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translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:21 pm
by peace-
couple days ago i took me nan to the hospital to translate for her.....and let me tell it was one of the most difficult thing i had do ever......the problem is old somali folks speak in a code language that hard to translate..... this how the conversation with doctor went.
doctor: so mr peace: what is wrong with your grandmother
peace: ee ayeeyo maxaa ku haya?
gran: war waan saaqanahay? now what on god's earth is waan saaqanahay( is that a medical condition)
peace: ee ayeeyo dee maxaa ku haya...waan saaqnahay waa maxay?
gran: horta jamacada maxaa ka doonta: af ingiriska miyaadan aqoon?
misee gaalka baad iska dhisaysa:
war meelkasata baa i xanuunaysa ee uu sheeg
no what hell im i suppose to tell the doctor.....everywhere is hurting her........man i ahte translating for somalis their a nightmare
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:25 pm
by hejpadig
it's diffucult to translate somali to english correctly
word by word it dosnt make any sense
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:27 pm
by HELWAA
You translated for ur granny and now u come here and make fun of her.....inkaari kugu dhacday sacsac yaho

Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:29 pm
by peace-
HELWAA wrote:You translated for ur granny and now u come here and make fun of her.....inkaari kugu dhacday sacsac yaho

im not making fun of her...........................................i guess you have a humour bypass
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:33 pm
by Warsan_Star_Muslimah
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:38 pm
by hejpadig
My mother say's it all the time then she gets real upset and says " Bal maxaa adigaa wax kuu weedinayaa anigu baa wadankan 10 sanad baan jooga"
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:41 pm
by kambuli
Peace,
Waan saaqanahay means...Nausea
I agree with you, it is difficult to translate to the not only old but uneducated people...
But you didn't tell the whole story....You, young people who grew up in the West don't know Somali either..

Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:59 pm
by FAH1223
kambuli wrote:
But you didn't tell the whole story....You, young people who grew up in the West don't know Somali either..

hey you can't blame us!
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:17 pm
by peace-
hejpadig wrote:it's diffucult to translate somali to english correctly
word by word it dosnt make any sense
sometimes it is hard to translate english into somali............becuase it just sound wrong especially when your translating for an elderly person
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:28 pm
by Gifted
I agree it is quite difficult to translate somali to english, especially if it's about illnesses..how many times have you heard somalis say "kilyaha aya ii xanuunaya" ama "beerka aya la iiga haya"..so are you gonna tell the doctor "their kidneys hurt..or liver"..how could anyone possibly know their kidneys or liver is in pain.

Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:39 pm
by SummerRain
Or when they say"dhabarka oo dhan aa fardoh iga ordayo, xaalow dhan ma'an sexaan".
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:27 pm
by Cisse Westlake
Gifted wrote:I agree it is quite difficult to translate somali to english, especially if it's about illnesses..how many times have you heard somalis say "kilyaha aya ii xanuunaya" ama "beerka aya la iiga haya"..so are you gonna tell the doctor "their kidneys hurt..or liver"..how could anyone possibly know their kidneys or liver is in pain.

very tru

Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:53 am
by kambuli
Fah, quote " hey you can't blame us!"
Don't call me hey

Shame on you..
Back to the topic..
The problem is you guys don't know the language perfectly so why would you translate? There are many idioms that you would never understand..e.g.
1.Waa la I wheliyaa.
2.Waa la I sitaa.
3. Waan isku dhex yaacay.
4. Waa la ciijiyaa.
5. Waan sakatisanahay.
6. Waan saaqanahay.
7. Waan siloonahay.
8. Waa la igu dhan yahay.
9. Waan jeelay.
10. Waan wiiqmay.
11. Waan togmay.
12. Waan wasiisiyey.
13. Waan iska aalaa lee.
Waan waan waan etc etc etc..

Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 11:04 am
by Diyeeshaha_Tolka
lol waayeelada way dhib badanyihiin,,cudur aan jirin ayey shegtaan,,islaan baa hada ka hor waxay u baahatay dhakhtar,waxayna wadatay wiilyar kuwa halkan ku koray ah,,markuu dhaqtar way diiyey halka laga hayo ayey waxay tiri habeen markaa saaxdo goordambe ayaa wax culus isoo fuulaan oo naqasta igu dhajiya
willkina sidii ayuu ugu sheegay dhaqarkii,,ninkii dhakhtarka ahaana wuxuu arintii u gudbiyey policeka,,he thought the old lady is been abused by qofka kamid ah familka,sidii yaana ragii guriga joogay xabsiga loo dhigay
Re: translating for old somalis
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 11:22 am
by FAH1223
kambuli wrote:Fah, quote " hey you can't blame us!"
Don't call me hey

Shame on you..
sorry!
