Written Language Day

Yesterday was Written Language Day in Somalia. Yes, it’s a thing. In fact, it’s an official holiday.

I’m currently at the airport in Mogadishu getting ready to fly back to Nairobi. It allows me some time to do a short reflection on this rather strange holiday. I had a couple of meetings today and I cheerfully quizzed my Somali counterparts regarding what they know about the history of their language. It turns out they know about the same as Anglo-Saxons know about their language. Not a great deal.

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A bit of history

First of all is the obvious question as to why such a day even exists, particularly because it is a written language day and not just a language day. I’m not Somali and I am not the best person to ask, but I do have some information to provide some context.

As a written language, Somali is one of the youngest in the world relative to the number of speakers. It became a written language within my lifetime back in 1972. Prior to that, it was primarily a spoken language much like Romansh in Switzerland (a shoutout to my former life there). There were apparently attempts to create a script using Arabic (given the obvious importance of Arabic for its Muslim citizens) and also using Roman characters (originating from Latin and favored by scholars who were educated in Western countries). In the end, Roman characters won and the school system was adjusted accordingly. It was a momentous decision that would impact the country forever.

I tend to think it ended up being a smart decision and not necessarily because I was raised in the Western world using Roman characters. In 1972 we had no idea that the world would soon be entering a computer, and eventually, internet age. Unbeknownst to the decision makers, it laid the foundation for a much easier transition to the modern world. Technology, driven primarily by English and Roman characters, improved over time to accommodate other scripts, including Arabic, but development was initially very slow. The use of Roman characters positioned Somalia much more quickly to adapt its language to these technologies. Had civil war not erupted and devastated the country in the 1990s and 2000s, who knows where the country would be now.

Driven overseas by war, the diaspora educated class produced much of the early content in Italian and English (the two colonial powers leading up to Somalia’s independence). It wasn’t until the last couple of decades that Somali-language content has really taken off.

The country’s diaspora numbers several million people, forming one of the world's most dispersed migrant groups. Those living overseas continue to produce much of the material by Somalis and/or covering Somalia-related topics.

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The complexity of the language

The Somali language is influenced heavily by vocabulary from Arabic, with some Italian and English words stemming from the colonial legacy. Given that Swahili also has some Arabic roots, I find that I can recognize words here and there. Though I should say that I sadly have not invested a lot of time in learning the language.

The complexity is certainly a deterrent. Somali features tonal elements that make it challenging for learners. It has unique sounds like 'c' (which sounds silent to me but apparently there is a sound) and 'x' which is a guttural that causes me to cheat and use my French ‘r’ (not the same but close enough for a foreigner). Vowel length also apparently varies depending on how words are used. There is gender agreement as in Latin languages, something I’m used to from French though it works differently in Somali. Also, sentence construction (i.e. verb placement) is also very different from English.

All this not an excuse for my lack of Somali. It just didn’t help.

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The cultural importance

Early in my time in the country, I learned of the profound tradition of Somali poetry. This influence is interconnected with the country’s history as a pastoralist people surviving on the rugged, desert terrain in the Horn of Africa. A Somali-American friend of mine likened it to the mythical Wild West in the US. To understand Somalis is to understand their attachment to this rich heritage. Though most Somalis, whether in Somalia or in the diaspora, have no desire to embark on a pastoralist life nowadays, driving camels or goats across the rocky desert is a cherished part of their story. They value the celebrated poets, poetry and traditional songs, including many with lyrics of reverence to the beloved camel.

This is at the heart of the language’s richness. This history influences everyday speech, adding complex allusions to even modern conversation.

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But should this be a national holiday?

For a country that seems to be fighting for its life against forces of Islamist militants and the devastation of climate change, it probably seems like a frivolous reason for taking a day off from work. Indeed, that was my thought when I first heard about it. A lot of my staff are even confused about this recently created holiday.

Upon reflection, I’ve changed tack on this. First of all, the country is not inundated with noble leaders from the past who should be recognized with holidays instead. There are no days dedicated to past presidents, generals, social justice leaders, etc. nor are there any obvious candidates. Other than religious holidays and independence, there is room for something else to be recognized.

Secondly, the Somali language is a critical unifier of a population 24 million speakers in Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and the diaspora communities around the world. Clan may divide you when you are in the country, but outside, language generally makes you a brother or sister.

With the country continuing to struggle to pull out of decades of strife, and with the diaspora under pressure around the world due to attitudes towards race and immigration, the language seems to be about more than a written script. There seems to be a conscious and/or subconscious need for the solidarity of a people under threat. And language (and to a large degree religion) is an important unifier. I don’t know if that was behind the creation of the holiday, but it seems to me a good reason for its continued existence.

Happy Written Language Day.