not as widely known as Osmanya, the other major orthography for transcribing Somali, Borama has produced a notable body of literature mainly consisting of qasidas (poems). This Borama script was principally used by Sheikh Nuur, his circle of associates in the city and some of the merchants in control of trade in Zeila and Borama. Students of Sheikh Nuur were also trained in the use of this script.

Learn Somali with short visual lessons, native-speaker audio and fun quizzes. Start with your first words or reconnect with the language you grew up hearing. LUUQAD helps beginners build everyday Somali vocabulary through pictures, listening and practice. Learn on your own, share the language with your children, or feel closer to family through the words you use together. LEARN WORDS YOU CAN USE Explore 18 lesson topics, from the alphabet and numbers to family, food, animals, colors, clothing and everyday activities. Practice greetings, emotions and useful phrases for simple conversations. SEE IT. HEAR IT. PRACTICE IT. - Connect Somali words with illustrations inspired by Somali people and everyday life. - Listen to recorded Somali pronunciation and practice at your own pace. - Check your understanding with picture, listening and word quizzes. - Reinforce what you learn with matching games and other learning activities. BUILD A LEARNING HABIT Follow your progress, keep your daily streak going and learn alongside other people on the leaderboard. See your nearby ranks and give yourself a reason to come back for another lesson. FOR BEGINNERS AND FAMILIES No previous Somali knowledge is needed. Whether you're learning Af Soomaali for the first time, raising bilingual children or reconnecting with your heritage, start with the basics and build from there. PREMIUM LESSONS AND GAMES A Premium subscription unlocks every lesson, quiz and game. Eligible subscribers can start with a three-day free trial through Apple. Choose monthly or yearly; your selected subscription automatically renews at the displayed price unless canceled at least 24 hours before the trial or billing period ends. Manage or cancel in your Apple subscription settings. The leaderboard, profile, settings and support are available without a subscription. Make Somali part of your day. Download LUUQAD and start your first lesson. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/