Why aren't we using this alphabet?

[Fall]

The most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Its called Kaddare.

This whole script is full of L and B and Y and 8. too many lb ...I also see a few 6s, lots of Ws, Qs. Who came up with this

You know who came up with it you nasty bitch that's why you are adamantly against it.

[BlackVelvet]

Cherine is one of the coolest people on SNet. Faraha ka qaad

[Cherine]

hydrogen,
is it you or aabahaa?

[ASMtimacade]

ahh agree with cherines message

[James Dahl]

For kicks I have invented a new script, it's basically a variant of the Ximyari alphabet adapted for Somali. I have added 8 letters, modifying the A to create E, taking the bar out of W/U to create O, then "crossing" these letters to make the long vowels, and also borrowed the Arabic Hamza.



This script is something I just made up and never existed, but I tried to imagine what a Somali alphabet based on Ximyari might look like. The letters ARE based on the real Ximyar alphabet though, so a Ximyar based Somali alphabet might end up looking kinda like this if we ever find one, one day.

[saacJabshee]

Who came up with kaddare?

[Arabman]

The ii vowel and t letter look like the Christian cross, so you may want to redo it. The i and y letters are the same; how could one differentiate the two?

[James Dahl]

They don't need to be different letters, and christian crosses the cross bar is higher up, it looks more like a plus sign

ii looks more like an ankh symbol than a christian cross, but again that's just a coincidence

I considered adding more letters to make the vowels, but I realized they would be kind of superfluous, try and say yalaxow and ialaxou, do they sound different? Whether it is an i or a y people can figure out from the context, like in Arabic.

[Bermooda]

James if i'm not mistaken their was a script found in but no one could decipher it ps your script looks like a cross breed i can see some resemblance of Arab Chinese and Latin

[James Dahl]

I've heard about this but I've seen nothing about this ancient script, has anyone encountered this?

[Yohannes]

I've heard about this but I've seen nothing about this ancient script, has anyone encountered this?

I asked about this ancient script here when it was mentioned, but haven't seen anything. This guy here says there's some book by a ministry of the Somalia government before the collapse in 1991 that mentions it with images, but he hasn't shared any yet: viewtopic.php?p=3993470#p3993470

I'd love to see it too.

[Bermooda]

I have never seen it neither but it is plausible. Somalis were at the forefront of the Indian ocean silk route had their own money (but only the once during the Muslim ere have been found) so a very business savvy race not having own writing too is gob-smacking.

Yohannes interesting debate thanks

[LiquidHYDROGEN]

The ii vowel and t letter look like the Christian cross, so you may want to redo it. The i and y letters are the same; how could one differentiate the two?

That looks Chinese. Why would you assume Himyarite was used in Somalia as opposed to an indigenous script?

I have never seen it neither but it is plausible. Somalis were at the forefront of the Indian ocean silk route had their own money (but only the once during the Muslim ere have been found) so a very business savvy race not having own writing too is gob-smacking.

Yohannes interesting debate thanks

That's what I believe. Actually there was a pic of supposedly ancient Somali hieroglyphs that worked differently to the Egyptian one. They weren't picture-words like in ancient Egyptian, but letters that had specific sounds which could be used together to make words, in essence, an alphabet. I think it was called Sumado or something but nobody has been able to decipher it. For all we know, Somalis could've been the first or one the first to use an alphabetic writing system.

[Bermooda]

the Somali coast is like a treasure trove (for archaeologist) waiting to be digged. I heard underneath Mogadishu is a city buried maybe a little exaggeration but there's definitely something there and the Naaso Hablood in Hargeisa is actually 2 pyramids that might even pre-date the Egyptians

[LiquidHYDROGEN]

the Somali coast is like a treasure trove (for archaeologist) waiting to be digged. I heard underneath Mogadishu is a city buried maybe a little exaggeration but there's definitely something there and the Naaso Hablood in Hargeisa is actually 2 pyramids that might even pre-date the Egyptians

Where did you hear that?