A Grammar of the Somali Language: With Examples in Prose and Verse, and an Account of the Yibir and Midgan DialectsSomali is one of the Cushitic family of languages spoken in the horn of Africa and the official language of Somalia. This practical grammar, published in 1905, was prepared by J. W. C. Kirk, who first learnt to speak the language during his service with Somali troops during the British Empire's failed attempt in 1902-1904 to wrest control of the region from the Dervish state under Muhammad Abdullah Hassan. His unique knowledge of the interior of the country and the different tribes making up the population meant that Kirk's insights were invaluable in advancing scholarly knowledge in the West. Perhaps as importantly, Kirk also records a number of literary examples with his translations of Somali stories and songs. Another appendix explores the dialects of the Midgan (or Madhiban) and Yibir, both minority tribes who kept their languages secret from mainstream Somali society. |
Contents
ORTHOGRAPHY | 1 |
ACCIDENCE | 10 |
B Adjectives | 35 |
Comparison of Adjectives | 42 |
Particles | 73 |
P Interjections and Salutations | 79 |
A Structure of a Simple Sentence | 81 |
B The Parts or Speech | 90 |
SYNTAX OF COMPOUND SENTENCES | 123 |
Seasons months days | 134 |
EXAMPLES OF PROSE AND VERSE | 143 |
Somali Stories and Narrative 141 | 160 |
THE DIALECTS OF THE OUTCAST TRIBES | 184 |
| 215 | |
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Common terms and phrases
added adjective animals Aorist Arabic badan becomes bring Burao camels Conditional Conjugation Continuative dambe definite article ending English Examples expressed father five fnanki girl give given Habiyo Habr hand horse Indicative Indicative mood Infinitive Interrogative iyannu kaleh kill Kolkas Kolkasei Kolkasu laba laha language letter linking consonant live look mahhad mare marry mayo meaning Midgan milk Mullah Negative night ninki Note noun numeral object officer particle Past person Plur plural Possessive Present pronoun qualified referring sentence shegi simple Sing Somali speech Subjunctive suffix Suldanki Sultan tell tenses thing tidi told town translated tribes usually verb vowel wahh wahhai wife woman wuhhu Yibir yidi yimi young