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A GRAMMAR
OF THE

SOMALI LANGUAGE

CAMBKIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE,

C.

F.

fLonUon:
laBuoto:

CLAY, Manager.

AVE MARIA LANE,

50,

TLtijjjifl:

F.

A.

BROCKHAUS.

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

Calcutta: MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd.

fleto gorfe:

Bombas

ant)

E.C.

WELLINGTON STREET.

[All Rights reserved.]

A GRAMMAR
OF THE

SOMALI LANGUAGE
WITH EXAMPLES
IN

PROSE AND VERSE

AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE

YIBIR

AND MIDGAN DIALECTS

BY
J.

W.

C.

KIRK,

B.A.,

KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE,

LIEUTENANT, DUKE OF CORNWALL'S LIGHT INFANTRY,
AND 6TH (SOMALILAND) BATTALION, KING'S AFRICAN RIFLES

CAMBRIDGE
AT THE UNIVERSITY
1905

PRESS

PT

'JOS'

Qtantbrftge

PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY, M.A.

AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

S.B.N.

GB: 576.11490.1

in 1969 by Gregg International Publishers Limited

Westmead, Farnborough, Hants., England

Republished

Printed in Holland

PREFACE.
ri^HERE
J-

of the

are but few people

many and

who have made any

Continent in which the Somali race has grown up.

of the Somali language

is

Larajasse and Sampont.

praise

is

due

to those

due

As
who

Our knowledge
and

to the labours of Rigby, Hunter,

this is not a written language, great

first

reducing the speech to writing

factorily that I

serious study

interesting tongues of that part of the African

grappled with the difficulty of

This has now been done so satis-

myself have lately carried on a successful corre-

spondence with an educated Somali in his native tongue, using the

spelling

and orthography of the present book.

Schleicher's

work

is

rather a philological treatise on the language, gathered largely from

and not from practical acquaintance

but he is to be congratulated
on having collected a number of stories which are a useful and
important foundation to a Somali literature. Paulitschke's work is
isolated individuals of the people,

with the race in their own country

a purely comparative treatise on the three dialects, Somali, Gala,

and Danakil, written from an ethnological point of

view.

While serving with Somali troops during the campaigns of 1902

-1904 against the Mullah, Mohammed Abdallah, I had the most
favourable opportunities for a practical and wholesale study of the
colloquial dialect of this people ; and it seemed only right that
results obtained from so intimate an acquaintance should not be
left

many imperfections which must still

The work done by others hitherto has been

unrecorded, in spite of the

exist in the record.

largely confined to the coast

and

to the

assembles at the sea-port towns; and

mixed population which

but recently that any

it is

strangers except a few sportsmen have been able to dwell in the

and so to know and converse with the natives in their own

homes and natural surroundings.
The result is that it has now

interior,

PREFACE

VI

been possible to correct and add to our knowledge, hitherto incomplete,

on certain grammatical points, and to give their proper

value to certain variations of speech.

Verbs, Concord of Nouns, and

refer especially to

Syntax of the

peculiarities of the language as the

Compound

such

Suffixes, Particles,

Sentences.

It is generally

found to follow very clear and defined, though unwritten,

rules,

which are disturbed by very few exceptions.

In regard to Orthography, where

and from Larajasse and Sampont,

sponding signs in the Alphabet.

have differed from Schleicher

have given the

latters' corre-

In the spelling of words

have in

most cases (subject to the orthographical variations) followed that

used by Larajasse in his Dictionary, which leaves little room for
improvement or addition. This book is indispensable to the student
of Somali, or to anyone who wishes to examine the stories and songs
given by Schleicher or myself.

have therefore not included a

vocabulary, as such are necessarily deficient and frequently misleading.

In 1903 I published a small practical hand-book, Notes on the

Somali Language, but this was written on lines totally different

from those of the present Grammar.

It was a compilation of notes

and was intended to serve as
an elementary guide to beginners, who had not the time to digest a
more lengthy work. The orthography, the spelling, and the few
grammatical rules, have since been entirely revised and corrected.

which

had found

useful to myself,

desire to express

rendered

me by Mr H.

my
J.

grateful appreciation of the assistance

Edwards, Fellow and Assistant Tutor of

Peterhouse, Cambridge, and by

Mr

R. R. Marett, Fellow and Tutor

of Exeter College, Oxford, in revising the whole of the present work,

and proof Professor E. G. Browne kindly suggested

acknowledge with
some improvements in the Introduction.
I
gratitude and admiration the promptness shown by the officials and
staff of the Cambridge University Press, in completing against time
a work involving unusual difficulties of composition and proofin manuscript

reading.
J.

Sevenoaks,
December, 1904.

W.

C.

K.

CONTENTS.
PART

I.

ORTHOGRAPHY.
PAGE
1

The Alphabet

Vowels
Diphthongs ...
Vowel changes
Consonants ...

4
5
6

PART

II.

ACCIDENCE.
10

THE PARTS OF SPEECH

A.

Substantives

12

...

Classes of

Nouns

12

1.

Gender

15

2.

Nouns

3.

The

of

16

Suffixes

(a)

Linking Consonants

17

18

(6)

Definite Article

(c)

(d)
(e)

...
Demonstrative Adjective
Possessive Pronominal Adjectives
Interrogative Adjective

19

20
21

22

Nouns

4.

Plural of

5.

Cases of Nouns

25

6.

Numerals

27

7.

Pronouns

29

(a)

Simple Personal Pronouns

(6)

Possessive

(c)

Demonstrative

(d)

Relative

(e)

-Interrogative

(/) Indefinite

...

29

32
33

33
33
34

vm

CONTENTS

B.

Adjectives
1.

2.

Classes of Adjectives
()

Radical

(b)

Derivative

(c)

Compound

Inflexions of Adjectives
(a)

3
C.

Radical

(b)

Derivative

(c)

Compound

Comparison of Adjectives

Verbs
1.

2.

Conjugation
(a)

Moods and Tenses

(b)

Affirmative Conjugation

...

(c)

Negative

(d)

Interrogative

(e)

Negative-Interrogative Conjugation

Peculiarities

and Irregular Verbs

Conjugation

(a)

1st

(6)

2nd Conjugation

Irreg. Verb, oil

Irreg. Verbs,
(c)

3.

I).

....

imo, ogho, oclo

3rd Conjugation

(rf)

Irreg. Verbs, aho, laho,

(e)

The Passive Voice

wah

...

Derivative Verbs
(a)

Intensive

(6)

Reflexive

(c)

Attributive

(d)

Causative

Particles
1.

2.

Verbal
(a)

Adverbial

(b)

Prepositional

Conjunctive
(a)

Introductory

(b)

Conjunctive

E.

Adverbs, Prepositions, and Conjunctions

F.

Interjections, and Salutations

CONTENTS

PART

III.

IX

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES.

PAGE

B.

Structure of a Simple Sentence

Order of Words

2.

The

3.

Simple Interrogative and Negative Sentences

86

4.

Verbs of Existence

88

Particles

81

wa, ba, ya

2.

3.

90

The Article
The Noun

90
92

(a)

Cases

92

(b)

Number

94

(c)

Concord

95

The Adjective
(a)
Order
Comparison
(b)
(c)

Similarity

98
98
99
101

4.

The Numerals

102

5.

The Pronouns and Pronominal Adjectives

103

(a)

Persons

103

(b)

Simple Personal Pronouns

103

(c)

Suffixes

106

(d)

Impersonal Pronouns

107

(e)

Possessive Adjective

107

(/) Interrogative Pronouns and Adjectives

(g) Indefinite Pronouns and Adjectives
6.

7.

The Verb
Moods and Tenses
(a)
(b)

Persons

(c)

Negative Tenses

The

PART

108

109
111
111

114
115

Particles

117

Order
Uses

117

(6)
(c)

Adverbial Particles

118

(d)

Prepositional

119

(a)

B.

82

The Parts of Speech

1.

A.

81

1.

IV.

117

SYNTAX OF COMPOUND SENTENCES.

Co-ordinate Sentences

123

Conjunctive Particles

123

Subordinate Sentences
1.

General rules

...

124
125

BIBLIOGRAPHY.
P., "On
Bombay Geographical

Rigbt, Lieut. C.

Hunter, Capt.
Cust, R., The

F. M.,

the Somauli Language";

Society,

VoL

ix,

A Grammar of the Somali

Modern Languages

of Africa

Schleicher, A. W., Die Somali-Sprache

Transactions of the

1849.

Language

Bombay,

London, Triibner

&

1880.

Co., 1883.

Berlin, 1892.

Paulitschke, Dr Philipp, Ethnographie Nordost-Afrikas

Berlin, 1896.

Larajasse and Sampont, Practical Grammar of the Somali Language

London, Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner & Co., 1897.
Larajasse, Somali-English and English-Somali Dictionary
Paul, Trench, Triibner

&

London, Kegan

Co., 1897.

Schleicher, Dr A. W., Somali-Texte (edited by Leo Reinisch); Vienna

and Leipzig,

1900.

These are the most important works upon the language, though other
writers are also quoted by Paulitschke.

ERRATUM.

15

(b).

for warm,

warming read warn, warning.

INTRODUCTION.

Somali

is

the language spoken by the inhabitants of the square

tract of country,

known

of the ancients), which

as the
lies

Cape Guardafui and the

inhabited by a people,
driven inland by
Somali.

Horn

of Africa (Regio Aromatifera

between the French port of Djibouti,

This country was formerly

river Juba.

now known

Mohammedan

The neighbours

as Gala

who have been steadily

who call themselves

propagandists,

of the Somali are the Danakil on the

north, the Abyssinians, speaking Amharic, on the north-west,

the retreating Gala on the west and south-west.

and

The languages of

the Somali and the Gala are quite distinct, and mutually unintelligible,

but possess so

many fundamental

characteristics in

common,

ample evidence of their close relationship, even if it can

not be proved that modern Somali is actually derived from Gala.
There has always been considerable trade between the inhabitants
of Aden and Southern Arabia and those of the Somali coast, and
that there

is

the Semitic element in Somali

is sufficient

tion that the present Somali race

had

proof of the local tradi-

its origin in

Mohammedan

colonisation from Southern Arabia.

If

we compare the vocabularies

Gala and Somali, we find

three, such as the Somali words,

The majority

of words

aba

common

to be technical or legal terms, or

commerce not native

1

i.e.

those

who

are not

a root

common

wil boy, faras

father,

to Arabic

names of

to the country.

Gal (of which the plural

infidels,

of the three languages, Arabic,

many words having

to all
horse.

and Somali are found

utensils or articles of

These are obviously borrowed

Galo) is the name used generally to denote

Mohammedans, and may be used by Somalia,

is

without any disrespect, to include English, Abyssinians or others as well as

those former inhabitants

Mohammedan

who would not embrace

whom the name

missionaries, and to

the faith preached by the

is

now

specially applied.

INTRODUCTION

XIV
direct from the Arabic

But

the languages.

recognised, such as,

and have no bearing on the relationship of

in a few

ghad

Somali verbs the Arabic root can be

take, carry

akhri read

Ibi

sell,

buy

gajo be hungry.

On the other hand a large number of words in ordinary use are

common to Gala and Somali, but are not of Arabic origin. These
have simple and elementary meanings, and include many verbs.
Such

are,

arag
eg

see

nin

man

INTRODUCTION
The Semitic element

is

also exemplified in the guttural

XV
and

aspirate sounds, which correspond to the Arabic letters Ghain, 'Ain,

and

Ha and
;

in the form

and concord

of plural nouns, which largely

resemble the Arabic broken plurals.

The Bantu languages, which are prefix languages, seem to

have nothing in common with Somali, either in construction or
vocabulary.

There are certain slight variations in the speech of different

which almost constitute different dialects.
The most

tribes,

notable are the Ishhak, Dolbohanta, Mijjertein and the Esa and
Gadabursi.

For instance

INTRODUCTION

XVI

Finally, with regard to speaking the language, the

is

that of

are split

all

up

of speech

Sentences

numerous
"and then,"

into strings of short simple remarks, with

copulative particles, and expressions meaning,

" he said," etc.

when the

mode

Eastern people, like the language of the Bible.

"and

so,"

In a narrative, after each remark the speaker pauses,

listener is expected to

answer with some suitable expression

of assent, such as Kodi, or Haiye.

Correct pronunciation

is

most important, and as there are no

have had to use

definite rules for the accentuation of syllables I

accents freely

all

through the book.

The Somali

person, and though extremely good-natured he

and has no hesitation

that

is

is

is

not a polite

quite outspoken,

in ridiculing one's false quantities or concords,

to say, if one's efforts are at all recognisable to him.

expects a high standard of accuracy, chiefly because he

is

He

unaccus-

tomed to hearing a European endeavour to grapple with his language,

but this has the advantage of not allowing the stranger to form too
favourable an idea of his

own

skill.

PART

ORTHOGRAPHY.

I.

In reducing the Somali language to writing, we are faced

1.

by the

fact that there is

no written language.

Somalis write Arabic, but, so far as the writer

is

Many

educated

aware, they have

never attempted to write their own language either in Arabic or

any other

Nor would

characters.

it

be possible to employ the

Arabic characters to represent Somali sounds.

consonants
sufficient,

is

The

list

of Arabic

too elaborate, whilst the three vowel-signs are in-

a great variety of vowel sounds being an important

peculiarity of the Somali language.

According to Hunter the alphabetical signs

the necessary elements, but he and

the

Roman characters,

all

for

Urdu contain

all

others have agreed to adopt

for obvious reasons.

The alphabet that is used here, so far as it is applicable, is

that recommended by the Royal Geographical Society in "Hints
to Travellers," with the addition of two extra signs for the Arabic

Aine (c) and the cerebral d (Sanskrit ^), which are represented
respectively

by the inverted comma

published by Larajasse and Sampont.

to represent the Arabic

Ha

(*-).

',

and d, as in the grammar

The double hh is employed

Accents are also employed freely

to express the different values of the vowels.

The Alphabet
a, a,

d,

- Arabic

d
d

"fatha," or

>, J

Sanskrit

^5"

(half d, half r)
e,

as in

Latin languages

= Arabic \J

VOWELS
&

long as in " father," " mast "

is

san
dar
e

pronounced

is

Before cerebral

skin

"pen," "fell"

like e in

&

a certain

short as in

i is

man

tell

tie.

"weight," "fare"

like the vowels of "fate,"

is

has almost the value of u, as in English

this

Example, hed

stone building

hebel
sheg

"fur."

adSr

uncle

habSn
gdnyo

night

g&d

tree

"pin"

mare

mid

one

illin

entrance

Care must be taken to pronounce i with exactly this value before

as y in " tyranny," and not as in English "fir"

1 is

is

is

bir

iron

jir

be

like ee in " feel," "

seem

"

'Id

sand

dlr

trees

lln

orange

short as in "on,"

"cot"

kol

time

'oil

army

ghor

write

quite long as in " foal," " sole "

ddn

6 This

is

wish

gdb

a kind of fruit

g61

lioness

represented by Larajasse and

however, seems liable to

r,

Sampont by ow, which,

confusion with the English diphthong

12

ORTHOGRAPHY

a very long drawn out hollow sound like a gasping

It has

ou.

Ohh

is

dd

near

ild

forget

mado

black

pronounced as in "full," "put"

Before

r it

must retain

same value and not be pronounced

the

like

the English "fur."

ti is

long and

full

gur

pick

kun

thousand

kulul

warm

as oo in " fool," " rule "

gilr

start to

fiid

soup

fid

ride

is

sort, 'kind

In

i is

sometimes

weidi
samei
Note.

pronounced like " feign," but in this case the

almost heard

is

march

pronounced as in "aisle," or "fire"

ain
ei is

Diphthongs.

5.

ai

up

many words

ask

make

hard to distinguish whether the diphthong

common a, or " fatha," and e being so

it is

the one or the other of these, the

much

alike

when preceding another

vowel.

Thus

this

work

differs

from

that of other writers in that the past terminations of verbs, and the

Continuative tense inflexions are spelt with an

instead of a, the former

e,

being to the writer's ear distinctly the sound produced by the tribes he
has been in contact with.

au
round

is like

full

the English diphthong in " how," "hour," but with a

like " ao "

sound almost

aur

camel

oi very seldom occurs, but where

as in English

it

does

it is

hoi

an exclamation

exactly the same

VOWEL CHANGES
Note.

The above diphthongs may occur before another vowel,

and u becomes w

case i becomes y,

laya

5
in

which

orthography
7.

The consonants

Consonants.

are sounded as follows

Faucals

(',

h, hh).

CONSONANTS

dehh

middle (dehh(e))
(libahh(a))

libahh

lion

lehhda

the six (lehh(e)da)

hhun

bad

Gutturals

gh, k, kh).

most nearly resembles the Arabic

gh

is

ga'an

hand

gel

camels

the Arabic " ghain,"

ghad
ghor
ghanso
k

(g,

always hard as in "go."

is

It

is

kh

like the English

is

6,

J>

and must be learned by ear

carry
write

bow

kali

come here

hakama

bridle

a softer guttural-aspirate than the ghain or gh, and more

nearly corresponds to the Scotch

ch,

as in "loch," but

is

harder

than this

sandukh

box

akhal

house

Note. It is often difficult to distinguish between gh and kh, the former

oeing softer, and the latter harder than in the true Arabic forms.

Palatals 1
j is

sh

2
a hard,/, as in English "journey," " John

is like

ja'al

like

j6g

stand

the English, as in " shoot "

shimbir
sheg
1

(j, sh, y).

"

bird
tell

These are not found at the end of a word in Somali.

There is no sound ch, as in "church," iu Somali; the English sound

reproduced by the native as

j.

is

ORTHOGRAPHY

is like

the English, as in " you "

yer
blyo
Dentals
t as in English

as in English

Note.

At

is

water

(t,

d, d, r, s,

1,

n).

tuka

crow

tehh

shower of rain

wadan

skin pail

durug

move

the end of a word

d ia sounded

mid

small

a cerebral

letter,

nearly like

one.

and, as mentioned above,

is

of Sanskrit

origin.

In the middle of a word

it

It is

has almost the sound of

r,

more nearly approaches d.

formed by curling the tongue back and bringing

beginning, or end, of a word

along the roof of the mouth

but at the

it

it

forward

adi
fadi

hed
dan

sheep
sit

tie
all,

complete

r is always pronounced distinctly, like the r of Latin languages,

as in " arrow "
:

accompany

ra'

s as in English

bir

iron

shimbirtu

the bird

san

skin

so'o

go on

hes

song

as in English

libahh

lion

lln

orange

filfil

pepper

CONSONANTS

as in English

nag
woman
mindi knife
Note.

and

where they occur in inflexions or

t,

become sh.

hashi

the camel, for hal-ti

wa yesha

thou doest, for yel-ta

Labials (b,

as in English

f,

m as in English
f as in English

m,

barbar
bilawa

dagger

albab

door

m6d

think

dambe

behind

youth

af

w as in English

mouth

iftin

light

afar

four

wiyil

rhinoceros

walal

brother

w).

suffixes,

PART

ACCIDENCE.

II.

THE PARTS OF SPEECH.

8.

All languages cannot be arranged

on exactly the same

system, and, in the Somali Language, the arrangement and definitions

which are applicable to the grammar of well-known tongues, such as

English or Arabic, will not altogether hold good.

Somali

is

undoubtedly a simple and elementary language, in

which the only true and fundamental parts of speech are

Substantive,

and

it is

Verb, Adjective, Particle,

by various combinations or forms of these that the other

generally recognised parts of speech are formed.

9.

which

A Substantive is a word
or

exists,

some object

describing, or referring to, something

of thought,

either material or im-

material.

Verb

is

a word expressing thought, being, action, or the

suffering of action,

and

affirms or predicates

something of some

person or thing.

These two parts of speech are complementary and essential one

and in any form of speech both these elements must

to the other,

necessarily occur, unless

it

is

tacitly agreed, to save unnecessary

verbiage, that one or the other

the context, and

An

Adjective

may
is

may

be obviously understood from

be omitted from actual expression.

a word which describes or qualifies the object or

thought represented by a substantive, according to any known idea

of quality, such as colour, size, nature, etc.

A Particle is

a word which has no meaning in

occur in conjunction with other parts of speech.

itself

It

and can only

may

qualify the

11

PARTS OF SPEECH
meaning of a

verb, or it

may

be " Conjunctive," that

is,

it

may

connect, or act as a link between, two expressions or parts of

speech.

Other

10.

languages

are,

parts

speech

of

Somali,

in

all

that

occur

derived from

in

more

advanced

substantives, or are

represented by suffixes.
Substantives

may

be qualified

according to place, context, possessor,

(i)

etc.,

by

'Definite Article,

Demonstrative Adjective,
Suffixes,

known

as

Possessive Pronominal Adjective,

^Interrogative Adjective

according to number, by

(ii)

Inflexions.

They

include,

(i)

Nouns

(ii)

Numerals 1 (expressing the abstract idea of a number),

(iii)

Pronouns (words used to

(actually descriptive of an object or idea),

refer to

a noun or numeral

already expressed, or understood, to avoid lengthy and unnecessary

repetition).

Note
to

All substantives are recognisable by the fact that they are able

a.

have attached to them the

suffixes

mentioned above, and may stand alone

as Subject or Object to a Verb.

Note

b.

Nouns and numerals have no

inflected in the plural.

declension, nouns alone being

Personal pronouns have an Objective (or Accusative)

form as well as the Subjective (or Nominative).

In addition to the above, there are formed, by the use of a noun

alone, or a

noun combined with any of the other

substantives, with

or without suffixes or inflexions, and with or without an adjective,

Adverbs (words expressing time, place or manner,

(iv)

relative

to the action of a verb).

Relative Conjunctions (words introducing expressions of

(v)

the same value as the above).

Prepositions (words expressing the relationship of one

(vi)

substantive to another).
1

These are undoubtedly treated as Substantives in Somali.

ACCIDENCE

12

Substantives.

A.

These

11.

fication above,
its

be dealt with in the order given in the classinecessary first to describe the Noun itself,

will

but

it is

Forms, and Gender, after which will follow the Suffixes, to be

followed again by the Plural Inflexions.

The reason
following

of this

pages,

as

order will be seen on a perusal

the

questions

gender

Nouns

Suffixes.

Nouns.

Classes of

1.

of the

and number are

mixed with those concerning the form of the

inextricably

12.

of

are classified into Proper and

Common.

nouns are names of people or places.

The commoner and typical Somali men's names are, Jama,
Farah, Hassan, Hussein, Mohammed, Mahhmud, Ahhmed,
Ali, Omar, Nur, Liban, Egal, Dualeh, Abdallah, Abdi,
Proper

'

'

Robleh.
Nicknames are very common in fact nearly everyone, whether
is always known by his friends by some nickname,
;

Somali or English,
such

as,

Gurreh

left-handed,

active or " cute,"

one-eyed, Galds,

Bulali

fair,

Farurah hare-lipped,
Timo-wein long hair,

Delowein, etc., always referring

any idea of disrespect.

Dunjog

Awarah

some feature

to

or eccentricity, but without

13.
their

Common nouns

are classed in various ways

according to

Nature they are Concrete, or Abstract,

according to their Derivation they are Radical, Derivative,

or Borrowed,

according to their Gender they are

or

Masculine,

Feminine,

Common.
14.

Concrete

Nouns include the names

of

all

animate or

inanimate objects, or parts of them.

Nearly

all

of these are Radical words, or else are borrowed

entirely from another language.

nin
(i)
Animate
gabad girl,
libahh
shimbir bird.
:

man,
lion,

nag
faras

woman,
horse,

wil

aur

boy,

camel,

ABSTRACT NOUNS
They include

collective words, as

13

dad people, rag men, dumar women, artir

gel camels, bdlo flocks, ghalab, alabo baggage, kit.
Names
aba
fnan

of relations

hill,

mlyi

jungle,

brother or

sister,

dagahh

stone,

uncle.

ghori wood,

bir iron,

thing,

walal

mother,

adSr

Inanimate objects are

wahh
bur

hoyo

father,

son, or daughter,
(ii)

children,

akhal house.

Abstract Nouns.

15.
(a)

Many

abstract nouns of action and sense are radical, in

which case they are also used as intransitive verbs.

hadal talk,
yab wonder,
bandn pain,
harad thirst,
ado rage.
(b)

dagal
ai

'ur

fight,

gabei

curse,

smell,

chant,

Verb-nouns, describing the action of a verb, are formed

from the verb-root by the addition of certain terminations

1st Class (ending in a consonant)

2nd Class

3rd Class

add -nin,

-o

-d.

-i

-s,

or -in.

or -n.

GENDER OF NOUNS
kdd

(coat),

ketli (kettle),

sord

tfcbel (table),

kob

15
drabel

(sword),

(trouble),

(cup).

Gender of Nouns.

2.

17.
There are no rules determining the gender of a Radical
Noun, either according to its meaning or form. It must therefore
be learned by practice in the case of each word.
This however is
not so difficult as it would appear, as the definite article is so much
a part of the noun, and the gender is so clearly marked by it, that
it is
I

noun in each case.

when quoting a noun, give the definite article,

best to learn the definite article with the

shall, therefore,

separated by a hyphen, as in

nin-ki

man

nag-ti

woman.

This will imply that

nin

nag

= a woman
nagti = the woman.

=a man

ninki = the man

Feminine nouns are those

It will suffice here to say that all

which take the dental

While

all

article,

i.e.

or -di

-ti

Masculine nouns are those which take a guttural

article, i.e. -ki, -gi, -hi, or in

some cases the vowel

-i,

In both cases the Suffix consists of two parts.

is

the Article Suffix, the consonant

18.

alone.

The" final vowel

the Linking Consonant.

is

The Derivative and Borrowed Nouns do

follow

certain

determinate rules in respect of gender.

Borrowed words are masculine

mes-ki, kursi-gi, hukum-ki, sandukh-i, albab-ki, t^bel-ki,

kod-ki,

etc.

Exceptions,

sa'ad-di
.. ,

warkhad-di
19.

hour

>

letter

,.

are feminine.

Of Derivative Nouns,

Verbal Nouns in -in (1st and 3rd Classes) are Feminine

dignin-ti, sugnin-ti, samein-ti, etc.

Verbal Nouns in -d,

-s

(2nd and 3rd Classes) are Masculine

so'od-ki, idlad-ki, gois-ki, etc.

ACCIDENCE

16
Adjectival

Nouns

in

-nimo -an

are Feminine.

'ajisnfmo-di, weinan-ti.
Adjectival

Nouns

of other forms are Masculine,

derer-ki, 'uleis-ki, etc.

20.

Names

each gender

of

men and

animals

may have

special forms for

LINKING CONSONANTS

ninku

ninki, ninka, or

ninkan
ninkas

man
man
that man

the

this

or

ninka

ninkai, ninka, ninkis, &c.

ninke

17

my, thy, his,

what man ?

The above forms

etc.

noun

are constant, whether the

man

qualified is in

the Singular or Plural.

(a)

Linking Consonants.

The Linking Consonants

24.

conform to

25.

its

gender and the

the word.

Masculine words take the gutturals, k,

Nouns ending

in

any consonant, except

g,

h.

or a gutt. aspirate, take

g,

or g

-i

and

are peculiar to each noun,

final letter of

-a

Note

Nouns ending

i.

in -h, hh, or a guttural aspirate,

would

logically

be followed by h, but this additional aspirate is hardly to be detected by

the ear, and need not therefore be written.
Note ii. With nouns ending in no linking consonant is required, unless
'

it

be another

Note
form of
u, it

iii.

Where the noun ends

vowel which follows,

suffix

becomes

but this again the ear cannot detect.

',

in a, -ah, the -a is assimilated to the

i.e. if

the suffix

is -i,

the a becomes

i,

if

u.

Examples,
(The
that

it

suffix is
is

examples

here separated by a hyphen, but

it

must be remembered

not spoken as a separate word, and will not be so written in

later.)

albab-ki

the door

harag-gi

shabel-ki

the leopard

ilig-gi

the tooth

sul-ki

the

libahh-i

the lion

(i)

san-ki

the nose

sandukh-i

the box

(i)

maga'-i
muda'-i

the fork

thumb
mouth

af-ki

the

mlyi-gi

the jungle

askari-gi

the soldier

kbra

a saddle

the saddle

dayah

a moon

the

the sheep-skin,

the

name

(ii)

(ii)

kdri-hi, kdra-ha, or

kdru-hu
moon

dayu-hu
K.

(iii)

dayi-hi, daya-ha, or

(iii)

18
;

DEFINITE ARTICLE
" The horse "

may

The

place "

(i)

-i

"

29.

be, faraski,

meshi,

19

faraska, or farasku.

mesha,

the most general form, and

is

or
is

meshu.
used when

-a,

or

not required.

-u, are

(ii)

-a

when

(1)

used in the following cases

is

referring to a person or thing actually present in front

of the speaker,

and

adjective (this), but

is

very nearly equivalent to the demonstrative

must not be confounded with the demonstrative

suffix -a (that)

when the noun

(2)

is

used possessively, adjectivally or ad-

verbially.

Examples,
(1)

(but,

(2)

sandukha ghad
ninka ba 6g
ninka ad arkesa
ninki ad araktei

take the box (which you see)

akhalki sirkalka
nin magaloda

the house of the

galabta

this evening

-u

(iii)

is

the
the

the

man (i.e. he that is

man thou seest
man thou sawest)

man

of the

present)

knows

officer

town

used when referring to a well-known, or already

mentioned, object or person.

Any definition
not employed

if

is

supposed to be unnecessary, and therefore -u is

is qualified by an adjective, nor is it used

the noun

with the object of a sentence.

It

may

be represented in English by the use of

"The"

or

capital letters.

Examples,

The

Sirkalku

Officer (as a soldier

his

Wadadku

company

The Mullah

officer or

(i.e.

would

refer to

Commandant)

Mohammed

Abdallah

Hassan)

ghorahhdu
dayuhu
rbbku
(c)

30.

The

the sun
the

moon

the rain

The Demonstrative

Adjective.

suffixes are,

-an

this

-as, or -a

that

22

ACCIDENCE

20
Examples,

31.

faras-kan
faras-kas
nag-tan
gSd-kas

this

sandukh-an

this

that blanket

ha-shan
magalo-dan

this

camel

this

town

The Demonstrative may be

The

woman

that tree

busta-has

the definite article in two ways

(i)

this horse

that horse

(cf.

box

intensified

198)

by the addition of

and demonstrative adjective both

definite article -a

require linking consonants.

In this case the linking consonant used with the Demonstrative

k for masculine words, and t for feminine words.

Suffix is always

Examples,

woman

nfnkakan

this

man

nagtata

that

gh6rigakan

this

wood

that place

dagahhakan

this stone

mSshatas
sanadukhdatan

(ii)

The

these boxes

definite article is suffixed to the demonstrative without

any linking consonant.

Examples,
that girl

these mei

gabaddasu
gddkasa

this rain

inantasi

that daughter

ninkasa

that

nimankani
rdbkanu
(d)

32.

man

Possessive

Pronominal

my

-ai- (-gi, or -di)

thy

-a- (-gi, or -di)

his

-is- (-i)

her

-Sd- (-i)

our

-fcn- (-i)

our

-aya-

your

-in- (-i)

their

-6d-

that tree

Adjectives.

(including " you ")

(-gi, or -di)

(excluding " you ")

(-i)

Except when qualifying terms of relationship, as "father,"

"mother," "husband," etc., the above suffixes require the definite
Only -ai, -a,
article as well, as given in brackets after each person.
-aya, however, require the linking consonant, the remainder taking
the article without any link.

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE

The
for

linking consonant to the article,

when

masculine words, -d- for feminine words.

Example,

aur-ki

21
used,

is

always

ACCIDENCE

22

wa (is),

This form is most commonly used alone, or with the word

and usually repeats some noun already mentioned.

ninki yimi

Examples,

ninke

P or

4.

34.

The only

the

wa ninke P

man

has come

what man

The Plural of Nouns.

inflexion

which nouns undergo occurs in the

formation of the Plural.

the

There are six methods of forming the Plural, and in all except
first (Masculine Monosyllables) the gender is reversed in the

process,
is

and the linking consonant, required with the

suffixes,

altered from guttural to dental, or vice versa.

35.

(i)

Masculine Monosyllables repeat the

The masculine,

or guttural, linking consonant

is

last

ending in -n, the -n becomes -m, while the inflexion

Examples,

dab-ki

two

retained.
is

letters.

In words

always -an.

PLURAL OF NOUNS
tuka-hi
bilawa-hi

crow

hakama-hi

bridle

odei-gi

old

fCilei-gi

coward

tukyal-shi
bilawyal-shi

plural

dagger

hakamyal-shi

man

23

,,

odyal-shi

,,

fulyal-shi

Exceptions

These plurals are used with the masculine, or guttural, linking

consonant, by Dolbohanta, and other eastern tribes

bustyalki, kdryalki, hakamyalki,

37.

(iii)

Nouns ending

in -o (all Feminine)

etc.

add

-in,

and take

the masculine, or guttural, linking consonant.

Examples,

day
mother

'asho-di

hoyo-di

^udimo-di

38.
If

plural

'ashoin-ki

,,

hoyom-ki

gudimoin-ki

dero-di

gazelle

droin-ki

ghanso-di

bow

ghansoin-ki

(iv)

native axe

Masculine Polysyllables (except those under

the final letter

is

an aspirate or

',

-yo

is

ii)

add

-o.

added.

These plurals take the feminine, or dental linking consonant, the

-o being then usually changed to -a.

Examples,
fandal-ki

ACCIDENCE

24
guri-gi

enclosure

Yibir-ki

Yibir

plural

Midgan-ki Midgan

gurio-hi

Yibro-hi

Midgo-hi

Foreign words often add -yo in other cases than those given in
the rule above

rakab-ki stirrup
kitab-ki

39.

(v)

book

plural

rakabyo-di

kitabyo-di

Words borrowed from

the Arabic usually form their

plurals after the fashion of the broken plurals of that language,

take the feminine linking consonant.

Examples,

sandukh-i

and

CASES OF NOUNS
There exist the following plural nouns,

25

all

of which end in

o and

take the masculine article hi, and therefore belong to this class.

blyo-hi

An

41.

water

'ano-hi

milk

gdo-hi

grass

timo-hi
h61o-hi

hair
flocks,

property

Intensive Plural, ending in -al, -yal,

is

used in poetic

phraseology.

Example,

42.

Idinku baneyal...dftlan ma bulaten P

Have ye over plains and plains gone to war ?
Gerar wa bogholal. Songs are in hundreds.

After Numerals the plural form of a noun

except in the case of Feminine Nouns of class

is

added

men

laba nin

sandukh
sadehh busta
todbba 'asho
afar

4 boxes
3 blankets
7

but,

days

5 she-camels

shan halod

2 places

laba melod
afar joniadod

4 bags
9

sagal bilod

months

Cases of Nouns.

5.

There are no inflexions of the noun to represent the

Declension

and context.

the cases must therefore be distinguished by position

This

is

not an easy matter, and requires a knowledge

of other parts of speech not yet described

to be discussed

44.

not used

to the inflexion.

Examples,

43.

is

In this case

(vi).

under Syntax

The usual order

(i)

An Adverb may

it will

(ii)

first

of

therefore be left

155).

of a simple sentence

Subject,

be placed

(cf.

Object,
all,

(iii)

is,

Verb.

or before the Verb.

ACCIDENCE

26
Examples,

Object

Verb

sandukh

la kali

a box

bring

Subject

sirkalku

faraska

the officer

the horse

galabta

an

Burao

this evening-

Burao

fuleya
is

riding

Adv.

The

45.

harudki

faraska

the jowaree

(to) the horse

Possessive Case

may be

The common method

(i)

is

ghobon dona
am going to reach

|
J

give

}
J

expressed in two ways.

by the use of the Possessive

suffix.

Examples,
a

the Officer his horse

nagti bokhorkeda

the

The Noun

(ii)

man

nin akhalklsu
sirkalku farasklsa

his house

woman

her sash

in the possessive case is placed after the

noun

possessed.

This can only be done where the Possessor

definite article.

defined by the

is

The Possessor always takes the

suffix a.

Example,
not

akhalki ninka
akhalki ninki

(nor

is it

the house of the

possible to say,
for " the

The

akhalki nin

house of a

following are the typical forms

The horse

of the officer

man

man ").

faraski sirkalka

sirkalka farasklsu

or

The horse

A
A

of an officer

far as sirkalka

horse of the officer

fardaha sirkalka mid

has died
(literally, of

nin sirkal farasklsu

horse of the officer

horse of an officer

ba dintei
the horses of the officer one has died).

sirkal farasklsi

ACCIDENCE

28
48.
noun

(i)

K6

is

only used in counting, and

is

never used with a

mid

is

not used to qualify a noun, but

is

used as an Indefinite

Impersonal Pronoun.

nin

one man
one (thing)
one (man)
(ii)

(iii)

The numerals

is

bad

bad

is

19, 29, 39, etc., are usually translated by,

labaton midla

20 minus one = 19

sdddon midla
b6ghol midla

30 minus one = 29
100 minus one = 99

The numerals over 100

(iyo

Time

bogh<51-iyo laba

130

bogh61-iyo s6ddon
bogh61-iyo 16hhyo-afarton
hours

translated by the Cardinal numerals

(sa'adod = hours, may be used.)

is

3 o'clock

sadehhda (sa'adod)

1 o'clock

kddi
labada iyo badki

half-past 2

50.

mid

102

in

Fractions,

= and)

bogh61-iyo

with the Definite Article,

49.

are translated as follows

101

146
(iv)

mid ba hhun
nin ba hhun

PERSONAL PRONOUNS
These are used

like adjectives

29

and follow the nouns they

qualify,

but are not inflected.

a second

nagti afrad

the fourth

ki 16hhad

the sixth

Distributive Numbers.

51.

man
woman

nin labad

No

special

forms are used for

these,

each = kasta

every

= walba

(see 68)

but distributive numbers are usually expressed by the

(S

143

()).

52.

give 10 each

nin ba tdban

one by one

mid mid

in tens

tdban tdban

si

particle

ba

ACCIDENCE

30
Examples,

gortas-u yidi
'had'-an
1

then-he said

imado

Burao-einu nil
lmis'-ad dbnesa

if-I
'

ninki-an ddneya
54.

Very

come

at Burao-we lived

how-many-do-you want ?
the man-(whom)-I want

often, however, these simple

forms are combined with

the letters w-, b-, or y- (which represent certain particles, wa, ba,

ya) and are then used as separate words.

wan, wad, wu,

etc.

are

forms which

may

be used at the

beginning of a sentence, but are never used in any other position.

ban, bad, bu,

,
yan, yad, yu,

etc.]
\

etc.

r
synonymous
forms, and are interchangeable.
J
J
.

are

b-

is

preferred by Eastern and Southern Somalis.

y-

is

preferred by the Coast,

Western and Central

tribes.

These forms usually occur immediately before the verb or

particles, but never at the beginning of a sentence (cf. 236).

its

55. There are two ways of emphasising the Personal Pronouns,

which may be u^ed disjunctively, like the French " moi," " toi," etc.
This

is

done by the addition of the Definite

Article.

In both cases the simple form for the third person singular

masculine

is

The

(i)

is.

article suffix is

added to the simple form without any

linking consonant, thus

ani

adi

Thou

(isi)

ada

ana
arm

adu

isu

These are the only persons which are found

The

(ii)

article suffix

He

(isa)

in this form.

and linking consonant

is

added to the

last

or to the Enclitic forms of the plural.

The

-a and -u suffixes only are used in this case, thus

final

vowel

iB

anigu, aniga

adigu, adiga

Thou

isagu, fsaga

He

iyadu, iyada

She

usually dropped before the personal pronoun, as

here by an apostrophe

'.

is

shown

PERSONAL PRONOUNS
fnnagu,

31

ACCIDENCE

32
59.

These two forms are used very frequently in introducing

questions and answers.

Examples,

mahhad ddnesa P
what do you want ?
hagg'eidin takten
where did you go

muhhuyidi?
what did he say
(2)

60.

)
|

wahhan doneya,
dbneya,

?\
J

|
?

want,

etc.

etc.

wahhannu

tagnei,

etc.)

we went to, etc.

wuhhuyidi...
he

said...

y
J

Objective.

The

objective, or oblique, case of the Personal

Pronouns

has special forms, which are used independently as separate words.

33

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
hers

kd-i

-a -u

tfcd-i

-a -u

ours

kn-i

-a -u

t&n-i

-a -u

ours

kaya-gi -ga -gu

taya-di -da -du

yours

kln-i

-a -u

tln-i

-a -u

theirs

k6d-i

-a -u

t6d-i

-a -u

In the Plural, the above prefix ku, tu, instead of k,

suffix,

kuaigi, tuaidi, kuagi, tuadi,

to the

etc.

Demonstrative Pronouns.

(c)

63.
(

t,

as,

These also have the same forms as the adjectival

suffixes

30), and are used with consonants as above.

Plur.

Sing.

this
i

that

kan, tan

these

kas, tas

those

intensified

by the

kani, kana, kanu, kasa, tasu,

plur.

ktiakan, tiiatan, kiiakas,

or

kuani, tuani, kuasi,

etc.

etc.

etc.

ko, to

that yonder

kuo, tu6

those yonder

article is

used independently as a pronoun in the

ki, ka,

ku

ki kaleh

ta
plur.

is,

The definite
same way.

The

definite article, as follows

sing,

Another form

Fem.

kuan, tuan
kuas, tuas

ka ta

They may be

Masc.

Fem.

Masc.

form

ti,

ta, tu.

the other one

wein

the big one.

is

kuer, tuer

kuer 'ad'ada

Example,
64.

(e?)

the white ones

Relative Pronouns.

None.
65.
(i)

K.

Subjective

(e)

Interrogative Pronouns.

who

what

ya P (sing.)
kue ? (plur.)
3

34

ACCIDENCE
ke

P te ? are also used disjunctively in this sense, as the other

suffixes.

Objective

(ii)

The

66.

adjective, but

ya

mahha

-ma

suffix
is

whom ?
what?

used as an interrogative pronominal

is

wa
is

also

suffixes, as it

really the interrogative particle

is

ninma P
gonna P
-ma

? ( 58)

not included among the other

the typical form, but

definite article,

what man

(cf.

has not
94).

when ?

sa'adma

what hour

is it ?

used suffixed to the simple personal pronouns, and

meaning "which of?"

kuma P tuma P

which one

irmama

which of us

annama ?

(indefinite)

idinma P
iyama P

which of you two

which of them

These are used both subjectively and objectively.

The

possessive case

is,

yaleh ? kumaleh P

la

(similar to the French

This pronoun

is

Indefinite Pronouns.

(/)

67.

whose

one, they, people

pronoun "on," in meaning and construction).

used in construction

like

any simple personal

pronoun.

The

following euphonic alterations take place

pronoun or

particle follows

la

la

u
ku

la

la idin
la

ka

becomes

lei

lo

lagu

leidin

laga

when any simple

ADJECTIVES
68.

The

following are

definite article suffix

wahh-i

when

substantival

35

and are used with the

necessary.

something, anything

gidi-gi

36

37

RADICAL ADJECTIVES
didid-badan
af-badan
adeig-run

sweaty (didid
sharp (af

hardy (adeig

The 3rd person

(ii)

sweat,

badan

plenty)

edge)
hardness,

run

right)

singular Present Perfect Indicative of

a verb, being really an adjectival Relative Clause.

nin ghora

arka
an la arkin

la

interpreter, eloquent
visible

invisible

Inflexions of Adjectives.

2.

75.

lit. a man who writes

knowing how to ride

clerk,

yaghan
af yaghan

fuli

Adjectives are inflected to agree with the nouns they

qualify in the following cases

(i)

in the plural number,

(ii)

when the noun

defined by the article suffix

is

-i

(and in

certain cases -a),

in case

(iii)

and

fern,

(ii)

the inflexion

is

(dental) linking consonants

(a)

76.

The

Radical Adjectives.

Reduplicate the

("Article -ki, -gi, -hi.

(iii)J

[Article

(iv)

If the

only agrees with

The

Note.

34).

following general rules are followed

Plural.

(i)
(ii)

different for masc. {guttural),

(cf.

-ti, -di.

noun

is

first syllable,

Add
Add

-a.

-eid.

defined with article, -a, the adjective

it in

number.

rule

for

the inflexions

-a,

-eid,

(ii

and

iii)

is

invariable.

But when qualifying plural nouns with the definite article (other
than the Reduplicated Plurals, as niman), adjectives may or may
Thus,
not take the plural inflexion (cf. 164).
nagihi waweina, or nagihi weina the big women,
askarrti

When

hhunhhumeid,

or askarrti

hhumeid

the bad soldiers.

qualifying the Reduplicated Plurals, and

plurals, the plural inflexion of the adjective is

Examples,

nimanki waweina
nago wawein
askarr

hhunhhun

all

indefinite

always required.

ACCIDENCE

38

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5 S -a
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d^

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"3
-3

FP
<

<

ii

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5 S

1p* t g

2s
55

5PI

If

s5 5

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12 02

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to

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bog
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d *

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a>

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39

DERIVATIVE ADJECTIVES
Derivative Adjectives.

(b)

These are not usually inflected (except some Verbal adjecwhen qualifying a plural noun, the inflexion entirely depending

77.
tives)

on the

and linking consonant.

definite article, suffix,

Verbal Adjectives.

(i)

same as for Radical Adjectives,

reduplicated
in the plural
are
some
except that only

The

78.

Inflexions are the

sing,

good

plur.
sing,

broad

plur.
sing,

stout

plur.
sing.

empty

plur.
sing.

absent

plur.
sing.

tied

plur.
sing.

clean

Indefinite, orDef.
Art. -ka, -ta

Def. Art. -ki

wanaksan

wanaksana

wanaksaneid

baladan
balbaladan

baladna
balbaladna

baladneid
balbaladneid

buran
burburan

burra
burburra

burreid
burburreid

madan
madmadan

madaneid
madana
madmadana madmadaneid

maghan

maghana

maghaneid

hedan
hedhedan

hedna
hedhedna

hedneid
hedhedneid

safeisan

safeisana

safeisaneid

Def. Art.

-ti

plur.)
(ii)

79.

Noun

Adjectives.

These are not altered in the Plural.

Classes

(i),

(ii),

and

(iii)

(adjectives in -leh, -la, -ah), obey

the following rules

1.

If the qualified

noun

is

defined by

-a, or

-i,

the noun portion

of the adjective takes its proper article suffix -a.

2.

After Article -a (guttural or dental) there

is

no further

inflexion.
3.

After Article

-i

the terminal portion of the adjective

inflected
(a)

After Masc. (Gutt.) Link. Cons.

-ki, -gi, -hi

(b)

-a

is

added

After Fern. (Dent.) Link. Cons.

-ti,

-di

-aid

is

added

is

also

ACCIDENCE

40

Inflexions of
Art. -ka, -ta

Indefinite

Adjectives
Art.

Art. -ki

-ti

garadkaleh

garadkalaha

garadkalahaid

akhligaleh

akhligalaha

akhligalahaid

oghdntaleh

oghdntalaha

oghontalahaid

uskaggaleh

uskaggalaha

uskaggalahaid

barahaleh

barahalaha

barahalahaid

blyahaleh

blyahalaha

blyahalahaid

garadkala

garadkalaa

garadkalaaid

indahala

indahalaa

indahalaaid

lugtala

lugtalaa

lugtalaaid

haulla
unemployed

haushala

haushalaa

haushalaaid

farldah

farldkaah

farldkaaha

farldkaahaid

birtaah

birtaaha

birtaahaid

ghorigaah

ghorigaaha

ghorigaahaid

garadleh

(i)

Noun

sensible

akhlileh
sensible

oghonleh
knowing

uskagleh
dirty

baraleh
spotted

blyoleh

containing water
(ii)

garadla
senseless

indala
blind

lugla
legless

(iii)

clever

birah
of iron

ghoriah
wooden

The

following have special plural forms

'ajisah

(sing,

'ajiskaah

'ajiskaaha

'ajiskaahaid

lazy

\plur.

'ajisintaah

'ajisintaaha

'ajisintaahaid

gesiah

(sing,

brave

\plur.

gesigaahaid
gesigaaha
gesigaah
gesiyintaah gesiyintaaha gesiyintaahaid

80.

The

last class of

Noun

Adjectives, in -ed, have only one

inflexion.

When qualifying a noun with

number they take -a.
The e is usually dropped.

article suffix

-i

of any gender or

COMPOUND ADJECTIVES
Somalied
Arabed

Examples,

Somalida
Arabta

biladki Somalida

the Somali country

Arabta

afki

Compound

(c)

41

the Arab language

Adjectives.

It is impossible to give rules for the inflexions of these,

81.

since as far as possible the necessity is avoided,

by a separation into

the component parts, and the natives themselves are by no means

unanimous on the question.

The following examples, however, are given, being the few types
that I have satisfied myself about
af

badan sharp
mindi af badan
:

sharp knife

a sharp knife

or,

mindida af ka badan

the

mindidi af ka badneid

mindiyo afaf badbadan sharp knives

mindiyaha afafka badbadan, or, mindiyihi afafka
badbadna the sharp knives
hog wein strong
nin, ninka, nag, nagta, hog wein a, or the, strong man,
or woman
ninki or nimanki, hog weina the strong man, or men
nagihi hog
nagti hog weineid the strong women
weina the strong women.
af yaghan eloquent
:

In adjectives like this the verb

agrees in

is

conjugated and therefore

number and gender.

nin af yaghan
nag af taghan
ninki

ninka

^ a Y agnan

woman

the eloquent

man

nagti

nagta

an eloquent man

a fka taghan

woman

,,

niman

af yaghanin
nago af yaghanin
nimanki
nimankal a ^^ a yagbanin

eloquent
,,

men
women

nagihi

nagahaf

afka y a han

the eloquent

men
women

ACCIDENCE

42
This

adjective

may

derivative adjectives

it is

inflected regularly like such

afyaghankaaha,

afyaghanah, afyaghankaah,
afy aghank aah aid.

Comparison of Adjectives.

(3)

82.

There

This want

than

u,

is

no inflexion

comparison of Adjectives.

for the

supplied by the use of the particles

is

ugu

is

bigger than that house

mid ka wein la kali

ki u wanaksana

bring a bigger one

The best
Which is

ya ugu horeya ?

first

that

sadehhdas kan ba wein

of those three this

C.

The Verb has

is

best
is

the biggest

Verbs.

Moods and

(a)

four

moods

Tenses.

Imperative,

Indicative,

Infinitive,

Subjunctive.

Also, Verbal Adjective, or Past Participle,

and Verbal Noun.

There are three Regular Conjugations, distinguished by the

form of the Verb root, and the formation of the

The Verb

root

is

the 2nd person singular

1st Conjugation.

The

Conjugation.

1.

84.

of all

usually translated by ba, sa.

is

kas sa wanaksan

83.

more, more

akhalkan akhalkas ka wein

This house

in

ka

most,

Examples,

"is most,"

and take the

be treated as one word,

termination -ah, in which case

Root ends

in

a consonant.

2nd

-o.

3rd

-i.

Infinitive is

Infinitive.

of the Imperative.

formed

1,

2 and

3,

by adding -i to the root.

by adding -n to the root.

VERBS
The

85.

following

is

43

a paradigm of the verb sheg

(tell),

regular verb of the 1st Conjugation.

There are four terminations

-a

for the

Tense

used in the Present Indicative tenses.

is

-e

-o

,,

rast

,,

Potential tense.

Subjunctive mood.

,,

Imperative

sheg

tell

Verb Adjective

told.

Verb Noun

shegan
shegnin

Infinitive

shegi

to tell

Indicative

inflexions,

thou,

telling,

Aorist
Preterite

Continuative Present

Continuative Past

Future Definite
Habitual Present

Habitual Past
Conditional

wa shega
wa shSgei
wa shSgeya
wa shSgeyei
wa shegi d6na
wa shegi jira
wa shegi jirei
wa sh&gi laha

am

I (usually) tell, I

have

told,

am

was

I
I

am
am

used to

would,

to

had

told,

tell.

told.

intend to

telling,

tell.

telling.

going to

tell.

in the habit of telling.

tell.

should

or

tell,

would have, or should

have told.

an shege

Potential

Subjunctive

may, might

tell.

(hadi)an shgo
(hadi)an shSgeyo

Aorist

Continuative

(If) I tell, told,

(If)

had

were to

told.

tell,

were

telling.

(hadi)an shegi ddno

Future

(If)

were,

about to

(hadi)an shegi jiro

Habitual

(If)

had

were,

had

accustomed to

The

86.
(i)

The

tenses

fall

been,

tell.

been,

tell.

into three classes,

Aorist, Preterite,

and Potential Indicative, and the

Aorist Subjunctive, are simple or radical, and the terminations

are added directly to the root.
1

wa

is

a particle used frequently with the verb, and

a personal pronoun.

may

take the plaoe of

44

ACCIDENCE
In the Continuative tenses the terminations are,

(ii)

-eya

(or -aya,

or -ahaya),

-eyei (or -ayei, or -ahayei),

-eyo (or -ayo,

or -ahayo).

These are suffixed, in the 1st Conjugation apparently

but in the 2nd and 3rd Conjugations to the Infinitive.

The

syllable

(iii)

The

ey

is

short

and

is

to the root,

not accented.

third class consists of Auxiliary tenses, formed by

the Infinitive with an auxiliary verb.

87.

In the 2nd Conjugation (verbs ending in

often changed to -a in the Infinitive

-o),

the -o

is

and other moods.

In the Simple tenses of this Conjugation,

is

inserted between

the root and tense termination.

Examples,

88.

baro
jdgso

learn

Infinitive

stop

wan jbgsoda

baran
I

stop

There are three persons in the Singular and Plural, and

two genders in the 3rd person singular.

The

following are the variations in the four tense terminations

for the different persons.

Sing.

1.

2.

AFFIRMATIVE CONJUGATION

45

ACCIDENCE

46

Confirmative Past

was

Sing.

3 m.
3f.
1.

shdgeyei
shegesei
shegenei

3.

gilrsanenei

gursanesen
gtirsaneyen

Future

am

going

shegi

1.

Plur.

was making

sameineyei
sameinesei
sameineyei
sameinesei
samdinenei

sameinesen
sameineyen

Definite.

going

am

marry

to

going

make

gursan dona samein dona

donta
ddnta

,,

d6na
donta

2.

am

to

to tell
Sing.

gtirsanesei

shegesen
shSgeyen

2.

was marrying

gursaneyei
gursanesei
gursaneyei

shegeyei
hegeyei
shegesei

1.

2.

Plur.

telling

3 m.

d6na

3f.

dbnta

1.

donna

etc.

etc.

ddntan
ddnan

2.
3.

Habitual Present.
I

am

accustomed

am accustomed

to tell

to

ddna

am

accustomed

to

make

samein

gursan jira

shegi jira
declined like "

marry

jira

" above.

Habitual Past.
I

Sing.

Plur.

used to

tell

1.

shegi jirei

2.

shegi jirtei

3 m.

shegi jirei

3f.

shegi jirtei

1.

shegi jirnei

2.

shegi jirten

3.

shegi jiren

used to marry

gursan
etc.

jirei

used to make

samein
etc.

jirei

AFFIRMATIVE CONJUGATION

47

48

ACCIDENCE
Future.

Sing.

ddno

1.

shdgi

2.

shSgi ddnto
etc. as "

gursan dbno
etc.

samein d6no
etc.

shSgo."
Habitual.

shegl jiro
etc.

90.

The

gursan jiro
etc.

jiro

etc.

following table gives all the types necessary for the

formation of the tenses of a regular verb

Conjugation

samSin

NEGATIVE CONJUGATION
Subjunctive

49

50

ACCIDENCE
Indicative.

Aorist.

{Conjugated like Aorist Subj. Affirmative.)

THE CONTINUATIVE TENSES

Habitual Present.

51

ACCIDENCE

52

with the Infinitive of the principal verb, as in the case

q.v.) is used,

of

compound

tenses.

In the Negative tenses this

1st Conjugation retains the

The negative

or

an

more

In the past tenses the

mahain

(for

yeli

ma-ahain)]

or, I

These are contracted by Ishhak

main,

The Subjunctive Mood

or,

and here the

am

not telling

ma may be separated

ma yeli aham

or,

clearly seen,

mahayo, or shdgi mayo

(for ma-ahayo)

shSgi

yeli

is

of the Infinitive.

ahai are used as a separate word with

tenses of

ma,

the particles

-i

is

or

was not doing,

would not do

tribes into

ma yelinin

similarly formed

hadanu yeli ahain)

hadanu yelinin J

93.

(d)

The

Interrogative particle

^ he

will

not do.

Interrogative Conjugation.
is

ma,

which,

when combined with

Personal Pronouns, becomes mi.

The Conjugation

is

otherwise the same as the Affirmative.

Indicative

mian shSga P mian gursada P mian sameya P

mian shSgei P
etc.
etc.
mian shSgeya P
mian shdgeyei P
mian shgi ddna P
mian shegi jira P
mian shegi jirei P
mian shSgi laha P

Aorist
Preterite

Contin. Pres.

Past

Future Def.
Habit.

Pres.

Past

Conditional

(e)

94.

No

Negative- Interrogative Conjugation.

Here the negative

tense

is

particle used

is

an.

declined except the Conditional, which

as in the simple Negative form.

is

the same

FIRST CONJUGATION

53

Indicative

mianan shSgin ?\
mianan shegin ?J
mianan shdginin ?\
mianan sheginin ?J
mianan shegi dbnin

Aorist
Preterite

Contin. Pres.
Contin. Past

Fut. Def.

mianan

mianan

gursan

sameln

mianan

gursaninin ? samdininin P
P

mianan

mianan
samSin
ddnin ?

gursan
ddnin ?

mianan shegi jirin P

mianan shegi jirin ?

Habit. Pres.

Past

mianan shegen

Conditional

mianan
I

mianan

gursan

samin

jirin ?

jirin P

mianan

mianan

mianan

gursaden? sameyen?

Peculiarities

2.

and Irregular Verbs of the Three

1st Conjugation.

(a)

95.

These

verbs have

aspirate, guttural aspirate

The

Conjugations.

the root ending in any consonant,

(gh or kh), or

"aim"

or 6.

following changes take place in certain letters

when they

occur together
1

followed by t become sh.

n, after
t,

after

or

r, is

often assimilated to either of the latter.

gh, kh, hh,

',

and

6,

i,

becomes d.

Examples,
dil

kill.

hel

get,

yel

do,

dagal

fight

Aorist.
Sing.

Plur.

1.

dila

hela

yela

dagala

2.

disha

hesha

yesha

dagasha

1.

dilla

hella

yella

dagalla

2.

dishan

heshan

yeshan

dagashan

dirra, or dirna

dir

send... 1st Plur. Aorist

dirir

fight...

dirirra, or dirirna

jir

be

jirra, or jirna.

...

54

FIRST CONJUGATION

55

Aorist Indicative.
Sing.

arka
arakta
aragna
araktan

1.

2.

Plur.

1.

2.

hadla

dulma

hadasha

dulunta

makhla
makhasha

dulunna makhalla
hadashan duluntan makhashan

hadalla

Present Continuative Indicative.

Sing.

arkeya
arkesa
arkena
arkesan

1.

2.

Plur.

1.

,,

2.

The

97.
into e or

dulmeya

makhleya

diilmesa

'makhalesa

hadlena
hadlesan

diilmena makhalena
dulmesan makhalesan

following verbs

in the Infinitive

Root.

hadleya
hadlesa

(all

containing the vowel a) change a

and the Continuative Tenses

tag

go

tegi

gal

enter

geli

ka'

get up

ke'i

da'

fall,

na'

hate

ni'i

gama'

sleep

gam'i
bihhi

or rob

di'i

bahh go
dahh travel
nahh be astounded
tahh
Exc. nahh

dagh

put in

Aorist Indie.

Infin.

dihhi
nihhi
tihhi

line

be fat

nahhi

save

dighi

daba' imprint

dabi'i

make

The

following

da

leave

dein

daya

deineya

la

slay

lein

laya

leineya

98.

Infinitives like the 3rd Conjugation

Verbs ending in

6, require

after the root in all inflexions,

except those beginning with a consonant.

is

used for t in the inflexions.

Infin.

'ato

gabo be
ghabo be
hallo

'atobi

be tired

gabobi
ghabobi

old

cold

hallabi

be lost

makhal

Participle

The forms

retains the

gama'san

in these persons.

asleep.

of the Contin. tenses of these verbs

must be

noticed.

Cf 92.
.

56

OLL
The verb

100.

and Past Perfect

oil

be

in, dwell), is

irregular in the Present

Indicative.

dwell

Imperative

oil

Infinitive

olli

Indicative

(lie,

57

(Neg.

ma al)
ma ollin)

Aorist

al

I dwell

Preterite

il

dwelt (Neg.

611eya

am

dlleyei

was dwelling

Contin. Pres.

Past

ddna

dwelling, I intend to dwell

Fut. Def.

olli

Habit. Pres.

olli jira

am
am

Past

olli jirei

used to dwell

Conditional

611i lalaa

would

going to dwell

accustomed to dwell
dwell, or

would have dwelt

Subjunctive
Aorist

Continuative

inan olio
inan 611eyo

that

that

Aorist Indie.

Sing.

Plur.

may
may

al

il

2.

tal

til

3 m.

yal

yil

tal

til

nal

nil

1.

dwell

Preterite Indie.

1.

f.

dwell

2.

talin

tillen

3.

yalin

yillen

Note that the consonants denoting the persons are prefixed

to

the verb, and that there are no personal endings in these tenses
(except in 2nd and 3rd plur.).

The Negative form

of the Present

ma al
ma tal
etc.

(b)

101.
is

is

the same as the Affirmative.

do not dwell
etc.

2nd Conjugation.

In this Conjugation the root ends in o, and the Infinitive

formed by adding n, but in a great many cases the o

is

changed

to a.

This change
tinuative tenses.

may

also

take place in both Simple and Con-

ACCIDENCE

58

added to the root, before adding the

pers. and 3rd pers. fern. sing, the
2nd
tense terminations, but
t of the termination, and in
into
the
assimilated
d is lost, being
d
before
the n.
dropped
is
the
plur.
1st
pers.
the
In the Simple tenses

is

in the

Table

102.

The o

in

the

I.

Simple tenses

is

long,

or at

accentuated as the preceding syllable.

The consonant

before the

is,

h, sh, k, g,

j,

or

',

or y.

least

as

SECOND CONJUGATION

59

Table III.

104. Verbs ending in so, which is preceded by a consonant, or

hho, have the vowel of the Simple tenses short, but it may or
may not be changed to a.
in

ACCIDENCE

60

A wist
Sing.

buy

Ibso

Example,

Indicative.

1.

wa

1.

wa

2.

,,

Ibsota

2.

,,

Ibsona
Ibsotan

3 m.

Ibsha

3.

.,

Ibshan

3f.

.,

Ibsota

Ibsha

buy

Plur.

Preterite.

Aorist.
Similarly,

badso

makes

badsha,
ghaibsha,
bahhsa,

badshei
ghaibshei
bahhsei

ghaibso

bahhso

gtirso

gursa,

gCirsei

bukso

buksa,

buksei

,,

Table IV.
is preceded by, b, d, d, f, gh,
These drop the o in the Simple tenses, except in
2nd pers. and 3rd fem. sing, and 1st plur., in which the vowel
usually appears as short a in 2nd and 3rd fern., and as o in 1st plur.

105.

kh,

1,

In

In the following verbs o

n,

r, s.

all

persons the

of the Simple tenses becomes

gh, kh.
It,

as usual, becomes sh.

haiso

Example,

have got

Aorist Indicative.

wa ha'ista

have got

wa

haisona

t,

except after

SECOND CONJUGATION

61

12

THIRD CONJUGATION

63

ACCIDENCE

64
109.
tion,

Certain verbs in

adding

the 2nd and 3rd

Root

are conjugated like the

-yi in the Infinitive.

fern, persons.

first

Conjuga-

These take -d instead of

-t in

AHO
Habit. Pres.

Past

,,

Conditional
Potential

Subjunctive
111.

It

is

65

wan
wan
wan

ahain jira
ahain jirei
ahain laha
an ahade
inan ahado
only irregular

in

usually

used to be

should be

may

that

the

am

I
I

be

may

Infinitive

be

and

Indicative.

There are no Continuative tenses.

Past.
I

am

wan aha
wad ahaid

was

wu aha
wei ahaid
weinu ahain
weidin ahaiden
wei ahayen
112.

When aho

is

the Present Indicative.

conjugated negatively,

it is

only irregular in

ACCIDENCE

66

Present Indicative Affirmative.

Sing.

wa hSdnahai

1.

wa weinahai

tied

am large

,,

weinyahai
weintahai

1.

hedhedannahai

waweinnahai

2.

3.

hedhedantihin
hedhedanyihin

waweintihin
waweinyihin

3 m.

3
Plur.

am

hedantahai
hedanyahai
hedantahai

2.

,,

f.

weintahai

,,

Present Indicative Negative.

Sing.

3.

ma hedni I am
ma hednid
ma hedna
ma hedna
ma hednin
ma hednidin
ma hedna

1.

wa hedna

1.

2.

3 m.
3
Plur.

f.

1.

2.

not tied

ma weini I am not
ma weinid
ma weina
ma weina
ma weinin
ma weinidin
ma weina

large

Past Indicative Affirmative.

Sing.

2.

Plur.

3 m.

,,

1.

2.

,,

3.

was

wa weina

tied

hednahaid
hedna
hednahaid
hedhednahain
hedhednahaiden
hedhednahayen

was big

weinahaid
weina
weinahaid

waweinahain
waweinahaiden
waweinahayen

Past Indicative Negative.

Sing.

maan hednahain

1.

maan weinahain

was not tied

was not big

etc.

etc.

114.

The

adjectival roots,

6g (knowing),

ja'al (liking), ogdl

(agreeing), are similarly conjugated with aho, in the Present

Past tenses.
Past Affirm.

Pres. Affirm.

wa

dgahai

ja'alahai

I like

ogblahai

know
agree

wa dgaha

knew

ja'alaha

liked

ogdlaha

agreed

and

'

LAHO

67

Pres. Negative

ma dgi
ma ja'alihi
ma ogdlihi

Past Negative

do not know

do not like

do not agree

maan bgahain
maan ja'alahain
maan ogblahain

know

did not

did not like

did not agTee

Other tenses are formed according to the 2nd conjugation from

the verbs,

ogho

know

ja'alo

like

ogdlo

agree

After adjectives ending in

flexions is

a, h,

6, the t of the

Personal in-

changed to d.

wa lugoladahai
wa garadlhdahai
wa dddahai
115.

(q.v.)

The verb laho

(possess), is

she

is

legless

she

is

sensible

it is

near

conjugated like aho.

68

WAH
It

may

69

also govern substantival sentences, introduced

by in

malihi inan ku ra'o, it is not my business to go with you.

inad berrl takto bad lehdahai, you ought (have) to go
to-morrow.

wan.

117.

The verb

root

wan

is

conjugated as an irregular defective verb,

and is used as an auxiliary

"cannot find."

verb, meaning,

It is only conjugated in the Present

in

one tense of the Subjunctive.

"fail,"

and Past

"be unable,"

Indicative,

and

70

ACCIDENCE
118.

(e)

There

The Passive Voice.

no Passive Voice in the conjugation of the Somali

is

verb.

two ways

It is translated in

(i)

by the Past Participle and the verb aho,

(ii)

by the Indefinite pronoun

la,

cf.

113

with the 3rd pers. masc. sing,

of the Active voice of the verb.

Here la is identical in meaning and construction with the French

pronoun on, and means "they," "people," "one."
Examples,

wahha la yidi
wahhba lagu ma
lei

la

shegei

it is

falo

na ghobs6neya

said

nothing

is

done with

it

was told

we

shall be

caught

In neither case can the Instrument be expressed.

If required,

the Instrument must be expressed as the Subject

ninkan igu

diftei

was struck by

3.

this

Derivative

man

(this

man

struck me).

Verbs.

These are, Intensive, Reflexive, Attributive, Causative,

and may be formed from either nouns, adjectives, or verbs.
119.

120.

(a)

Intensive verbs express an emphatic,

intensified or

repeated action, and are formed by reduplication of the simple

radical verb.

Examples,
lab

These

all

belong to the 1st Conjugation.

DERIVATIVE VERBS
121.
or

may

-so to a

(b)

These are
Examples,
fadl

Reflexive verbs imply doing something to or for oneself,

be passive in meaning.

noun

71

They

or verb (words ending in

all

of the

are formed by adding -o or

i

2nd Conjugation.

always take -so).

72

ACCIDENCE

74
Examples,

wada kena
wada ghadei

fardihi

bring

la

they are

kala durka
kala dufo
kala goi

move

all

removed

apart, separate

stretch out

cut apart

go on

so so'o

come on

si

j&so

turn that way

turn this

si

gal

go in

so jSso
so gal

si so'o

so

wada kahhai

bring

Other Adverbial Particles are

ha, yan,

ma.

ma, an.

come

way

in

all

Negative Particles.

Interrogative Particle.

wa, ba, ya.

si

91, 145.

Cf.

Cf. 94, 145.

Affirmative Particles.

Further idiomatic meanings of

si

the ponies

all

Cf.

138

144.

and so should be noticed

"continue" an action

means
si shakhei
si baro

so means

" begin " to

continue to work

continue to learn

do something, or " go and

" do...

so ardri hdlaha
so Ibso

go and water the flocks

so safei

go and clean

126.

(6)

go and 'buy

for yourself

Prepositional Particles (ku, u, ka, la).

ku at, in, by means

blyo galaska ku snub

of,

for

pour some water into the glass

ged bu ku hedna

he was tied to a tree

'el

bu ku da'ei
ku ghobo
hadig ku hed
gel bannu ku dlrirra

he

ga'anta

hold with your hand

on account of:
taktei P

mahhad u

fell

into a well

tie

with a rope

we

fight for camels

what did you go

to (a person)

sirkalki

Farah u

gei

tag

go to the

officer

take to Farah

for?

75

PARTICLES

ka

from, across, concerning

mdsha ka kali
mSsba ka taga
ka ghob
ka goi
debbda ka talab
muska ka bdd
wanbas wabhba ka garan

come from that place

go away from there
pour away
cut off

go across the nullah

jump
I

mayo

that

together with

la

na

over the fence

understand nothing about

come with us

la ra'

wa ku

badleya

la

(a)

s6, or

sbo

Introductory Particles.

perhaps

magaladu jdga
so garan maysid P

perhaps he

so

mala, malaba

mala wa

is

in the

town

don't you understand

(lit.

thought)

probably

he has probably run away

ararei

The meaning

bal.

talking with you

Conjunctive Particles.

2.

127.

am

of this

is

impossible to express.

It is

used

in the following constructions,

With Imperative

(i)

With the

(ii)

bal kali

well,

bal an 6go

let

particle in, introducing

weidi bal inei fdgtabai

(b)

ask

come

me

look,

then

an indirect question

if it is far

Conjunctive Particles.

and (coupling two substantives)

o and (coupling two clauses).
-na and, also, (a suffix, usually introducing a

iyo

-se

but

(a suffix).

ama, mise,
a

badi

fresh sentence)

if

either, or

these usually require the Subjunctive mood,

Examples,

Farab iyo aniga,

Farah and I.
6rod o s6 ghad, run and fetch it.
wa adagyahai o lagu goin kari mayo,

it is

hard and cannot be

cut.

ACCIDENCE

76

adiguna mahhad ddnesa

isna

wa t6gei,

dabed6dna,

and what do you want

he too has gone.

and afterwards.

wa jdgei, ninkuse ararei, 1 was there, but the man ran

am a tag am a j6g, either go or stay.
ma shegtei mise ilddei P did you tell or forget?

away.

inad takto ban ddneya, I want you to go.

hadu yimado, i kali, if he comes, come to me.

E.

128.

Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions.

With the exception

last section, these parts

of the radical particles given in the

of speech are represented in Somali by

substantival expressions.

Adverbs of Quality and Manner

129.

ain-ki

kind, sort

ainkan, ainkas

like this, like that

si-di

manner

sida, sidas, or sas

si is also

so,

thus

used with an adjective, forming an abstract substantive

si

wanaksan

si

hhun

good manner

si 'ajis

Such expressions with the

bad

lazy

particle

u become

adverbial.

Examples,
si

wanaksan u samei
make properly
'ajis u shakheineya he is working lazily

wa si
The

ad

following nouns are

commonly used

in this

way with u:

ADVERBS
130.

Adverbs of Time and Place

Time

gor-ti, kol-ki,

Place

mel-shi, hal-ki, hag-gi.

mar-ki, had-di, wa-tfi. b6ri-gi, gelin-ki.

Time.
this time

77

78

ACCIDENCE
131.

of

Interrogative Adverbs.

what

sort

how ?
how much
why ?
when ?
at

side P

often

mahha u P
gonna P
?

long

where

how

inte P

what time

how
how

ainma P

far

(cf.

195)

hadma P
Imisa gor P
halkyo gonna P
halke? hagge P melma
inte?

132.

me P

meyei

medei

Prepositions.

The simple prepositions

by the Particles (cf. 126).

(to, for,

from, with, etc.) are represented

Other prepositions are represented by Adverbial Nouns, the word

governed being placed in the possessive

(cf.

This

201).

may

done by using the adverb alone, with the governed word following
in the possessive position, as

Or the adverb

as, like

sidi na's

like a fool

gorti dagalki

at the time of battle

is

used with the possessive adjective, as

akhalka hortlsi

in front of the house

jbniad gudaheda

inside a bag

sidi

before

dibaddlsi

outside

at the time of gorti, kolki,

hortlsi

marki

beside

gestisi

around

harerodlsi

among dehhdlsi

after

dabadlsi

between,

until

hadyo

opposite

hortlsi

since

halkyo gorti

beyond
on this side of

ka shish6i
ka sdkei

fdgtlsi

instead of

over, on

dushlsi

for the sake of

under

hdstlsi

behind

in front of

hortlsi

within

meshlsi
awadlsi
damblsi
gudahlsi

near to
far

from

inti

agtlsi

and,

except

mahai

without

laan

be
it

133.

ACCIDENCE

80
135.

Salutations.

Nabad

Peace
Beply

Greeting
1

ma nabad ba ?
or

sd nabad

mlya P

is it

peace

wa nabad

or

it is

nabad weiye
I
wa nabad ghobta

ma nabad gh6botaP have you

mahhad

sh6gta P

have

peace

peace ?
a

peace

what do you nabad ban shega

I tell

peace

tell?
3

ma bariden P

are you safe

ba, barinei

yes,

safe

sid6 tahai P

how

ka warran
mesha ka warran

give news of yourself

'ss

are you

give news of the place

ma bukta P
ma buksanesa P
ma ladantahai P

are you getting better

wa ka si

dara
1

2
8

are you sick

are you well

am

worse

The formal salutation.

The colloquial, informal
Corresponds to

greeting,

"Good morning."

"

How

do you do

"

we

are

PART

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES.

III.

The Structure of a Simple Sentence.

A.

Order of Words.

1.

of a simple sentence, such as a

The usual order

136.

or statement,

command

is

Subject.

1.

Object.

2.

3.

Verb.

Examples,
V.

O.

sor

na

give us fond.

si,
V.

0.

faraska korei,

nin ba libahh

Time

man

dilei,

has killed a

lion.

Adverbs may be placed anywhere except

137.
of

saddle the horse.

l\

0.

S.

are usually placed

0.

haddatan aurta

first.

rera,

load the camels at once.

v.

faraska dakhso u so kahhai,

a.

s.

markasa ninki

Adverbs

V.

a.

o.

last,

fetch the horse quickly.

v.

yidi,

then the

man

said.
v.

o.

a.

s.

habarti ba habenki dambe akhalki Suldanka so ag martei,

the old woman on the following night passed near the Sultan's house.
a.

s.

o.

v.

'ashodi dambe ya habarti barlyo donatei,

on the following day the old woman begged alms.
o.

s.

a.

v.

ninka holihlsi Burao bu gSineya,

the

man

is

taking his flocks to Burao.

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

82
138.

The Particles wa, ba, ya.

2.

These particles are of such universal occurrence, and so essential

to idiomatic speech, that a correct understanding of their use

No one meaning

necessary at the outset.

them, as each

may

is

can be assigned to

represent at one time a pronoun, at another a

definite or indefinite article, at another the verb "is," "are,"

and at

yet another time an adverb.

may

Their meanings

All three,

(i)

ma is a

be divided into two classes

wa, ba, ya,

are Particles of Affirmation, just as

Particle of Negation or Interrogation.

wa draws
ba, and

attention to,

ya

and precedes, the verb,

draw attention to, and

(especially ba),

follow,

the subject.

ya

ba, and

(ii)

(especially ya),

verbial particles, often to be translated

This usage

139.
If

is

(i)

may

be conjunctive or ad-

by "and

so,"

"and then."

found in narratives.

As

Particles of Affirmation.

used without either a personal pronoun or a

particle,

a verb

is

considered abrupt.

Compare ba and
In

(Note.

form may

wa

in the following examples

these cases

ba and ya are synonymous, and either

ba is preferred by Eastern and

be used equally, but

Central tribes.)

nin ba yimi
nin wa yimi
Farah ba yimi
Farah wa yimi

1.

2.
3.

4.
1,

that "
2,

mean

it is

a
a

man
man

has come

has arrived

Farah has come

Farah has arrived

respectively that "it

is

man

that has come," and

Farah that has come."

mean

respectively that " a

man

(as expected, or ordered)

has arrived," and that "Farah (as expected,

ordered)

has

case the information relates to the individual

who

or

arrived."

In the

has come

first

in the

second case

it

relates to the arrival of

some known

person.

In short,

ba emphasizes the

identity of the subject, while

emphasizes the meaning of the verb.

wa

WA, BA, YA

83

wa may be used with a verb

ba may be used when no verb is

This explains the fact that

140.

when no

subject

expressed, and

is

expressed.

Examples,

wa imaneya
wa wanaksanyahai

he

sadehhdas ba wanaksan
ma Arab ba ?
nin ba la dilei

those three are the best

hdlihi

wa

hdlihi rag

is

Ismail ba ka da'ei

it

men

Ismail's

looted the flocks

distinguishes the subject from the object where

ba thus

141.

he an Arab ?
has been killed

man

Musa

otherwise

good

the flocks have been looted

la da'ei

Musa

coming

is

it is

would be doubtful.

Examples,

nin libahh ba ghobtei

nin ba libahh ghobtei
142.
(a)

Special uses of

wa

assists or

especially emphasizes

a lion caught a
a

man caught

man

a lion

wa.

emphasizes the meaning of the verb, but

in reply to a question, ex-

an affirmation

pressed or understood.

ma imaneya ?
Is

he coming

ma garanSsa ?

wa

ha,
Yes, he

ha,

Do you understand ?
(b)

wa

means

imaneya.
coming.

is

wa

garanSya.

Yes,

understand.

"is," "are," where the

complement

is

a noun or

numeral, and not an adjective.

wa nin hhun
wa shabel
wa afar
wa kan
wa ke?
wa kuma ?
wa inte P
wa mahai P

he

a bad

is

it is

man

a leopard

they are four

here he

which

is

is it ?

who are you ?

how much is it ?
what

is it ?

62

84

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

Where

(c)
is

the complement of "is," "are,"

used, but the verb

aho

(be)

is

an adjective,

is

wa hhiinyahai
wa 'ultistahai
sirkalka wa ogyahai

the officer

wayahai, watahai

all right, so

hadalkas

that arrangement

la'agti

the

When

(d)

wa

also used, suffixed to the adjective.

the Preterite tense

is

money

is

bad

heavy
knows
is

be

used with

it

wa

it

becomes a

Perfect or Completed tense.

wa yimi
wa arkei
143.
(a)

Special uses of

he has come
I

ba and

have seen

ya.

ba, or ya, emphasizes the identity of the subject, especially

in reply to a question expressed or understood.

ya ku la ra'eya ? Farah ba i la
who is going with you ? Farah is.

ra'eya.

ma

timi ? ha, Jama ba yimi.

'id
has anyone come ? Yes, Jama has.

Suldan ba inan laha.

(there was) a Sultan (who)
(b)

When

had a

son.

the subject of a sentence

is

a numeral

it

nearly

always requires ba, or ya.

soddon ba joga
laba ba maghan
imisa ba jbga ?
(Note.
(c)

"are,"

ba

two are absent

how many

are present

ba

and

not ya.)

Tn

the following cases only

is

used in questions where the complement of "is,"

is

used,

a substantive.

is

ma aur ba P
ma Arab ba ?
ma kaigi ba P
ma isaga ba ?
ma laba ba ?
\a)

thirty are present

in

adjective,

employed.

affirmative

ba may

is it
is

a camel

he an Arab

is it
is it
is it

sentences,

mine
he ?
two ?

where the complement

be used, but the verb aho,

be,

is

is

an

not then

WA, BA, YA
In this case

Illahhi

ba may

85

give a superlative sense to the adjective.

ba 6g

God knows

nin ba maghan
bahalaha ghar ba hhun
sadehhdas kan ba wanaksan

man

one

is

absent

some animals are bad

this is the best of those three

ba, used after the object of a sentence, has a distributive

(e)

meaning.

nin ba mid si
ain ba mel goniah diga
kol ba nin keliah ha yimado

ba may

(/)
place; or

is

mel ba ku

give each

man one

put each kind in a separate place

let

one

man come

give an indefinite meaning to a word of time or

used with a verb, meaning "at

jira

it is

wahhba doni mayo

all."

somewhere or other

don't want anything at all

ha tegin ba
walba

don't go at

labadaba

both

sadehhdaba
wahhad doneso ba
meshi ad takto ba
kolba ad doneso

all

144.

(ii)

at a time

all

every

three

whatever you want

wherever you go

whenever you want

As Adverbial

or Conjunctive Particles.

ba and ya, in this sense, correspond to the

"now," "and then," "and so." Their position

English particles
in

the sentence

has no relation to the subject, object, or verb, but follows the

first

phrase in the sentence.

("Phrase" here includes both unqualified nouns, or nouns with their
whether adjective or relative clause, or adverbial expressions.)

attributes,

ba

is

apparently not used except when the phrase

qualified noun, usually one

is

an un-

which has already been referred to in

the preceding sentence.

ya

is

always used after an adverb, or adverbial expression.

The examples

illustrating these are taken from the stories, q.v.

Suldanka nag bu gursadei, suldanki ba hajki ghobtei.

(p.

145,

1.

2.)

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

86

Kolkasei tidi, "Berka genyoda fnankaga." fnanki'ba

suldanki u yedei.
(p. 146, 1. 7.)
" Galabtaan ku so mermero." Galabti ba inanki genyodi
fulei.

(p. 146,

Mas ba lei

maskas ba igu imaneya, o

hedei,

(p. 150,

Dararti dambe, ya suldanku yimi.

(p.

1.

146,

Duhurki kolkei ahaid, ya wlyishi timi. (p. 148,

t sago gedka hurda, ya shanti Inan u yimaden.
(p. 148,

9.)

21.)
1.

3.)

1.

11.)

1.

16.)

Simple Interrogative and Negative Sentences.

3.

The same

145.

1.

'uneya.

particle

ma is

There are certain differences in

ma

The Negative

is

while the Interrogative

qualifying the verb

placed as near to the verb as possible,

ma

(cf.

used in both kinds of sentences.

its several uses.

comes before any pronoun or particle

236).

Examples,

jblyo ma ku jiran ?
\blyo ku ma jiran
fwahh ma lagu slyei

\wahhba

lei

is

there any water in

there

is

no water

in

has anything been given you

ma sin

nothing has been given

me

When joined to the personal pronoun the interrogative particle

becomes mi-, while the negative particle is unaltered.
Jmiad araktei

did you see ?

you did not see
did he tell you ?

\maad arkin
("mill

\i

ku

mau

shegei P

shegin

he did not

In both cases the pronoun

referred to
i

is

me
when the person

often omitted

obvious from the context.

ma shegin

(he) did not tell

maarkin, or maarag
burta ma arkesa P
wahh ma ddnesa P
Interrogative

word.

is

tell

ma may be

(I)

me

did not see

do you see the

hill

do you want anything 1

separated from the pronoun by another

In this case ban, bad,

ma halka bu t6geya P
ma ninkan bu ku diftei P

etc. are

Is

used (see also

it

is it

there he
this

man

is

229).

going

that struck you

QUESTIONS

Where
noun,

87

the subject of an interrogative or negative sentence

placed

it is

first in

the sentence.

sentences the personal pronoun

is

is

Generally, in interrogative

required as well, but need not

be used.
'ollku ma ka bahhai ?
has the army left ?
ninku miu arkei libahha ?
did the man see the
manta sirkalku Burao ma ghob6neya P
is

146.

the

officer

lion

going to Burao to-day

Questions expressing surprise are introduced by sd or

sho.

Examples,
la'agta

badan so ddni maysid ?

maysid P

so garan
so

ma garanesa P

don't you want

money ?

all this

don't you understand

surely you understand

Questions introduced by Interrogative Pronouns and Adverbs

Examples,

ya ku shgei hadalkas ?
wa kiima ? aya tahai ?
ayad araktei P
ninmad u dlbtei ?
mahha ka da'ei ?
'id

ma la

aderka

dilei P

muhhu

aurkas ka

sis6neya P

who
who

you that story ?

you ?
whom did you see ?
to whom did you give it ?
what has happened?
is anyone killed ?
what will your uncle give
told

are

that camel

abbaha mahha la yidahha P

idinma warakhdan Burao
gSya?
farasma buka P ma ainabka P
mahhan la'ag ugu siya?

what do you call your father ?

which of you will take this
Burao

chit to

which horse

sick? the black?

is

why should
money ?

mahhad ugu hedantahai

what are you

tied there for

mesha ?
'ollku gormu

when does the

Kirrit

ka bah-

haya ?

any

give you

leave

force

Kirrit?

hagge hdlahaiga ka takten P

where

diftei P

you

did

animals

ninkakan hagge bu ku

for

leave

my

where did this

man

hit

you ?

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

88

hamarku

gSnyadi mSdei?

where

mdyei ?
herodi

where

the mare?

is

is

the bay?

siraklshu

fadfda

wa

where

hagge ?
halkiyo Bdhotleh intdi jirta?

is

the

officers'

camp

intu

maghana wa inte ?
Imisa rubod bu ku bihhlyei P

how far is Bohotle from here?

how long was he absent?
how many rupees did he pay

hagga burta ka shishei sidu

how

dulyahai P
burta ka sokei sidei tahai P
joniada 'uleiskeda wa inte?
'elka dererklsu wa inte ? (or
intu derada?)

beyond that hill?

how is it on this side ?
how heavy is that bag ?

you?

bahalkan

how deep

wa ainma P

what

the well

is

sort of

is

used with the verb

wan

mahhad u ddni weida inad why

lie

an animal

In Negative questions introduced by "why?"

special idiom

country

the

does

is

this

(mahha u

P) a

( 117, 195).

don't you want to go

takto P
4.

147.

The Verbs of
These Verbs

and

existence,

attributive verbs.

(be, live, stay, dwell, grow, exist, lie,

be found,

become) have an equal variety of corresponding Somali expressions,

as aho, oil, j6g, jir, fadi, laho, nokho.
(i)

The Auxiliary verb "be"

requires a

complement

in the

form of noun, adjective or pronoun.

(a)

This

may

be translated simply by wa, or ba, as shewn

in the examples of those particles.

(b)
Or it is translated by aho, which is used independently
when the complement is a noun, or is combined with an adjective
when the complement is the latter, and forms an Attributive verb.

In the latter case

wa

is

required as well, but pronouns are never

used.

Examples,

nin wein ban ahai

na's bad tahai (contracted

am

a big man.

thou art a

fool

into bat'hai)

nin fi'an miu aha

Somali mlihid

was he a clever man ?

thou art not a Somali

: :

89

VERBS OF EXISTENCE

maaha

askari

he
of

wa wanaksanyahai
ma wanaksana
la'agti ma 'ulustahai ?
148.

not a soldier

is

what tribe are you

he is good
he is not good
is the money heavy ?

tollma tahai ?

It

(ii)

may

refer to the

presence or existence of an

object in a certain place.

(a)

jdg

used when referring to animate objects.

is

Examples,

ma jdga P

ninki

is

man

the

here

aurti haggasei jdgta

the camels are there

ragu Imisa ba jdga

how many

of

present
(6)

men

the

are

jir is used of inanimate objects.

Examples,

wahh

kaleh

ma jira ?

is

mahha kii jira P

wahhba ku ma jir an
biyo wa ku jiran

halkan

oil (literally lie)

sanadukhdi halkan

is

is

there

is

nothing

there

is

water in

there here

often used in this sense

the boxes are here

tal

akhalkaiga bu yal

meska dushlsi
biyo badan ba yalin
kitabki

(c)

there anything else

what

*it is in

yal

my

the book
there

is

is

house

on the table

plenty of water

oil (dwell, live), also refers to people

Examples,

tollma halkan yal ?

what

Burao-einu nil
hagge olli jirten P

we

fadi

is

tribe lives here

lived at Burao

where used you to live?

used with same meaning

(lit. sit,

abide)

Examples,

magalodaan fadlya
Berberu fadlya
hagge sirakishu fadida
(d)

laho

When

(possess)

is

stay in the town

he stays in Berbera
where do the officers dwell

referring to the existence of animals or plants,

used.

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

90
Examples,

meshasa ugad
is

there any

ma lehdahai P

game

in that place

(lit.

does that place possess game?).

gerenuk iyo ddro bei lehdahai,

and dero (or g. and d. are found there).
malaha, there is no oryx there.
mel walba aus bei lehdahai, there is grass everywhere.
it

possesses gerenuk

b'e'id

dareiga
(vi)

Nogashu
nokho

bei lehdahai,

become

the

fig

grows in the Nogal.

91

DEFINITE ARTICLE

used with a noun in a general sense when in the

It is also

(ii)

objective case

With

(iii)

(vi)).

153,

Definite nouns which are possessive, or adjectival

akhalki ninka
inanki Suldanka
nin magaloda

the house of the

even where the Possessive adjective

sirkalka ghalabklsi

With nouns used

(iv)

galabta

153.

is

man

of the

town

used

is

the

officer's

luggage

adverbially

Isninta

this evening

used in the following cases

With well-known persons

(i)

man

the Sultan's son

Wadadku

on Monday

or objects of nature.

Mullah

the

Mohammed Ab-

(i.e.

dallah)

Sirkalku

the Officer

(i.e.

as a soldier

say, referring to his

oghashu shirka fadida

ghorahhdu wa kuliishahai
rbbku wa gadeya
With persons

(ii)

one

the headmen
the sun

is

the rain

is

A man
camel

may

the judge

man may

ask

stopping

ninku

and about which

man

has stolen his

ma jdgta ?

say

council

sit in

brings a complaint that another

hashu
or the

example

would

officer)

hot

or things already referred to,

talking, as in the following

is

own

is

the camel here

wa

ararei,

man

the

In this way it is used when referring

who has already been mentioned, as

has run away.

to a character in a story

Suldanku, Inanku, habartu,

(iii)

It is also

etc.

used with the Personal pronouns in the Emphatic

forms,

anigu, adigu, adu,

(iv)

When

a noun

is

etc. ( 55).

used in a general sense, referring to

all

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

92

members of a

used in English with no

class, it is

Somali usually takes the article

siraklshu 'ano halad

ma

but in

article,

-u.

ja'ashahai?

do

like

officers

camel's

milk?

naguhu wa hadal badanyahai

women

-u cannot be used with a noun which

(v)

In such cases

epithet.

-i,

-u

(vi)

is

the judge-officer

not used with a noun in the objective case.

ghoboneya Wadadka

la

by an

headmen

the H. Y.

hakinkaaha

in one of the above senses is objective, -a

gorma

qualified

is

or -a, only are found.

oghashi Habr Yunis

sirkalki

are great talkers.

is

used

when

the

will

caught

If a

noun

supra).

(cf.

Mullah be

The Definite Article may be used with any noun, numeral

and is often used together with the Demonstrative
Adjective and Possessive Adjective suffixes, q.v.
Where a definite- noun is qualified by a numeral, it is the latter
which takes the article, and not the noun
154.

or pronoun,

labadi nin

men

The Noun,

2.

(a)

Case's.

in Somali, and the relation

must be recognised from its

There are no case inflexions

155.
of a

the two

noun

to the rest of the sentence

position or the context.

156.

general rule for subject and object was given in the

section on syntax, but this

the meaning

is

is

first

subject to colloquial variation, where

obvious from the context.

Generally, the subject

may

be distinguished from the object by

the gender and number of the verb, and pronoun,

if

the latter occurs,

but only in cases where both are different.

ninki nagti bu dilei

nagti ninki bei dishei)
j- u -f
-i- i.
bei disneij
ninki nagti
Suldanki ba gartei nagtlsi
t

or

berigi

the

man

killed the

the

woman

...

girl.

woman

killed the

man

and the Sultan recognised his wife.

arkei Afterwards

dambe ya inan, Suldan dalei, ya inanti

a son of a Sultan saw the

93

CASES

ya

ba,

141) help to distinguish the subject.

dabku ya maska iyo hhaska bakhtlyei

the

fire

destroyed the

snake and the fence.

Here the subject

The

also denoted

is

by the

wuhhu,

etc.,

following the

dulei Ali Naldyah,

the force of

special forms of the pronouns,

subject, are used to

make

it clear.

wuhhu

'ollki

Habr

H.

they attacked the Ali Naleyah.

T.,

Toljala

article -u.

Dative.

157.

Some

verbs

may have two

objects,

one being in the dative

case, or indirect object.

The usual order

is

to place the direct object before the indirect.

Parah warakhdi sirkalki bu

Farah gave the

slyei

letter to the

officer

gddo faraska si
ninba toban-an dlbei
Motion

give the horse grass

I

gave each

man

ten

a person is expressed by the particle u, but motion

to a place requires no particle, the place being translated as an
to

indirect object.

Ali

tag

go to Ali

aghilki igu yimi

aurti Sirkalki

the

u gya

headman came

take

the

to

camels

me

to

the

Officer

Burao ban tegeya

Ali hblihlsi rerklsi

bu gSineya

am

Ali

going to Burao
taking his flocks to his

is

family

158.

Nouns may be used

adverbially,

examples, with verbs of motion or

time.

is

But

if

as

in

the last two

expressing duration of

they are abstract nouns expressing manner or quality,

required before the verb (see

Burao ban fadlya

laba 'asho beinu so'onei
159.

rest, or

The Ablative

is

129).
I

stay at Burao

we marched

for

two days

expressed by the prepositional particle

ka.

magalodan ka imi

have come from the town

94

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

'ollku shaleito

meshan ka bahhai,

army

the

place

this

left

yesterday.

The

Nouns

160.

Possessive Case

45).

(cf.

are used adjectivally, following another

noun which

they qualify, expressing origin, quality, value, use, space of time.

If the

be

made

nin magaloda
nin dagal badan

a great

dagalki shalei

yesterday's battle

man

of the town

man

for fighting

noun expresses material, profession, or nationality,

an adjective by the suffix -ah (being).

may

it

into

sandukh birah

a box of iron

nin Tomalah
a Tomal
laba nin o sirkalah,

,,,

or

nm

-i
laba
o sirakil
ninki askarigaaha
i

f
J

two

officers

man

the soldier

If it expresses the contents, or features, the suffix -leh is used.

balli blyoleh

a " pan " of water

nin gadleh

a bearded

may be used
nin san wein

alone descriptively.

Features or clothes

gholidi

gambo

'as

nagta maro 'as

burta figh der
161.

The Partitive

Case.

a big nosed

man

the party in red puggarees

that

woman

in a red tobe

that high peaked

"

Some

The noun expressing the whole

of," "

is

sentence, parenthetically, or follows the

separated by

man

any

hill

of," "

one

of."

either placed first in the

noun expressing the

portion,

the particle o.

ragu in yer ba jdgta

sadehhdas ki u wanaksana

a few of the

wa ka

men

are here

of those three that

is

the

best one

aurtaida

mid ba

wahh badan

dintei

one of

o hdlahaiga
(b)

162.

The

plural of nouns

my camels has
my animals

died

plenty of

Number.
is

used as in English, wherever

desired to express plural number, except after numerals.

it is

CONCORD

95

naguhu wa hadal badanyahai

women

askarr hhunhhun
oghal bei nbkhdan
aurti timi

they are bad soldiers

wa

163.

they become headmen

the camels have come

After numerals the plural number

of feminine nouns, except those ending in -o

laba nin
lehh nagod

two men
six

(c)

164.

are great talkers

women

is

only used in the case

(cf.

42).

afar 'asho

four days

sadehh halod

three camels

Concord of Plural Nouns.

In the Accidence

34,

76)

it

was noticed that the

Guttural, and Dental, definite articles of the singular nouns are

changed in the plural to Dental, and Guttural, respectively, except

in the case of masculine monosyllables.

fas-ki

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

96

Compare the following examples

nagti

wa imanesa

the

(3rd fem. sing.)

aurki wa imaneya (3rd masc.

woman

is

coming

nimanki wa imaneyan (3rd plur.)

nagihi wa imaneya (3rd masc. sing.)
aurti wa imanesa (3rd fem. sing.)

coming
the men are coming
the women are coming
the camels are coming

Sirkalki ghalabklsi (3rd masc.

the

officer's

the

girl's

the

officers'

the camel

sing.)

sing.)

gabaddi bokhorkeda (3rd fem. sing.)

Siraklshi ghalabkeda (3rd fem. sing.)
genyadi wa tan (fem.)
aurki wa kan (masc.)
aurti wa tan (fem.)
sanadiikhdi weineid halkan tal

there

here

baggage

sash

baggage

the mare

is
is

is

the camel

here are the camels

the big boxes

lie

here

(3rd fem. sing.)

jdniadihi

madana wa ku

the empty bags are in

jira

(3rd masc. sing.)

oghal ba fadida (3rd fem.

Note.
in the

some headmen are

sing.)

of false analogy

The following case

Somali mind the article

is

is

interesting, as

sitting

shewing how

the important factor to be considered in

the concord of nouns with adjectives and verbs.

fardihi (the horses)

feminine concord

is

is

In the latter case the

often contracted to fardi.

most

usual, as to the ear it appears that the article

masculine

suffix is -di, the original

suffix -hi

having been

lost.

Example,

wa ka'dleineya (3rd masc. sing.)!

/o j e
f
dleinesa (3rd fem. sing.)
wa ka (ji
J

fardihi
-

,.

fardi

166.

The

plural

the horses are trotting

nouns, biyo, 'ano, gedo, nolo, timo, are

treated as true plurals.

biyo

ma yalin

'anihi

there

wa kuan

wahhba (nothing) is
wahhba ku ma jiran
167.

here

number

the milk

usually considered plural

there

Adjectives qualifying plural nouns,

usually agree in

no water

is
is

is

nothing there

when used

indefinitely,

(see note to Table in 76).

nago wawein
Yibruhu wa niman hhunhhun

some big women

the Yibirs are bad men

CONCORD

When

168.

the noun

qualified

is

97

by a numeral special rules

for

concord apply.

numeral having no

If the subject is indefinite (the

the verb

is

article suffix)

used in the singular.

The masculine may always be

used, but

and would take a dental linking consonant

form of the verb

may

if

the plural

if definite,

is

feminine,

the feminine

be used.

shan aur mlyigi ku bakhtlyei,

five

laba nin ba yimi,

two men came.

afar nago ba yimi,

four

an adjective

If

or bakhtidei,
camels died in the jungle.

qualifies the

noun

women

came.

as well,

it

is

used in the

plural.

shan aur o hhunhhun ya bakhtlyei,

If

however the noun

or plural

if it is

is definite,

singular

it

may

five

the verb

bad camels

may

died.

be either singular

agree in gender as with indefinite

nouns.

shanti aur mlyigi

ku

bakhtidei, or bakhtiyen,

the five camels died in the jungle.

Where

the noun refers to persons, the verb

is

usually used in the

plural.

When

the subject of the verb

when the pronoun wahhai

The following examples
given in this book, and in

is

is

a plural pronoun alone, or

used, the verb

is

always plural.

are taken from passages in the stories

Schleicher's Somali Texte.

shanti gabdod e kaleh wahhai ku diftan shan inan o hodanah,

the five other girls struck five rich young men.
shanti inan u yimaden,

labadas u sarr^yen,

the five boys came to him.

those two were in

command.

wahha ugu yimi abahed

iyo walalked,
there came to her her father and brother.

lehh aur ka hadei,

six

camels were

left.

lehhdi aur, o lehh libahh 'unesa,

the six camels which six lions were eating.

shan iyo labaton nin, o habsiga kii jirei, wahhai ghaten...

twenty-five men, who were in gaol, took...
(Schl. p. 13,
12.)
1.

wuhhu

direi askaro aur ku jogta,

the officer sent soldiers on camels.
(Schl. p. 13,

sirkalka

k.

1.

18.)
7

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

98

markasa sagalki walalahed tashaden,

Then her nine brothers

considered.

(Schl. p. 22,

the four brothers considered.

(Schl. p. 29,

labadi odei ya yidi, the two old men

(a)

169.

It

has been seen in the Accidence

gender and number

When

170.

the second

is

a noun

1.

said.

21.)
(Schl. p. 30,

1.

13.)

Grder and Syntax.

follow the substantives they qualify,

in

18.)

The Adjective,

3.

them

1.

walalaaha ya tashadei,

afarti

and are

69) that adjectives

inflected to agree with

( 75).

is

qualified

by more than one adjective,

coupled by the particle o (and).

a small black book

kitab yer o mado
other good men
rag kaleh o wan&ksan
dagahhanta wawein o 'ul'ulus the big heavy stones

The

adjective

is

coupled by o,

the noun

if

is

also qualified

by a

numeral.

lehh halod o

hhunhhun

six

bakhalod o wawein
laba nin o Habr Yunis
Note.
a noun,

When

it is

two 'men of the Habr Yunis

the word kaleh (other)

coupled by e instead of

o kaleh has a special meaning.

bad camels

four big mules

afar

is

one of two epithets qualifying

o.

Cf. 177.

Example,

but,

lehh gabdod e kaleh

lehh gabdod o kaleh

Where nouns

six other girls,

would mean,

six similar girls

are used adjectivally they follow the same rule.

sadehh nin o askari

todbba nin o sirakil

three soldiers

seven

officers

boghol, and kun, are treated adjectively also, and require o

them when more than one hundred or thousand is

following

referred to.

laba boghol o askari

sadehh kun o adi

200

soldiers

3,000 sheep

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
171.

verbs are formed

Attributive

wa, and the verb aho, which

Conjugations, 114, and 142 (c)).

particle
(see

wa wanaksanyahai
sandukha wa fududyahai
radadkan wa gabgaboyihin
faraskan

ba may

suffixed to the adjective

good

this horse is

the box

is

light

these tracks are old

143

(d)).

kan ba wanaksan
ushatan ba fudud
Adjectives in -leh, -la

this

may

the good one

split up into their component

by the verb laho.

be

garad bu lehyahai
oghbn bu lehyahai j
wa oghbn lehyahai J
garad malaha,
wa garad an lahain }

he

is

sensible

...
W18e
he
1S

he

1S foollsl1

Comparison of Adjectives.

(6)

172. The
"more than."
The object

is

this stick is the lightest

parts, the suffix being represented

or

from adjectives, by the

is

be used with the adjective, without aho, but gives a

superlative sense

or

99

particle

ka

is

used before the adjective, and means

of comparison

tinguished from the subject by

treated

is

adverbially,

its position, relative

and

is

dis-

to the latter, in

the sentence.

The
made,

is

adjective, describing the quality in

which the comparison

is

treated as part of the verb.

If the Subject of

comparison

is

the subject of the principal verb,

it

precedes the Object of comparison.

it

follows the Object of comparison.

If the Subject of

comparison

is

the object of the principal verb,

Types of simple Comparative Sentences.

S.

rninkan
(this

man

rninkas
(.that

man

V.

Adv.

0.

halkan

akhal

bu diseya

here

a house

he

halka

akhal

bu diseya

there

a house

he

is

is

building

building

72

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

100
s.

101

SIMILARITY

The

176.

wa

be expressed by sa

most commonly by

sa wanaksan,

sa sa wanaksan,
or

may

superlative

particle ba, or

u, or

= sida)

or the

ugu.

it is best.

that

is best.

sadehhdas kan sa der,

ig j
of thoge thrQQ
|
kan ba der,
J
waranka ba fudud, that spear is lightest.
fsagu wa ugu wanaksanyahai, he is the best of all.
ragakan ki u yera, the smallest of these men.

ugu yereid, the youngest girl.

biladki Somalida hdlihi laga dofiya
inanti

mahha u badan P

the things which are exported from Somaliland, what

177.

Similarity.

(c)

sida

so, in

of

the chief?

is

the manner, as

aurtayada sida aurti waweineid blyo badan dbni mayso,

our camels do not want so

wa wanaksanyahai

much water

sidadu o kaleh,

as the big ones.

he

is

just as good as

you.

Jama sida Abdi u wanaksanyahai, Jama is as good as Abdi.

sida u ma weina, sida kagi wahh badan ghadi mayo,
it is

not so big, and will not carry so

the same as

6 kaleh

much

as yours.

bahalka wein aur 6 kaleh weyei,

that big animal

is

just

like a camel,

dagahhas mid 6 kaleh,

leheg

another stone like that.

resembling

gedkasa lehh aur bu lehegyahai,

that tree

is

as high as

six camels.

bakhashi faraska bei lehegtahai,

the mule

is

equal to

the horse,

kabahan
iss

ku

kala

ma iss-lehega,

or 'ss

ku

different

those shoes are not a pair.

the same (equal to one another)

(cf.

These qualify adjectives or abstract nouns

wa

'ss

ku

labadatan

ib,

wa

(cf.

250)

239).
:

they are the same price.

'ss

ku

der,

these two are the same length.

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

102

ku mid,

'ss

the same.

rakabyada wa kala hds, the stirrups are of different length.

sanadukhda wa kala 'uleis, the boxes are of different
weight.

wa

kala wanaksan,

they are not as good as one another

(are separately good).

Special idioms.

doliskas 'elka

enough

ma

for) the well

gadeya

aurkasa aurkaigi la h6g maaha,

as

mine

(literally,

that camel

4.

The number

178.

(be long

will that rope reach

is

that camel

not of strength with

is

not so strong

my

camel).

The Numerals.

of nouns qualified by a numeral

and the

position of the latter has already been dealt with in the Accidence
(

in

and in the Syntax ( 163).

The concord of adjectives and verbs with numerals

42, 47),

Syntax

is

dealt with

( 168).

179. The numeral in Somali is considered as a substantive,

and may take any of the suffixes. Nouns which in English are
qualified by a numeral are considered in Somali as qualifying that
numeral adjectivally ( 170).

sadehhdas aur o hhunhhun those three bad camels

afartan nef
these four animals
afartanka nef
the forty animals
sagalkaigi aur
my nine camels
180.
adjective

When
is

a numeral qualifies a pronoun,

labadlni

you two

afartayada
lehhdddi

we four

181.

"

one

One " when

man

one animal
101

the

possessive

used in Somali suffixed to the numeral.

men

101 animals

they six
qualifying a

noun

is

not translated.

nin
nef
bogh61 iyo nin
bogh61 iyo nef

PERSONAL PRONOUNS
k6

only used in counting consecutively.

is

mid

103

an indefinite pronoun, = "one."

is

182.

In

Fractions.

Possessive Adjective

is

describing a fraction

me

a quarter of the camel

a third of that belongs to

me

The Pronouns and Pronominal Adjectives.

5.

(a)

183.

The 2nd

Persons.

and

persons, singular

each strictly

plural, are

used according to the number of persons addressed.

person

is

spoken

and 2nd,

innagu

or 1st, 2nd,

If only

one

the 2nd sing, must be used.

to,

There are two forms of the 1st person

-einu,

the

jdniad badked
hashi wahhdeda i si
inta dalolked ban lehahai

half a bag

give

anything

of

used.

plural,

(possess, -en) (inclusive form) include the 1st

and 3rd persons

-annu, annagu

(possess,

-aya) (exclusive form) refer only to

and 3rd persons, and are not used when the 2nd person

1st

is

included.

Iliahhlna, annagunalllahhayaga, innagu Illahhenabu nokhda,

your God and our God

184.

is

the

God

of both of us.

The pronoun of the 3rd person singular has masculine and

As the 3rd pers. fern. sing, and 3rd pers. plur. are

feminine forms.

the same, there

is

no question as to which pronoun

Where
masculine article, when

reference to a feminine plural.

noun with the

reference

is

is

to be used in

made

the pronoun

is

presence of the noun, either singular or plural form

to a plural

used in the

may be used

(see 164 sqq.).

(b)

185.

Simple Personal Pronouns.

The Subjective Personal Pronouns

53)

are

expressed with the verb, in addition to a nominal subject.

may

be in their simplest form -an, -ad,

may be combined
wan, ban, yan, etc.

the sentence, or
in the forms

suffixed to

They

any word

in

with the particles, wa, ba, ya,

etc., and ya ? are often lengthened into ay an, ayad,

and aya P or ayo P, but these seem to have no special meaning

yan, yad,
etc.,

etc.,

usually

or use.

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

104

When

186.

the simple form

vowel, this final vowel

is

attached to a word ending in a

is

usually dropped in speaking, especially

in the conjunctions gorti, halki, hadi, etc.

gortasu yidi

then he said

inankuse gSnyu (genyo-u) lehyahai

gorm'u (gorma-u) yimada P
kolk'annu (kolki-annu) 'ollki aragnei
nagti Suldank'u (Suldanka-u) la
sahhebei

but the boy has a mare

As

187.

stated in Accidence

( 54),

when does he come ?

when we saw the army
he made friends with
the Sultan's wife

wan,

the beginning of a sentence, while ban, yan,

at the beginning but only in the middle,

etc., is

only used at

are never used

etc.,

and usually as

close to the

verb as possible.

wan, ban, yan,

Dependent or Relative

are not used in

clauses,

the simple suffixed form only being found, attached to the conjunction,

or,

in

where there

Relative Adjectival clauses,

is

no

relative pronoun, to the antecedent.

ninkad u yedei yimi

188.
subjective

la'ag

the

The objective pronouns

and the verb.

ban ku slneya
idin no (na-u)

gormu

(here

give

si

is

it

to

me

I will

come

give you

money

when did he send you to us

in Somali.

gei faraska

the particle and not the pronoun,

When

called has

60) are placed between the

direi ?

"him," are usually omitted

"it,"

man you

take him the horse

cf.

125).

is more than one verb in a sentence whose

same person, the pronoun is omitted with the
second verb as in English. But if the subjects of the two verbs are
different, the forms anna, adna, isna, etc., or aniguna, etc., are

189.

there

subjects are the

used

( 56).

gortasan ka daba so'odei o so ghobtei,

then I followed after him and caught him.

kolkasan so marei, isna halkasu si so'odei,

then I came this way, and he went on there.
190.

The Emphatic forms

simple pronouns or not.

55)

may

be used followed by the

PERSONAL PRONOUNS
anigu wa shakheineya
anigu ddlada ban ka shakhelneya

myself, etc., are translated

am

105

working
me,

as for

am

working

for

the Government

by certain words meaning

"self,"

with the Possessive adjective.

naf-ti

(ghud-di

life

anigu naftaida ku
naftaidan ka shakheista

saw you myself

work for myself
we have seen the town ourI

so aragnei

To do a thing

191.

verbs in so

samei

(cf.

selves

for oneself is expressed

sameiso

mahhan, mahhad,
The Somali

wahhan,

etc.,

likes to

before

attention,

make for yourself

buy for yourself

Ibso

compound forms wahhan, wahhad,

The

192.

by the derivative

121).

make
buy

Ibi

spirit)

annagu ruhhayaga magaloda

yannu

mhb-hi

sole, single

arkei

are important

and

etc.,

57, 58).

be very careful that he has the listener's

he says what he has to say, and the

forms

serve to introduce a quotation or statement of an

etc.,

event, preparing the listener for the nature of the statement to

Thus in quoting a remark, after several interjections,

i degeiso
kddi, he will proceed with, ninkasu yidi,
wuhhu yidi, that man said, this is what he said, and then will
follow what he really did say.
These forms may be used with any kind of verb.
follow.

as

warya

gortasannu tagnei, wahhannu tagnei, Olesan,

then we went, this is where we went to, Olesan.
They

are nearly always used with verbs such as ddn, malei.

wahhan ddneya, inan manta tago

wahhan u maleineya, inu arari

ddno
193.

think he

is

going

to

run away

The 2nd person

of

this

introduce instructions as to what a

compound form

mau

Aorist indicative of the verb, as in the

interpreter

want to go to-day

(cf.

is

is

used to

to do, followed by the

common

expression to an

217).

wahhad tidahhda
wahhad yesha

this is

this is

what you are

what you are

to say

to

do

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

106

mahhan,

194.

etc.,

are interrogative forms.

mahhad ddnesa P
mahhan yla P

Followed by u, ku, these pronouns mean,

195.
is

what do you want

what am I to do ?

'Why V

'This

why.'

wahhas mahhad u tidi ?

wahhan ku idi
mahhad u ddnesa hadig P
wahhan ku doneya, inan
ghalabka ku hedhedo
If the verb after

the verb

wah

wahhan

why

The pronoun

mahhan

u, or

used with

The

ku and ka

The

do not

The

me ?
tell

you

in special idioms ( 248).

The

Suffixes.

( 29,

151

24

154).

is

necessary to

all,

has also been

27).

may

and

each be used alone, or any two or

all

be attached to one noun.

following are the possible combinations.

Demonstrative and Definite Article (31

(a)

latter is attached

ninkanu,
(6)

why

tell

three suffixes, Definite Article, Demonstrative

Possessive Adjectives,

may

is

not

Definite Article suffix has already been dealt with in

described in the Accidence

three

negative,

he killed himself

The Linking Consonant, which

The

is

they are fighting together

the Accidence and Syntax

198.

u, etc.,

both Reflexive and Reciprocal,

is

(c)

197.

it

117).

why do you

wu iss dilei
wa iss leineyan
is

said

with

iss

why

what do you want rope for ? I

want it to tie up the things

mahhad igu shegi maysid ?

not,
this
wahhan kugu shSgi wai
196.

did you say that

this is

used (see Conjugation,

is

mahhad igu sheg weida

iss

without a linking consonant,

gSdkasa,

Definite Article

(ii)).

kolkasi.

and Demonstrative (31

The Demonstrative when

(i)).

following the article takes a linking

IMPERSONAL PRONOUNS
consonant, which however

is

always

for

ninkakan,

used,

is

gabaddatan.

ghorigakan,

Possessive and Definite Article

(c)

masculine words, and t for

Only the a form of article

feminine words.

107

( 32).

The Possessive
except with names

adjective always requires a definite article suffix,

(exclusive)

are

plur.

of relationship.

the

The

and 2nd

1st

sing,

and

1st

only persons which take the linking

consonant.

ghalabkaiga, holahagu, ninkai, inantlsi,

Possessive

(d)

and Definite Article and Demonstrative.

The Demonstrative may be added

to the above.

aurkaigakan
shukhulklsakan
(d)

199.

this

camel of mine

this

work of

his

Impersonal Pronouns.

All the suffixes

may

be used independently as pronouns

with the linking consonant k or t

may

etc.

The

( 62, 63).

Definite Article

be attached to the Demonstrative or Possessive Pronoun.

ki weina
kan ma aurkaigi ba

the big one

P

is

this

my

camel

tan kaleh
tasu wa mid

that

kayaga ba wawein

ours are the biggest

wa

tlsi

" There

200.

this other

ta

his

it is " is

translated by

wa

is

is

one

one

there

ta, or

wa

ka.

All the suffixes have the same form whether attafthed to

a singular or a plural noun, but the Demonstrative and Possessive

Pronouns have special forms in the plural
:

kuan, tuan

The

kuer, tuer

kuas, tuas

plural form of the Def. Article

pronoun

kuaigi, kuagi,
is

The latter may take the Demonstrative suffix,

kuakas.
(e)
The Possessive Adjective.
201.
(i)

The

etc.

kuer, or kua, kui.

as

kuakan,

Possessive Adjective has certain special functions,

It translates the Possessive case ( 45).

ninki akhalklsi
habarta ninked

the man's house

the old woman's husband

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

108

used with adverbial nouns to form Prepositions

It is

(ii)

( 132).

sandukhi dushlsi

on the top of the box

meska

underneath the table

hostlsi

joniada gudaheda

inside the bag

Such possessives, used with adverbs

pronoun governed by a preposition.

alone, translate a personal

hortlna

in front of

dehhddda

between them

sidada

like

Where

(iii)

in English a personal

you

you

pronoun

is

qualified

by a

numeral, in Somali the numeral takes the possessive adjective,

labadayada

we two
you four

afartini

In the same way the possessive adjective

pronouns

intina k&leh

The

difference

It is

must be noticed between the examples,

my

right

wa run
wa runtai
wa runta
wa runtls
wa runted
wa runtSn
wa runtaya
wa runtin
wa runtbd

202.

-e

right

it is
I

am

right

thou art right

he

is

she

we
we

is

right

right

are right

are right

ye are right
they are right

used either as a

camels

lie

it is

wa beintai
wa beinta
wa beintis
wa beintdd
wa beint&n
wa beintaya
wa beintin
wa beintdd

am

lie

lying

thou art lying

he
she

we
we

lying

is
is

lying

are lying
are lying

ye are lying
they are lying

Adjective.

suffix (Interrog. Adj.) or as

k and

Interrogative Pronoun, with the consonants

akhalke
ke ?

my

bein
wa bein

The Interrogative Pronoun and

may be

two camels

two of

used with the following words

run

(/)

used with indefinite

the rest of you

labadaidi aur, or labadi aurtaidi

aurtaidi laba
(iv)

is

67 and 206).

what house
which one

t.

an

"

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

ma

is

only used as a suffix

ninma ?
ninma ku
ya

ay a

ayo

what

65).

what man ?
what man told you

shdgei ?

ya ku slyei ?
ayad araktei

(cf.

109

who

whom

who gave

whom

185).

(cf.

it

to you

did you see

mahha ? what ? (objective).

mahhad donesa ?
what do you want
mahhad ku falesa P what are you doing
?

-ma

suffixed to a pronoun,

idinma

"

means

which of

which of you

annama ?

which of us

kuma ?

who

it for ?

(impersonally)

203. The Possessive Pronoun and Possessive Interrogative

Pronoun may be formed with the verb root leh having (cf. 116).

aniga leh

it is

mine

isaga leh

it is

his

(or

ana

leh)

etc.

These are more idiomatic than

yaleh ? kumaleh
faraskan yaleh P

(g)

204.

(i)

la

Indefinite
is

wa

kaigi,

whose

whose

is

wa

klsa.

this horse

Pronouns and Adjectives.

a pure pronoun, and

is

used to translate the

passive voice of the verb (see 118).

205.

(ii)

Substantival words, "some," "any," "all," "alone"

( 67, 68).

nin ba yimi
'id ma ku taghan P
wahh ma donesa P
sadehh ghof ba dintei

someone has come

does anyone know you

do you want anything ?

three persons have died

'idla

unaccompanied, alone

halkan ghar ba yal

daur ba hadei
daur iyo labaton

some lie here

some are left
twenty odd

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

110

some men are here

in rSg ba jdgta
inti

saka timi

those that came this morning

nin hebel

a certain

war, hebel
206.

When

man

you, what's your

used with a Personal Pronoun in a descriptive

sense, the Possessive adjective is suffixed

201

(cf.

(iii)).

intlna kaleh

the rest of you

gharkdda

those few

ninki keligi tegei

annagu keligayaga sameinei

the

gidigdd,

damantod

kulligeni

207.
weligai

si

weli-gi never,

maan

is

alone

ourselves

us

he went on separately

so'odei

used in the same way with possessives.

arag

weligln arki maysan

weliga hau nokhon

208.

man went

we did it by
all of them
all of

isagu goniglsi

name ?

have never seen

you

never do

"Some," "a few,"

etc.,

it

will never see it

it

again

in a partitive sense are trans-

lated as follows.

intlna ghar ba hhun

inta barlska ba hadei, or

some of you are bad

thus

much

of rice

is left

inta barlskaah

(iii)

209.

"

Indefinite Adjectives.

Many," " little," " few," "

other," " every," " all."

These are usually used qualifying an indefinite pronoun (only

badan and yer

agree with the Definite Article).

wahh badan o barls

wahh ka yer i si

la kali

rag badan
raga badan

bring us plenty of rice

give

me

less

many men
those

all

men

(i.e.

those

many

men)
ragi

badna

the

many men

fardo yer

a few horses

nin un, mid un

inta kaleh aur gdniah u sara
fardu o dan

any man, anything at all

put the rest on a separate camel
all

the horses

MOODS AND TENSES

wahh hoga
in yer o

o ragas

a few of those boxes

nefka gonigaah
210.

The

ninna
'idna

that animal apart

Pronouns are made negative by the

Indefinite

suffix

also used in the negative form.

is

ma iman
ma arkin

midna maan

men

a few of those

sanadukhda

-na, but the verb

111

no one has come

no one saw

tabin

wahh is used with ba

wahhba doni mayo
wahhba heli mayso

me

did not touch one

do not want anything

you

will get

nothing

The Verb.

6.

The Moods and Tenses.

(a)

211.
The Imperative Mood has only one tense, and expresses a
command, wish, or permission.
The 2nd pers. sing, is the Verb Root, from which are formed all

other parts of the verb.

The 2nd

formed by adding -a (2nd conjugation -da)

jogsoda; shakhei, shakheya.

pers. plur. is

tag, taga; jogso,

For the other persons the Aorist Subjunctive tense

particles

an

(1st pers.)

and ha (3rd

an tagno
ha yimado
212.

The

perative, but

It is

particle

bal

is

let

us go

let

him come

used, with

very commonly used with the Im-

hardly translatable.

me

bal en ego

let

bal kali

come then

look then

not used with the 3rd person.

213.
particle

or

is

is

pers.) in the Affirmative.

by

The Negative Imperative may be emphasized by

ba

ha t6gin ba

see that you don't go at all

weliga
wliga wahhas ha tabin

never you touch that

never

the

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

112

The

214.

ddn

Infinitive is only used with auxiliary verbs,

jir be

will

wa ku

shegi

ddna

halkas an fadlyl
{Note that the accent
before jir, and, in the

is

am

jirei

kar be

laha would

accustomed to

that

going to
is

tell

where

able

you

used to

live

placed on the last syllable of the Infinitive

before laha.)

2nd and 3rd Conjugations,

ainkas ma ghob6n lahaid P

ma so'on karta P

would you have done

can you walk ?

like that

and principal verbs are treated as one, and are not

separated by any particles at any time.

The

auxiliary

ku ma

arki karo

Somalidu ainkas

ma ghobon

cannot see you

Somalis cannot do like that

karto
In the Future Definite, the auxiliary

is

often dropped,

wa yeli

I will tell

shSgi

The

Infinitive is the basis

am

going to do

from which

it

him

all Imperfect tenses

and

most Negative tenses are formed.

215.

The Verb-Adjective and Verb-Noun have been described

in Accidence ( 15 (b), 72).

216.

Aorist Indicative.

This tense ordinarily expresses a habitual or customary act,

without the emphasis on the habit implied in the Present Habitual.

Siraklshu timir

ma

'unta P

Tomalidu iyo Midgu wa

do officers eat dates ?

Tomals and Midgans intermarry

iss

gursada
rSrkayaga gu walba 'elashatan ka so damin jira
217.

hagge

16

It also indicates

mara Burao P

what

my

family

is

accustomed to draw

from these wells every summer

is

to be done, or can be done

how (by what way) does one go

to

Burao

hilibmagalodamalagalbsoda? is meat to be bought in the town?

haggeinu tagna ? wahhaidin where are we to go ? you are to
taktan, Bohotleh.

go to Bohotleh

(cf.

192, 193).

MOODS AND TENSES

wahhad tidahhda

you are

113

to say this, or,

do you say

this?

ma tura P

am

ma ku

kena ?

throw

throw

shall I

The 3rd person

218.

it away ?
away?
bring it to you ?

I to

of this tense

or, shall

it

used to translate the

is

Present Participle, or relative clause.

nin af yaghan
shimbir forida
isago gddka hurda
219.

man knowing

the language

a singing bird
while he was asleep by the tree

The Preterite expresses a completed act in past time,

shalei

bu yimi

Farah

he came yesterday

shdgei intanad

iman

Farah had told

me

before

you

came
220.

Or an act just completed

found with wa)

142

sirkalku wa tegei manta

shalei sirkalku tegei
221.

at the present time (usually

<I).

the officer has gone to-day

the officer went yesterday

The Present Continuative expresses

either a continuous

action in present time, or an intention or willingness, as in English.

hagge t6gesa P
akhal ban dfseya
nag ban gursaneya
la'ag

where are you going ?

I am building a house

mahhad

am

ban ku slneya

going to marry a wife

give you money

what will you give me for it ?
do you understand (what I
I will

iga slsonesa ?

ma garanesa ?

saying)
but, af

Somali

ma garata ?

am

do you understand Somali

(Aorist)

222.

The

Past

Continuative

expresses

continuous,

or

incompleted action, in past time.

faras

ban

223.

fuleyei

The Future Definite

is

was riding a horse

a deliberate statement of what

about to happen.

wa tegi ddna
mahhad
k.

y&li

dbnta

am

going to go

what are you going

to do

is

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

114

The Present and Past Habitual express a usual occur-

224.

rence or habit.

subahh walba Farah ba auski

Farah usually fetches the grass

so ghadi jira

every morning

Somalidu fardo

bSrigi hdre

badan lahain

the

formerly
possess

jirtei

Somalis

many

used

to

ponies

225. The Conditional is used whenever a condition exists,

whether expressed or understood. It refers to all times, and cannot
be used except in the Principal sentence.

wa ku

sin laha

wa garan

hadan arko

laha

should, or should have given you

if I

saw him

should recognise

him
226.
bility,

It is

The Potential expresses suggestion,

and
very

is

possibility, or proba-

often used euphemistically for the Future Definite.

common

in songs.

mala iman ddne

he may probably come

insha Allahh wa la hele

an walalka dilne

please God,

iman ddne iyo iman mayo,

war ma hayo
wahha kasta ad araktide, ha
jogson
in kasta ha

jirte,

wa

gadeya

we may find it
we might kill your brother
he may come or not, I don't know
whatever you

may see, do not stop

however

it

reach

227.

The Subjunctive

far

may

be,

will

it

tenses are only used in Subordinate or

Relative clauses, and will be dealt with in the sections referring to

them.

(b)

228.

The 2nd

pers.

The Persons.

and 3rd

fern. sing,

are denoted by

t,

or s,

in the tense termination.

The
The

1st pers. plur. is

inclusive

denoted by n.

1st pers. plur. of the verb has only one form for both the

and exclusive pronouns.

pers. plur. must always be used

The 2nd

than one person.

in addressing

more

115

NEGATIVE TENSES

Concord of verbs with nouns has been described already under

Syntax of Nouns ( 165).

The Emphatic pronouns anigu, aniga,

229.

etc.

55) have

different constructions.

After the -u form

the verb

to

regularly inflected

is

agree with the various

persons,

wa

the particle

usually employed in Affirmative Sentences,

is

ma,

the particle

in

Interrogative

sentences,

follows

the

pronoun.

anigu wa tegeya
adigu wa t6gesa
Idinku ma t6gesan
iyagu t6gi mayan

am

going

thou art going

are you going

they are not going

After the -a form

the 3rd pers. sing,

is

used for

persons except the 1st pers.

all

plur.

the particle

ba

is

used in Affirmations,

the Interrogative particle

ma precedes

aniga ba shakhdineya
adiga ba shakhSineya
annaga keligaya ba hadnei
ma adiga arkei P
ma iyaga tgeya ?
(c)

230.

ha
yan

it is I
it is

the pronoun,

who am working

thou who art working

we alone were left

was it thou who sawest ?
is it they who are going ?

Formation of Negative Tenses.

The Negative

particles are,

used in 2nd pers. Imperative,

and 3rd

pers. Imperative,

1st

ma

Indicative mood, in Statements,

an

,,

Subjunctive mood, Dependent or Relative clauses, and

Questions.

Forms of
231.

(i)

the

Verb.

The Aorist Indicative (statements)

is

conjugated like

the Definite Subjunctive Affirmative, with the particle

ma, and

no Personal Pronouns.

ma j6go

he

is

not here

82

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

116

232.

Conditional

(ii)

and Potential.

added to the Affirmative Poten-

is

This

tial.

conjugated with

is

ma

and the Personal Pronouns.

maan
233.

(iii)

ments),

is

garten

should not understand

Imperative, Preterite and Aorist Subjunctive (state-

added

to the Infinitive (in the

tions the Infinitive already ends in n,

This
in

is

and

2nd and 3rd Conjuga-

therefore unaltered).

is

not conjugated in the persons, except in the Imperative,

pers. plur. takes -a in the 1st conjugation, -ina in

which the 2nd

the 2nd and 3rd conjugations.

ha shSgin (2nd sing.)

ha dilina (2nd plur.)
ha jdgsonina (2nd plur.)
yanu (contracted to yu) dilin
yanai

maan

tegin

yai)

do not stop
let
I

him not kill

them not marry

did not go

want you not

we were unable
I

maainu so'on karin

(iv)

tell
kill

let

gursan

inanad t6gin ban ddneya

234.

do not
do not

The Continuative

tenses

of

Subjunctive have already been described in

235.

(v)

In

all

to go
to

walk

the Indicative and

92.

Negative Interfogative tenses (except the

Conditional), the particle

an

is

used.

Simple tenses (Aorist, Preterite, Aorist Subj.) have the simple,

Infinitive,

form as in

(iii).

Continuative tenses have the form used in Past Continuative

(statements) and Continuative Subjunctive.

mianan ku shgin ?
mianad Sirkal la jogin

do, or, did I not tell

are,

officer

mianu imaninin

Imisa nin an teginin P

Imisa nin busta an lahain P

you

were you not with an

or,
?

was he not coming ?

how many men are not coming

is, or,

how many men have no blanket ?

PARTICLES
7.

The
(a)

236.

The Verbal

Particles.

Order.

and the Personal Pronouns are all

Where more than one are found to the

Particles

placed in front of the verb.

same

117

verb, they follow a strict rule as to their relative positions,

having, so to speak, separate values, or affinities with the verb, so

that the particle or pronoun having the greatest affinity with the

verb

is

placed immediately before the verb, the others preceding

the order of their

(A has the

affinities,

as in the following table.

greatest affinity,

H the least.)

it

in

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

118

The Verbal

Particles

verbial particles, as the

may

AdThey

be Adverbial or Prepositional.

name

implies, qualify the verb.

(i)

ma,

indicate Affirmation, Interrogation or Negation (ha,

an, yan,

wa, ba, ya). These have all their special uses and constructions,
(ii) They may correspond to certain simple adverbs or prepositions.
The latter are used in close relation with a verb, and are an
essential

By

of the language.

feature

combinations a

suitable

number of changes may be rung, a variety of meanings given to one

verb, and expressions which would otherwise require paraphrasing
put more concisely.

Adverbial Particles (wada, kala,

(c)

238.

wada

(all,

whole)

may

si,

so).

be used with the verb alone, or in

addition to the indefinite parts of speech, kulli, gidi, 6 dan,

sanadiikhdi 6 dan

wada k6na

bring

all

etc.

the .boxes to-

gether

Somalidu 6 dan
239.
siraklshi

kala
iyo

wa ku wada taghan
apart, in different

ways

wa

the

aurti

kala

dahhaisa

all

the Somalis

know you

officers are travelling

apart

from the camels

side la kala garta P

ninki hhuma iyo ninki wanaksana ma kala taghan P
wa kala jerebeya fardaha

how does one distinguish them ?

do you know the difference between a good and a bad man ?
I

am

trying the ponies

(for

comparison)
It

may

be used with verbs, adjectives, or nouns

(cf.

177).

expand

kala bihhi
kala ddro
wa kala dereyan

unfold,

wa

they are different lengths

take your choice

they are not as fast as each

other

kala der

240.

si,

so

125) are used with the Verb

Nouns

with other parts of the verb.

si

so

so'odki

nokhodki

the march out

the return

as well as

119

PARTICLES

(d)

Prepositional particles (ku, u, ka, la).

These cannot be treated as true prepositions, as they do

not govern a noun, but only qualify the meaning of a verb in such
241.

a way as to render a preposition unnecessary.

tag

Farah u tag
mesha ka taga

go

tag

go to (him), and

ka tag

depart,

go to (approach) Farah
go from (leave) that place

may

be used alone, without

any object being expressed.

noun governed by the

particles are not attached to the

These

English preposition to which they correspond, while on the other

hand they cannot be separated from the verb by any part of speech
except other particles or a personal pronoun.

Examples,

ka taga mesha
sandukha (the box) ghalabka
ka bihhi

mahhad ku

leave that place

take out the things from the

box
what are you doing with that

falesa hadiga

rope

(rope) P

wahhba

lagu

ma falo

nothing

is

done with

(it)

These particles are so much a part of the verb with which they are
used that in many cases new meanings may be derived.

Example,

ka tag

(leave, depart

from)

is

used in the sense of leaving an

object at a place.

six

lehh nin ba mesha laga tegei, literally, one went from

men there, i.e. six men were left there.
haggu ka tegei gela ? where did he go from the camels ?

i.e.

where did he leave the camels

Other similar cases

242.

ku

(i)

at,

will

be quoted under each particle.

upon,

in, into.

magaloda agt&da bu ku arkei near the town he saw

lehh gabdod o 'el ku maid6neya washing at a well
gdd bu ku hedna
he was tied to a tree
nin faras ku jdga
a man on a horse

six girls

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

120
'anihi

yu

sibrar

with,

(ii)

ku

the milk he milked into a skin

lissei

by means

of.

ha mindi ku tabin

wahhba laugu ma

do not touch it with a knife

nothing is done with it
they shot them with the rifles

falo

banadukhdi bei ugu dishei

243.

ku, or

for,

on account

blyo bu ku maghanyahai
kolkasei harad u bakhtlyen
genyoda yan u ghaleya ayoda

of, for

he

the sake

gone

is

for

of.

water

then they died of thirst

am

going to

kill

the mare for

your stepmother

laba rubod ban ugu lehahai

mahhad u taktei P
244. u is used with

back

sit

dakhso u tag

go quickly

u to
u tag

(a person).

go to the

udig
245.

rupees by you

speak up

fadlso

sirkalka

did you go

certain nouns in an adverbial sense.

ad u hadal
dib

am owed two

why

officer

teach

ka

hagge ka timi

from, out

of, off

where have you come from

ghalabki sandukha ka so ghad

hdlahaigi leiga hadei

take the thing out of the box

my

have

flocks

from

been

looted

me

Idiomatic uses of ka.

mel walba an ka ddneyo, ka

wai
kolkei mesha ka dgen, wa ka
waiyen
mahhad ka baghatei P
ka tag go

from,

i.e.

leave, is

wherever

looked, I could not

find it

when they looked

there, they

could not find her

what are you afraid of?

also used in the sense of leaving a

thing at a place.

lehh nin ba msha laga t6gei

fnanki ba Inanti uga t6gei wan

six

men were

the boy

left

across, over, through.

ka talab
ka bdd

step across

jump

over

left

there

the girl a

ram

PARTICLES
hdggi darta bei ka so dustei

121

she came through the hole in

the wall

about, concerning, as

to.

war ma ka haisa ninka P

war ka ma hayo

have you news of the

dolada ban ka shakhdineya

man ?

have no news (of him),

am

working

for the

Govern-

ment

my

lug ban ka jabei

mahhad uga hadlesa ?

manhad iga sls6nesa P

what are you grumbling at ?

what will you give me for it

kaga

246.

la

leg

upon, against

kolkasu madaha kaga diftei

wahhai rlyotei lyadu laba shimbirod labada lugod kaga jbgta
kaga rid
nin sirkal rasas ba ku da'dei,
b6dodi kaga da'dei
247.

have broken

then he struck

it

upon the head

she dreamed that two birds sat

upon her two

legs

shoot
a bullet struck an
hit

officer,

and

him on the thigh

together with

In addition to having the simple meaning of the preposition,

la

is

used in certain euphemistic and other phrases,

la tag

la so'o
la

bdb

steal, loot (literally,

go off with)

la kali

bring (a thing)

la sorod (so 6rod)

bring (a person)

la jbg

halt,

la

bahso

la jbg, la fadiso

248.
ku, u.

cause to halt

escape with, save

The

reflexive

live

pronoun iss

is

with (as a servant)

used with the particles ka,

It is usually contracted to 'ss ka, 'ss

ku

(pronounced ska,

sku).

249.

iss ka, 'ss ka,

used in abrupt commands.

'ss
'ss
'ss

'ss

ka
ka
ka
ka

tag

go away

bahha

get

eg

look out

da

never mind

away with you

SYNTAX OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

122

With other

tenses

it

may

be translated by "just," " simply."

wa 'ss ka fadlya
wa 'ss ka dintei

am

down

just sitting

he simply died

(i.e.

a natural

death)

250.

iss ku, 'ss ku, iss

ku dowada
'ss ku lablab
'ss ku tbl
iss u gei
iss u dar, or 'ss ku dar
tollollki wa iss u jiran

with one another, together.

close together

iss

fold

up together

sew together
bring together

mix together
the tribes are

all

together

(mixed up)
It is the opposite of

ku yihin P
ku mid
'ss ku toll
'ss ku aba
'ss ku lb

sidei iss
'ss

kala

(cf.

177 and 239).

how do they compare ?

the same
of the

same

tribe

(children) of the

of the

same

price

same father

PART

IV.

SYNTAX OF COMPOUND
SENTENCES.

251.

Compound Sentences consist of more than one simple

may be Coordinate or Subordinate.

sentence, and

A.

252.

Coordinate Sentences.

Coordinate sentences are principal sentences, not de-

pendent on one another, but connected by simple copulative or

conjunctive particles, as

"and," "or," "but," and having their

verbs in the same mood.

Conjunctive Particles.

253.

iyo and (used only between two substantives).

Farah iyo aniga

or,

in the following cases

Farah and
:

laba iyo sadehh

hadad takto iyo hadi kaleh
inei fdgtahai iyo in k&leh so

hubso
254.

two or
if

three,

i.e.

a few

you go or otherwise

find out if it

is

far or other-

wise

o and (not used

to connect substantives).

kolkas askarrti dibadda u bahhdei o '6ridei

then the soldiers turned out

and drove them away

It is also used,
(i)

between two epithets governing one noun.

niman badan o wawein

laba faras o wan&ksan
laba askari o faras ku jdgta

many

big

men

two good horses

two soldiers on horseback

SYNTAX OF COMPOUND SENTENCES

124
(ii)

with the Indicative tenses of the verb to translate the

English participles.

wahhai arken inanti o

they saw the

dlrti

fadida

girl sitting in

the

trees

rerkbdi o la da'ei bu arkei

he found his family looted

an ka ghadno, isago
(isaga o) shirka ku maghan-

hblihlsi

us loot his flocks while he

let

away

is

at the council

yahai
(iii)

wa

as

meaning because,

iyagu shiikhulki ghobon waiyen

lo takhslrei o

(iv)

in the idiom

not

do
do

not

-na and, usually introduces a new

P

dabadedna

midna wa wanaksanyahai,
midna wa hhunyahai

ma jbgo

my

back

without

rifle

the

enclosure

leave

subject.

and you, what do you want ?

and afterwards
one is good and one is bad

-na followed by a negative verb means

256.

leave

without

adiguna mahhad donesa

ninna

come

finding the

t6gina heroda

midna ma

because

they would not do the work

o mahai without (Conditional).

ha s6 nokhon o bandukhi heli

mahai
aniga o fasahhi mahai ha ka

255.

punished

were

they

" no."

no one is here
not one went

tegin

For other

particles, see 127,

and Syntax of Compound

Sentences, Final and Conditional.

B.

257.

Subordinate Sentences.

Subordinate sentence

represents some part of speech

connected with

it

in,

is

one which depends on, or

the principal sentence, and

by a conjunction or

relative pronoun.

represent
Substantive, Adjective, or Adverb.

It

is

may

125

ADJECTIVAL SENTENCES
General Rules.

1.

258.

In

all

the Indicative

Subordinate sentences,

mood

if

the verb

is

Present or Future time the Indicative or Subjunctive

The Subjunctive

in Past time,

In

used, except in Conditional sentences.

is

may

be used.

used to express uncertainty, or what

is

the mind of the speaker, while the Indicative

is

is

in

confined to definite

facts.

The negative

particle in all Subordinate clauses

is

an

(cf.

274,

note).

Adjectival Sentences.

2.

In English these sentences are usually introduced by a

259.

"who," "whom," "which,"

relative pronoun,

but the Somali

etc.,

has no such pronoun.

The

clause therefore follows directly after the Antecedent, as in

many cases in English.

Where the English
relative clause,

relative

pronoun would be the subject of the

is used in Somali as subject to

no personal pronoun

the verb in the clause.

nimanka, halkb fadlyan, u yed

call

those men,

who

are sitting

over there

hujuddas

askarrti,

samelsei,

the

takhslr 'ulus bei lehdahai

soldiers,

who committed

that crime, deserve a heavy

punishment

aminkan

ninki,

arkeyei,

haggu

where has the

ka'ei ?

fardihi, shalei ni^jorku Ibshei 3

wa

la'ag

hdlihi,

yesterday cost a lot of

ma

la so

arbriyei ?

gellsi la da'ei,

wa yimi

ninki,

ai

yu ku

akhalklsa

fadidei,

yidi

watered?

have come

he said to the man, whose

house she was in
2

foajafa an.

Cf. note to

Pronounced as one word ninkyai.

Table

money

the people, whose camels were

looted,

whom

have the animals, which were

brought this morning, been
all

dadka,

gone,

the ponies the major bought

badna 4

saka la kenei,

wada

man

saw just now ?

III. 105.

hagge

* Cf.

ai=she.

u.

114.

SYNTAX OF COMPOUND SENTENCES

126

an waranki ka ghadei,
wa adaneya
ninki, an hbla lahain, wahhba

the boy

wilki,

is

the man,

ma taro

is

took the spear from

angry

who has no

property,

of no use

the horse, which does not want

an blyo badan ddnin,

biladkan ku wanaksanyahai

faraski,

much

water,

good

is

for this

country

by the Indicative mood, is used

apparently as a relative pronoun, where the latter is the subject of

260.

The

particle e, followed

the verb in the clause, usually when the antecedent

by another epithet, such as an adjective or numeral.

shanti fnan, e gabdihi gursadei,

u yimaden
Inanka H. B.,

the five boys,

girls,

e gabaddaidi ye-

reid gursadei,

yan u

dlbei

hukumka
The Conjunction o

261.

is

also qualified

is

who married the

came

have given authority to the

boy H. B., who married my
young daughter

used with the Indicative mood to

translate the English participles, or an adjectival clause,

literally

when

it is

only a coordinate sentence.

arkei lehh gabdod o 'el

ku maid6neya
wahhai arakta labadi shim-

wahhan

birod, o labadi lugod kaga

saw six

girls

washing at a

well
sees the two birds
upon her two legs

s"he

sitting

joga

bu

rerkddi o la da'ei
'oil

arkei, o

looted by an

da'ei

wahha ugu yimi afar nin,

o midna an u garanin
262.

intas

refers to

ninki shukhul dbneyo ha

is

came

yi-

family looted,

enemy

to her four

whom

men,

recognised her

used in Present or Future tenses,

a group,

mado
ibfneyo

there

none of

The Subjunctive mood

where the relative clause

geli la

he found his

the

clasSj sort, or

man

purpose.

that wants work let

him come

mid ka kahhaiso

take for yourself one of the

camels that are for sale

1

Pronounced wan&ks6nyahal.

127

ADVERBIAL SENTENCES

mindi

an

kali

la

ku

kibisti

bring a knife for

blyo an 'abo

ken

"He

263.
shalei

"they who,"

who,"

kuer,

Ibsotei

la

me

bring

definite pronouns, ki,

ki

me

to cut

the bread with

gogoiyo

are

etc.,

translated by

the

etc.

wa h6g

weinyahai

the one that was bought yester-

day

kuer saka yfmaden

water to drink

wa jdgan

is

strong

who came

those

morning

this

are here

kuer an busta lahain, iyo kuer

lehyihin

who have no blanket,

and those who have

those

264. "That which," "something which," "what," are translated

by wahh, wihhi.
do what I told you
wahhan ku idi yel
shew me what you bring
wahhad kento i tus
bring me something to sit on
wahh lagu fadlsto i ken
give me what you found
wihhi ad heshei i si
3.

265.

(a)

Adverbial Sentences.

Temporal and Locative

sentences.

These are essentially adjectival clauses qualifying an adverb

of

Time

or Place,

meshi akhalki

la

diseya

bu

fadlya

kolkan imaneyei libahh ban

arkei

ghalabka diga
266.

where the house

being built

what were you thinking of when

you did that ?
while

was coming

saw a

lion

meshian 'ashodi doweida jdgei

time, or

sitting

is
is

mahhad iss tidi markad wahhas

sameinesei

he

unload the kit where

The Subjunctive is required when referring

when the sense is general or indefinite.

hukumka leidin
wahhba weidina*

kolki

la ldin.

Negative particle ha

wellga, etc.

stopped

the other day

may

shego

when you

to

any future

are given an order,

don't ask questions

be omitted after negative words, as wahhba,

SYNTAX OF COMPOUND SENTENCES

128

kolku yimado

so sheg

when he comes,

mel wanaksan-einu degno so

ddn
" while "

267.
intei

is

translated

go and find a good place for

camp

us to

by inti

habasha ghodeyen, yei ka

or o.

while they were digging the

gurgiiratei

fsago hajki

me

tell

grave, she crawled

ku maghana, ya

nagtlsi dadabtei

away

away on the
his wife had a

was

he

while

pilgrimage,

dream

268.

intan so nokhdo
fadi inti

inti.

until, as far as,

mesha jdgsoda

wait there until

shekada damaneso

intad so'on karto so'o

269.
(Here

before that,

an

is the

come back

wait until the story

go as

far as

is

finished

you can

intan (inti-an).

neg. part.,

and

Verb

the

intanan so nokhon ha ka t6gina

is

don't go

used in the negative.)

away before

come

back

inteidinan deginin, ana

wa

idin

I will

gadeya
270.

catch you up before you

halt

after,

kolki...dabaded.

kolkan Badwein ka tegei, dabaded mahha ka da'ei P

after

left

happened

Badwein,

(When

what

I left B.,

afterwards what happened

kolkad BSrberah timid, dabaddto wa la helei

kolkad sida yesho,
akhalka gal

271.

(b)

it

?)

was found after you came to

Berberah

dabad6d

after

you

done

have

that,

enter the house

Final sentences

" in order that," in.

Always used with the Subjunctive.

magalodan'

ghobdneya

inan

barls iyo timir so dbnto

magiloda

am

going

fetch rice
an.

to

Berberah

and dates

to

129

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

nimanka

igu

inan

yeda,

la

call

hadlo

mesha

'ss

ka dumo, inan lagu

may

may

not

be seen

272.

that

them

hide there that you

arkin

If,

men

those

talk to

Conditional Sentences.

(c)

hadi.
Conditional sentence consists of two parts,
the Protasis, or Condition or Assumption, and the Apodosis,

or Conclusion.

273.

Assumptions.

(i)

Indicative

hadad moskhln tahai, mahhad

u shakheison weida ?
hadanad moskhln ahain, mahhad u shakhefsata ?
hadad magaloda tegesa, Suldanka u tag
hadanu imaninin, sugi mayo

mood

in both.

you are a pauper (as you

say), why do you not work ?

if

if

you are not a pauper, why

do you work

if

you are

(really)

going to the

town, go to the Sultan

if

he

is

not coming,

I will

not

wait

hadad

mahhad

jdgtei,

ark-

if

you were
you see ?

if

you were not

you know ?

esei P

hadanad
274.

jdgin, sidad dgtahai ?

what did

there,

how do

Future Definite Condition, or Promise.

(ii)

Protasis

there,

Aorist Subjunctive.
Future Indicative or Imperative,

Apodosis

hadu yimado, u

shegi

ddna

if

he comes,

am

going to

tell

him

hadad

tegi

tegin),

275.

weido

wa

(or

hadanad

if

lagu ghoboneya

(iii)

Protasis

you do not

go,

you

will

be

caught

Present or Past Unfulfilled condition {Imaginary).

Aorist Subjunctive.
Conditional.

Apodosis

hadeinu Berberah jdgno, la'agtian ku sin laha

1

The verb wan

117)

is

if

we were

in Berberah, I should

give you the

money

often used in Conditional sentences to translate the

negative verb, in place of the particle an with a negative tense.

SYNTAX OF COMPOUND SENTENCES

130

hadaneinu

wahha

BSrberah jbgin,
badan maan ku

if

Berberah,

in

should not give you so

much

slyen

hadad shalei takto, wa u

ghobon lahaid
hadanad Adan olli jirin, wah-

maad

has

we were not
I

if

you had gone yesterday,

you would have caught him

if

you had not been living in

Aden, you would not have

garaten

understood that

276.

(iv)

Protasis

Future Indefinite Condition, or Suggestion.

Continuative Subjunctive.

Apodosis

Conditional, or Neg. Pres.

hadannu berrl tgeno, ninkiannu ghob6n lahain

hadanannu teginin, ghobon

if

if

mayno
Note.

Pronoun,

we

were

In a long sentence the Conjunction,

not

to

go,

we

may

be

Neg. Part., and

split up.

Whether... or...

is

if

you do not do the work I

wish, you are no good to

me

translated by hadi...iyo hadi....

doneso iyo hadanad

ddninin, iss ka tag

hadad
or

we were to go to-morrow,
we should catch the man
should not catch him

hadiad shukhulka an ddneya

anad gh6bonin, shukhulkaiga ku ma wanaksanid
277.

Continuative.

whether you want to or not, go

by ama...ama, followed by the Imperative.

ama ha samado ama ha hhu-

whether

it is

good or bad, do

it

mado, yel
278.

"unless," "without,"

ha s6 nokhon, bandukhi o
mahai
279.
There

(d)
is

may

heli

Causal

be translated by o...mahai.

do not return, without finding

the

rifle

sentences.

no conjunction meaning "because," but o

is

used in the

following way.

wa lagu takhslrei o adigu shukhulki ghobon wai

wahhan ku adadei, o lyagu laba

aa'adod ka ragen

you were punished because you

would not do the work
I

was angry, because they were

two hours

late

131

SUBSTANTIVAL SENTENCES
280.

Concessive sentences (although).

(e)

There

no conjunction, but they

is

may

be translated as the

last,

or paraphrased.

halkanad tillen, haddana daugi

ma taghanin

do not know the road,

although you have lived here

you

281. The conjunctions ending

They may be used with Subjunctive

wihhi

kasta

mesha ka
o

is

wahh

ad

may be

whatever you

sameineso,

Concessive.

are

-soever

doing,

come away from there

kali

usually added to the Imperative,

kasta makhla-o, ha so

nokhonina
si

so'o

arke,

jdgson

you, do not

listen

whomsoever he marries,
give
is

whatever

may

see, I will

not

may

be,

however many they

'eriyena

wa

gadeya

will defeat

however

far it

kasta ad
jdgson

araktide,

ha

whatever you

them

may

going to reach

wahh

I will

him nothing

used,

we
jirte,

tells

stop

ha ahaden, wa
ha

go on

are,

In the following the Potential Tense

in kasta

not

whatever he

makhlin
'id kasta ha gursado, wahhba
u sin mayo

in kasta

do

hear,

however tired you

kasta ha ku shego, ha

wahh kasta an
mayo

you

whatever

come back

dal kasta ghobo-o,

wahh

in

or Potential or Imperative,

be, I

am

it

may

see,

do not

stop

4.

Substantival Sentences.

282.

These sentences stand in relation to a Principal sentence,

as Substantives, and may be either the subject or object of the

Pronoun or Adverbial Noun). They

by in (that), followed by the Subjunctive in Present
or Future time, by the Indicative in Past time.

principal verb (or an Indefinite

are introduced

283.
in la jedlo

(a)

As

ma wanaksana

inad hilibkas 'unto

wa haran

Subject.
it is
it

is

not good to be whipped

unlawful for you to eat

that meat

92

SYNTAX OF COMPOUND SENTENCES

132

284.

(b)

(i)

wahhannu ddnena inad

na

As

Object.

Indirect statement, thought, wish, etc.

sor

we want you

to give us food

slso

wahhan ddneya inan Adan

tago, or inan Adan tago ban

want to go to Aden

think the rain

ddneya

wa u

maleineya in rdbku
ddno

di'i

kolkasu oghadei in rag u yimi

going to

is

then he learned that

inanti

fall

men came

to the girl

kolkasa wadadki dama'ei inu

araro
285.

(ii)

then

the

tried

priest

to

run

away

Simple indirect questions.

inu yimi so hubso

find out if he

bal inei fdgtahai so weidi

go and ask

inu tSgeyo iyo in kaleh war

came

if it is far

do not know

ma hayo

if

he

is

coming

or not

moyi inanu fulan oghbn

iyo

do not know
know how to

inarm ddnin

he does not

if

ride

or

if

he

does not want to

286.

(iii)

introduced

questions,

Indirect

by interrogative

pronouns.
'id u yahai so ddn
hadanad oghbn 'iddi goi'sei,
mahhan ku sameyaP
wuhhu ddneyo weidi
weidi bal wahhai ka baghaneyan
i
sheg wahhai u shakhein

find out

is

ask what he wants

ask what they are frightened of

tell

wayen
287.

who he

you do not know who cut

them, what am I to do?

if

me why

they would

not

work
(iv)

questions,

Indirect

introduced

by

interrogative

adverbs.

hdluhu

intei yihin

ma ku

did

he

tell

you

animals there are

shegei ?
1

=1 have no

news.

how many
?

ORATIO OBLIQUA
so eg inti tambukhi leheg-

133

go and look how big the tent

is

yahai

meshas
hayo
mel u

int6i

jiro

war ma

jirto

garan wai

gor u si
haisa P

In narrative there
'

say

'
'

is

do not

it is.

do you know when he

on ?

is

going

Oratio Obliqua.

5.

288.

that place

do not know where

ma

war

so'6neyo

after the verbs,

how far
know

tell

'

is

no oratio obliqua in Somali, but

(odo, sheg), the oratio recta

is

re-

peated.

The pronouns, wahhan,

wuhhu

yidi,

"

etc.,

ban

libahh

are generally used.

he said he had seen a lion

arkei

wuhhu

yidi,

"wa

daba so so'oneya

wahhad na

tidi,

beidin hlesan

wahhad

idin

ka

he

"

" gel

badan

would follow

on

you

you told us we should get many

"

tidahhda,

he

said
after

camels
"

sor

ban

tell

" 'ss

ka

tell

him

want food

ddneya

wahhad

tidahhda,

them

to go

away

taga"
289.

In

place of

wahha,

wa

ti

is

often

used with the

pronouns.

watan ku idi, " s6 nokho "

watad tidi, " 'ss ka j6g "
warakhdi me ? wa ti la gubei

told

you to come back

you told me to stay

where

is

burned

the letter

that was

APPENDIX

I.

Seasons in Somaliland.

March

Jilal

January

(Kalil)

April

Gil

MayJune

Hagar

October (Karif on the coast)

November December (N.E. Monsoon)

(S.W. Monsoon)

July

Dair

Names

of months (corresponding

Dago
Durahh hore
Durahh dambe

Safar
al

Awal

Rabia

al

Akhir

Jumad
Jumad

al

Awal

al

Akhir

Arabic).

Somali.

Arabic.

Moharram
Rabia

to the

Rajal hore
Rajal dehhe
Rajal dambe

Rajab
Shaaban

Sa buha

Ramadhan
Shawal

S6n
S6n

Dhul Kada
Dhul Hijjah

Arafo

Wa barls

Days of the week

(or

Soukad)

fur

Sidatal

are the same as Arabic.

Jima'-i

Monday

Isnin-ti

Friday

Tuesday

Salasa-di

Saturday

Sabti-di

Wednesday

Rabuhh-i
Khamis-ki

Sunday

Ahad-di

Thursday

APPENDIX

Times of the day and night.

The Arabic times

a.m.

of prayer are freely used.

135

APPENDIX
Money.
la'ag-ti

money,

mushaharo-di

wages

hisab-ti

account

silver

sarrif-ki

small change

dahab-ki

gold

rubod)

rubiad-di

rupee

rubi-gi

\ rupee, 8 annas

(pi.

b61ad-di

4 annas

antln-ti

2 annas

gambo-di

anna

beisad-di

2 pies

ardi-di

pie

Weight.

misan-ki

II.

138

APPENDIX
A

knowledge of the chief

III.

of Somalis

tribes

order to identify individuals, as, in any

official

the native custom of describing him by

adhered
in

to.

The

sub-tribe

is

most important

These are very confusing at

may

for instance, three brothers

first,

correctly describe themselves

respectively as Abdallah Ismail, Hersi Bareh,

first

important, in

name and

relationships of the tribes are also

any dealings with the people.

as,

is

description of a man,

and Rer

Sugulli, at

sight three different tribes.

The
details,

following are only the better

Cox's Genealogies

The inhabitants

ASHA,

may

known

tribes

for

further

be consulted.

of the country are divided into

or

GOB

ISHHAK

(Noble birth)

DARUD
ESA
GADABURSI

DIR

SAB

HAWIYA
TOMAL
MIDGAN

(outcast)

YIBIR
None

of these eight tribes have

any known relationship with one

another, within the history of Somalis as a race, except perhaps the

TOMAL, who are said by some to be a branch of the

and the DIR, who may be a branch of the ISHHAK.
The

ISHHAK

are divided into four, or usually

divisions, called

HABR AWAL
HABR GERHAJIS (EIDEGALLA

lHABR YUNIS

ARAB

HABR TOLJALA

DARUD
five,

great

APPENDIX

140

The

ARAB

distinct, are

are

more

HABR means
ARAB,

and

small

tribe,

III

and,

or less adopted into the

"old woman," or "wife

EIDEGALLA

though genealogically

HABR GERHAJIS.
of."

nicknames, the

are

The

other

are

ISHHAK.

proper names, of the sons and grandsons of Sheikh

HABR AWAL are divided into

Makahil

Hussein Abokr
(

Saad Musa

Abokr
Abdarahhman

Jibril

Abdallah Saad
f

Mohammed Esa
I

Esa Musa

Musa

Jibril

Abokr

Ba Abdarahhman
Jibril

Rer Wais

Abokr Esa

Damwadaga
Abdurabbman
\

The
(

Adan Esa

EIDEGALLA

Rer Idleb
Rer Farab
Rer Odowa

are divided into

Abokr Musa
Rer Yunis Abdurabbman

Ba Delo
Gasbanbur
Damal Yera
Rer Esa

The

HABR YUNIS are divided into

Abdillab Ishbak
Kassim Ishhak

Isbhak

Adan
Musa Adan

Jibril

Arreh Said

Mohammed Adan

Musa Arreb

Ali
V

Ismail Arreh

Adan

Hassan Musa
Saad Yunis

Musa

Ismail

Abdallah Ismail

Ali Said

Idris

Musa Abdallah
Omar Abdallah

APPENDIX

The

Omar

Abdallah

141

III

are important as the Sultan's tribe, or

Royal House, and are divided into a number of important subtribes.

Ugad Omar Rer Hussein

Gambur
Ba Dolbohanta
Said Hersi
Adan Omar

Omar Abdallah

Hersi

Barreh
]

Abdi Hersi
Ainanshe

The

Rer Warsama
(RerWaraba)
Rer Weid
Rer Abdi
Rer Ainanshe
Rer Sugulli

ARAB are divided into

Rer Othman
Abdallah

Ahmed

Abdallah

Rer Ali

The

Rer Ali

Adan Waraba

HABR TOLJALA are divided into

Omar Abokr

Jibril

Abokr

Musa Abokr

Mohammed
I

Abokr

A * a * Madoba
[
J

Yessel
|

Nuh

Ahmed Farah
Dahir Farah
etc.

The

chief divisions of the

D ARUD

are

OGADEN
BARTIRI

ABSGUL
HARTI

MIJJERTEIN

WARSANGELI
DOLBOHANTA

APPENDIX

142

III

DOLBOHANTA are divided into

The

(Jama

Siad

(
r

Naleyah Ahmed

Rer

Jibril

Ali Naleyah
-J

Ogarien Siad

Nur Ahmed

Aligheri

Ahmed Garad I Ararsama

[

Garad Farah

Mohammed Garad
or

(incl.

(incl.

Ba

Idris)

Rer Wais Adan

and Rer Hagar)

Rer Naleyah

Ba Ararsama

Barkad Garad
v

Abdi Garad

Rer Khair

Rer Wais Adan, Rer Hagar, are three small sub-tribes

HABR TUNIS, and live with them in the
They are included among the tribes friendly to the
of Burao.
Government, the other Dolbohanta having largely sided with the

Note.

Ba

Idris,

which have intermarried with

district

British

Mullah.

EXAMPLES OF PROSE AND VERSE.

The following stories and songs were dictated to ine by Somalis
Habr Toljala and Habr Yunis tribes living at Burao.
The language used in the Prose Stories is exactly in the style of
modern colloquial speech.
The sentences are very short and simple, and in ordinary
1

of the

conversation,

narrative,

especially in

the speaker would hesitate

after each one, in order that the listener

might reply with some

Such ejaculations
Kod, Kodi or Haiye, Weiye, meaning "Yes," "I see," "Go on"
Wallahh is
or Dega, Wallahh, meaning "Really," "By God."
usually replied to again by Ega wallahh.

ejaculation expressing his attention or surprise.

are

Example,
B.

A.

complainant

Mashtaki

Well

am.

ban

ahai.

camel someone from me has stolen.

hadei.
leiga

Yes.

Hal ba

Kod.

Yesterday it was lost.

Shalei bei ka halladei.

Kod.

There beyond, the

Hagga ka

When we

flocks

shishei,

Yes.

were grazing.

hdlaha

were returning

it

wa

was

dajeyei.

stolen.

Gorteinu ka so nokh6nenei leiga hadei.

IV

Yes.

K6d.
Yes.

Kod.

were told by an educated Somali, Mohammed Jibril, of the Habr

Mnsa Abokr, then serving as an office clerk.
V IX were told me by a professional poet and story-teller of Burao, Ismail
the Habr Toljala, Her Ahmed Farah.
X was told me by an interpreter called AH, of the Habr Yunis, Musa Arreh.
1

Toljala,

of

Weiye.

EXAMPLES OF PROSE AND VERSE

144

A.
There with

Wahha

la
j6ga.

it

went two men, on

tegei laba nin, c

PROSE

HABIYO BUTIYA
LAME HABIYO.

I.

Suldan

hi

A Sultan

1
.

Inanka hoyodlsi ya dimatei.

The son

he had.

there was, a son

KolkasaSuldanku
Then

fnan bu laha 2

jirei,

145

his

mother

died.
4

Suldanki ba hajki ghobtei

The Sultan the pilgrimage made.

nag bu gursadei.

the Sultan a wife he married.

Nagti
Suldanka 5 ya Yuh6di la sahhebei, fnanki Suldanka ya
The wife of the Sultan
a Jew with was friendly, the son of the Sultan
6
Yuh6digi la
Nagti
ya Yuh6digi kuyidi 7 "fnanka
'oll6bei
the Jew to said, "The boy
Jew with was at enmity. The woman
.

the

an

Kolkasei
Then she

dilno."
us

let

kill."

genyu 8

sorti

ugu

sun

the food poison with

"Ha

tidi,

sorti

Suldanka,

eat the food."

Sultan,

This

is

When

dambe

Malinti

dldei.

the food refused.

of the

Kolki

'unin sorta."

Do not

"

to said,

mixed.

wahh walba taghan 9 kolkasa genyodi fnanki

lehyahai,

a mare he possesses, which everything knows,

ku

Inankuse
But the boy

dartei.
it

The day following

wuhhu

yidi,

he

said,

sorti

the mare the boy

then
lo

10

ya fnanki

s6 digei,

the food was placed,

ya Yuh6digi u yimi
came
the Jew

"Kolka
"When

the boy
11

Suldanki

yimado,

the Sultan

comes,

a good example of ordinary narrative style with

its

nagti
the wife

to

wahhad
do you

broken short

an excellent exercise in the uses of ba, ya, the adjectival

clause, and the concord of plural nouns, upon which special notes are not given

sentences.

in

many
2

It is also

cases.

laho means "have in possession," or "own," and

is

different

from hai,

have in the hand, hold.

3
Note article u, for " the above-mentioned Sultan."
4 i.e. the Mecca pilgrimage.
5

Article a for possessive case.

99.

address,

ku

is

the particle.

masc, and therefore the

8

genyo

u.

From

ogho.

10
11

The

subject

Aorist

is

is

Cf.

wahhad ku tldahhda

below,

ylttl

Yuhddigl, and not nagti.

here used for Present Participle.

la u.

u
K.

to (a person).

10

is

PROSE

146

Wa buka.'

Kolku

am sick.'

When he

tidahhda,

'

say,

'I

wahhad tidahhda,
do you

to

yidahhdo,

you

Mahha ku dawaa

'

Dararti

dambe

The mare her

The day

following

Suldanku yimi, kolkasei

san

liver.' "

When

jababa'

kolkasa Suldanki yidi, "

tidi,

tidi,

"Fedaha han6neya."

said,

"

"

"Berka
"The liver

Mahha ku haya 3 ? "

What

you

wuhhuyidi, "Genyodadayan ughaleya

will slay
I
said, " Your mare

said,

" All right.

galabta-an ku

This evening let

nabad,"

genyodi

so

la tegei.

it

Inanti

The

ugu yereid ya

Galabti
In the evening

He

the

came,

man

ka

'ss

ka diga

nin

pretended to be a

man

'erka

The

the town

1st conjugation.

Causative verb derived from gal

i.e.

go and take a walk.

gabdod

coupled by
7

is

'elki

she the well

Kolkasu genyoda
Inanki ba wuhhu
he
The boy

Wuhhu

galei.

He

he entered.

Aorist here means, "is

dawa,

is

saw

washing.

araktei, bei

man

taktei.

magaloda bu

adinla,
crippled,

geli.

what

the

hish<5tei.

tegei.

ku maidtfneya 7

'el

the mare to the sky went.

then

burned,

tail

magalo-u

she concerning was ashamed. Then he the mare

saintdda gubei, kolkasa genyodi

her

said, " Father,

a well at

ninki

kolkei

when she

"Abo,

yidi,

went, to a town he went.

girls

saw,

so bahhdei, ninki bei

ka
from

ku

Wuhhu tegei,

six

Kolkasu
Then he

mermero 4 ."
abihi

araktei,

youngest

girl

said,

to his father

went.

saw

he

near

tidi,

Then she

take a walk."

5
6
Magaloda agtedi bu ku arkei lehh gabdod o

The town

Kolkasei
"

ayoda."

me on

fulei, .kolkasu
ba inanki genyodi
the boy the mare mounted, then he

goodbye," and with the mare

Then she

your stepmother."

for

he

"Haurarsan.

cure

will

Kolkasei

has?"

you

Inanki ba Suldanki u yedei,

called,
the Sultan
The boy

genyoda fnankaga."
mare of your son."

of the

yidi,

'alenti

the leaf

slept

"Mahha ku dawaa?"

ribs are hurting."

ya

sehhotei,
it

"What

the Sultan said,

then

crackled,

My

she on

ya

underneath

and she

ku

Kolkei

beirda.

'alen

inserted a leaf of a fig-tree.

hosta ka

o wahhai

gogoshei,

the Sultan came, then she a skin laid on the bed,

gelisei

'What you will cure?'

says,

'Genyoda berkeda.' "

'

say,

ku

to,''

la
lived

or "can."

enter, 123.

the matter with you?

qualified

at.

by a numeral and therefore the

o.

3rd singular after Indef.

plur., 168.

relative

clause

is

PROSE
fadistei

yidi,

Berigi

nin.

as servant to a

"Wa

gursonena."

We

will marry."

"

said,

dambe ya

The time

man.

My daughters
u

iss

Suldanki ba durban ku diftei

The Sultan
beat,
drum

ba

gabdihi

yimi, kolkas

then

stood.
?

j6gan

"

Then

jogo."
here."

yidi,
told,

the girl young

said,

magaloda wada j6ga u yeda."

town

are

all

yidi,

he

said,

yedei.

Habiyo Butiya, they

called.

ya

wanted

lehh habadod

dibei

Then

told,

the boy

walba

ninkei doneso

every the

man

diftan,

shan

they

struck,

five

Habiyo Butiya.
Butiya.

and her mother eyes

1

lit. sit

ku

ha

with.

"Wahha
It

dffato."
strike."

Gabdihi
The girls

la

yidi,

"Inan

was

said,

"Girl

7
Shanti gabdod e kaleh
other
The five girls

inan o hodanah, inanti yereid ya ku difatei

struck
the girl young
young men rich,

nahhen ya abahed
ka
Kolkasa nahhdinti-ai
her father
Then with horror they were astonished

hoyoded indo

iyo

o linah.

she wants let her

wahhai ku

Habiyo

cripple,

Kolkasa Suldanki gabdihi weidiyei,

asked,
Then the Sultan the girls

oranges.

six

not

Raga
"The men

"Ragi
ma wada j6ga?" Kolkasei yidahhden, "Ha."
said,
"Yes."
The men are they all here ? " Then they
lo

is

"

la yidi,

were

all

ma

Ninkan doneyei

"The man

"

were handed

wada

are they

Kolkasa fnanki adinkalaa 4

call."

Habiyo Butiya, yu 5 u

ya

ragu

ma

"Raga dbnesan 3
"The men you wish

Ad6nihi
raga
u yedeyei
The slaves (who) the men were calling

(that) in the

wuhhu

meidanki

kenei,

la

Kolkas inanti yereid ba tidi, "

here?"

were brought, in the plain the men

the girls

Kolkasa gabdihi la
Then
the girls were

j6gei.

inamodi
h6dna ya
Kolkasa
rich
the young men
Then

will marry."

together came,

ya

Suldanka

gabdihi

the daughters of the Sultan

after

"Gabdahaiga ya gurs6neya."
"

147

belen.
lost.

Inanki ba inanti yereid giirsadei.

the girl young married.
The boy

An idiom meaning

u be servant to.'

la jog has the

same

meaning.
used with ku, meaning "strike."

difo

The pronoun

adinla

is

ref. to

addnihl.

" articles," often used in this

is

kaleh

meaning,

is

is

omitted.

inflected to agree with article -W.

way with numerals.

the second epithet, but o

is

not used as o kaleh has a special

177.

102

PROSE

148

dambe ya

Dararti

dawaa 'ano

it

wlyiled."

milk of rhinoceros."

cures

" Suldanka iyo nagtlsa wahha u

la yidi,

The day following

was

said, "

The Sultan and

there

his wife

Inamodi
shanti gabdod
The young men the five girls

gtirsadei,

married,

shan faras o wanaksan ba la slyei, fnankina Habiyo Butiya dabeir

five ponies
were given, and the boy Habiyo Butiya a donkey
good
1

ba

Kolkasa inagaloda-ai ka behhen

Then the town they from departed.

la slyei.

was given.

fnanki Habiyo Butiya, ya genyodlsi sainti u gubei, genyodi

his mare the tail he burnt, the mare
The boy Habiyo Butiya,

ba

to

timi,.

kolkasu

came,

then he

gashodei 2
put

dahabkaaha iyo

darklsi
his

sefti
intas u
and the sword that he

of gold

clothes

on.

Kolkasu genyodi fulei. Kolkasa genyodi

the mare
Then he the mare mounted Then

reached.

Kolkas wuhhu taga

Then
goes
he

wlyishi

yereid bu dohhei,

gh<5botei.

mel

that sky she

flew,

wiyili

where rhinoceros

to

ku

dashei,

was

born,

bu kala bahhai,

santi

yei

'erkas

dtishei,

'o'ob

bu

the rhinoceros young he skinned, the skin he stretched out, a figure he

ka

Duhurki

sameyei.

from

Habiyo Butiya ya

fnanki

the boy Habiyo

hohhdi
the

first

ku

ahaid ya
wlyishi
timi,
was
the rhinoceros came,
.

ka digei

dalkeda,

yu

'anihi

pretended to be her young, the milk

Butiya

sibrar

'ss

it

gudulkina sibrar ku

lissei,

he

lissei.

part a skin in milked, and the second a skin in (he) milked.

ya gedo donatei, kolkasa fnanki

Wiyishi
The rhinoceros
turei,

kolkei

The afternoon when

made.

it

bu ghadei, ged bu

'anihi

away, the milk he

Isago

tegei,

a tree he went

took,

gedka

then

sought,

grass

hurda,

from hahh.

reflexive verb

from gal.

Verbs in

usually change

men who

to sh in

gabdaha
the girls

forming these

derivatives.
3

the

Iuaga

first

part that

o,

218.

is

ka

threw

it tied.

fnan

the five young

'ss

genyodi bu ku hedtei.
the mare he to

ya shanti

While he at the tree was sleeping,

to,

'o'obki

the boy the figure

milked, and not so rich as the second, or gudul.

PROSE

149

gursadei u ylmaden, kolkasei yidahhden, " Salam aleikum."

married to him came, then they
said,
"Salam aleikum."

Butiya ku

yidi,

Butiya

said,

"Aleikum salam."
"Aleikum

"

so'otan?"
Wahhai yidahhden,
you go to ? "
They
said,
yidi, "

Kolkasu
Then he

said, "

nesan?"

'Ano

"H6lo

mayo,

d6ni

"Goods

wiyiled

'Ano

"

"Wahhad

what

ninkinba

iga
to

wish."

maga'aiga yan

my name

me

do

sis6-

for it will

Kolkasu
Then he

donesid."

"What you
1

"Where

bannu donena."
we
want'

wiyiled

have,

Habiyo

"Haggad ku

said,

Milk of rhinoceros

do not want, each of you

yidi,

ana haya, mahha

Milk of rhinoceros

Kolkasei yidahhden,
Then they
said,

give?"

Kolkasu
Then he

salam."

Habiyo

you

yidi,
said,

kaga

futada

the buttock upon

dijmeya." Kolkasei yidahhden, "Haurarsan." Maga'isi yu

futadi
print" Then they
said,
"All right"
His name he the buttock

will

kaga wada 2 dijiyei shanti nin ba.

upon
all
printed the five men.
u

Habiyo Butiya

gudulkina

siyei,

Kolkasa 'anihi hohhdaaha 3

Then
the milk
the first
ghatei".

he gave, and the second Habiyo Butiya took for himself.

Magalodi Suldanki
jogei
yei
tegen
'anihi
o
The town the Sultan dwelt in they went to, and the milk
'Anihi,

The

shanta nin

sfdatei,

ya Suldanki

indihisi

men

carried,

the Sultan

his eyes

milk, the five

wahhba
nothing
'anihisi

waiyen 5

tari
to

be of use

nagtisi

his milk to his wife

ku

yanei
let

dibei,

see,

ku

ya u 8

dila'ei.

opened.

2
a

wuhhu
he

shubtei.

took.

shubei,

was upon poured,

dambe ya Habiyo Butiya

Habiyo

day following
yidi,
said, "

"

Abaha

Your

father

kolkad ku shubesid.''
when you in
pour."

then she in poured.

took,

Darar

failed.

he gave,

arkin,

them not you

geisei, kolkasei

si

it

logu

geyen.

iyo

Butiya

hoyoda

and your mother

'anihi
Kolkasei
Then she the milk

Indihi Suldanka iyo indihi

hoyoded
The eyes of the Sultan and the eyes of her mother

Kolkasei fnanti so arartei, akhalkedi bei timi.

Then she the girl ran away, to her house she came.

you men, cf. 200 (iii) and 206.

Note order of particles, 236.
ah may be added to any noun used adjectivally or descriptively.

from ghado

plural agreeing with 'ano, which

i.e.

take to yourself.

by reason of

it.

is

a plural noun.

PROSE

150

Kolkasa Suldanki oghadei in Habiyo Butiya indihi u dila'ei.

the Sultan learned that Habiyo Butiya the eyes
opened.
Then
inamodi
kaleh e
Suldanki ba u yedei
called the young men other who
The Sultan

wuhhu

yidi, "

he

said,

yan

gursadei,
married,

fnanki Habiyo Butiya e gabaddaidi yereid gursadei

young
married
"The boy Habiyo Butiya who my girl

dlbei

have given

gabdihlsi
his daughters

hukumkeda.

magalodaida
my town

its

eidan

servants

to

fdinkuna

And

government.

ye

Habiyo Butiya dabad^d Suldan nbkhdei.

n6khda."
him be."

Habiyo Butiya afterwards Sultan

INANKI MASKA

II.

fnan iyo fnan wa walalaaha.

Inankuna lo'du

ku ahayen.

became.

DILEI.

Lo' bai jiren, mel 'idlaah bai her

Inantuna akhalka yei fadiyf

ra'l jirei,

ugu iman jiren. lnanti ba ghorohh

badatei, rag ba weidistei, fnanki ba u dldei in la gursado Inanta.
Malin dambe ya niman akhalki lnanti ugu ylmaden. Kolkasei la
Kolhassawen, fnanki e walalaahayen Inanta, ya galabti so hoidei.
kasu oghkdei in rag u yimi lnanti, o iss ka am us. Mklinti dambe ya
habenki bei heroda

jirtei,

iss

nimanki lnanti u so n6khden, wahhai yidahhden, "

An walalka

dilne,

gormu daganyahai ? " Kolkasei lnanti tidi, " Kolku lo'di lisseyo."
Habenki bei ylmaden, kolku lo'da lisseyei, muski bei ka so b6den.
Kolku arkei 'ollki, yu sefti .labahhai, kolkasa walashi timaha
Odi bai
gh6botei, kolkasu timihi u goiyei, muski bu ka bddei.
Kolkasu bahhsodei, wuhhu taga magalo agted,

ghorihisi ka goisei.

wahha ku hednaged
1

tidi, "

hedantahai mesha

imaneya o
tidi,

"

'uneya."

tidi,

"

dintei.
1

2
8

yidi,

Wahhai

Kolkasu

yidi,

Kolkasei

"Mahhkd ugu 2

yidi,

hore, dabad^dto-na anigu

sefti

labahhai o

kahaistei,

madaha kaga

diftei,

magalodi bu geyei.

this use of wahha There was

mahhad u mesha ku hedantahai ?
*

Kolki maski yimi yu blyihi

"Watahai."

lnanti bu

u.

yidi,

tidi, "

Note

blyaha

"Nayktahai?"

Wuhhu

dalei."

Mas ba lei hedei, maskas ba i

"Gormu yimada?" Kolkasei
"
Kolku yimkdo muhhu sameineya masku ?

kolkas Inanki

da'ei,

"Biyuhu 8 'abeya marka

Kolkasu

'uneya."

maski

" Asarka."

Wahhai
ku

Wuhhu

Inan.

Suldknki magkloda ya

tied to a tree, a girl.

anlga

u.

kolkasa

Dadki

PROSE
magklodi j6gei ya ku so

"War, wk side?"
Suldanka

lo

Suldanka

yidi,

geyei,

151

ararei, isago inanti

Kolkasu
o lei yidi,

"Inantaida

"

Wahha

wada.

"Maski ban

yidi,

dilei."

la yidi,

Kolkasa

Kolkasa
Ninkasa maski dilei."
Halkasa inanki inanti ku

giirso."

gursadei.

fNANTI LUGAHA1AEID.

III.

Suldkn ba inan laha, fnanta ghorknka lo digi jirei. B^rigi dambe

ya Suldknki hajki ghobtei, inanti bu amkneyei nin wadkdah, o yidi,
" fnantas ghorknka u si dig 3 ."
Wadkdki ba inanti iss ka dama'ei
'

inu ka simeisto, inanti ba didei.

Darkrti

yei tidi, " Berri

dambe

Darkrti-ai mudeisten yei sallknki kkhalki ka ghadei, halki

kkli."

wadkdki ka so

Abahed yu warkhad u

full jirei.

ghorei, " Inantkdi dilo'

Inanti bu u adkdei,

nokhotei."

ei

wuhhu u

direi,

wuhhu ku

Suldknki ba hajki ka yimi.

dibei niman adomaah, wuhhu yidi,

Adbmihi ya inanti kahhayei, wahhai

"fnantas ghorta ka

so goiya."

geyen mel

Inanti bei lugaha ka goiyen, kolkasei habashedi

gashei,

dirleh.

Intei habkshi ghodeyen, yei

ghoden.
o

kaga

meshiei fadidei ka egen

3
,

ka gurguratei, mel dirleh yei

Adomihi kolkei habkshi ghoden

dumatei.

wa ka waiyen, Kolkasei dero

yei

dilen, digi

deroda ghar6rad ku shuben.

Suldknki bei u geyen digi, o yidahhden

Mklin dambe ya skfar meshi so marei, meshi
Duhurki kolki safarku aurti rertei, yei
inanti fadidei yu degei.
Inanti ya nin so ghadei, aur bu so
inanti o dirti fadida arken.
Magklodi-ai yimaden yu kenei. Inanti ya ninki so ghadei
skrei.
" Inanti dilnei."

dambe ya inan Suldan dalei ya inanti weijigedi

wankksan 4 ya inanki arkei. Ninki-ai akhalkisa
Ninki ba yidi,
fadidei yu ku yidi, ''An inanta ka giirsado."
" Inanta wa lugolkdahai."
Kolkasa inanki Suldknkaii yidi, " Ana
Inanti ba inanki
Kolkasu yidi, " Haurkrsan."
gurskneya, i si."
Iyadu urleh ya
Suldknka gursadei. Laba inan yei u dashei.
inanki yidi, " Hajki ban ghobdneya." Inanki ba inanti uga tegei
akhal fadisiyei.

Beri

arkei, weijigedi o

teach.

continue to teach.

ka

Note the use of ka in these expressions, meaning,

fcgen.

to look for in

a place, or being unable to find in a place.

*

The Possessive

the particle o

is

adjective suffix -gedi

is

treated as

an

epithet,

required for the second adjective wanaksan.

and therefore

PROSE

152

wan

1
,

Isago hajki

o hajki ghobtei.

wahhai

u behhen, o hajki ghtfbotei.

lugihi

ku maghan, ya

nagtlsi dadabtei,

lyadu labada lugod laba shimbirod kaga j6gta, o

riyotei

Arorti kolki

wagu

berlyei,

ya

wahhai arakta labadi shimbirod o labadi lugod kaga j6ga, o lugihi u

behhen.

Arorti kolkei ahaid, yei labadedi fnan iyo wanki iyo labadi

Dar dauga dehhdeda yei

wahha ugu yimi abahed iyo walalked iyo wadadki iyo
Inamodedi yei u shekeisei,
ninkedi intas o midna an u garanin.
dawodi iyada heshei yei ugu shekeisei, abahed ba makhlei iyo
shimbirod kahhaisatei, hajki bei gh<5botei.

taktai,

wadadki, kolkasa wadadki dama'ei inu araro,

kolkasa Suldanki

"Fadi inta sheltado damaneso." Suldanki, fnanta abahed, ya

wadadki ghorti ka goiyei, fnanti iyo abahed iyo ninkedi inti wa leiss
wada ra'ei. Hajki ba la tegei. fnanti iyo abahed halki yei iss ku

yidi,

girten.

IV.

HdGGI DlRTA.

Suldan ba fnan laha, fnanki ba

ba h6la badan
magaloii tegei.

Magalodi kolku

Suldanki ba dar

siyei, darti

iss

nagti Suldanka Inanki

kaleh

jirei

samei."

ku

Suldanki

gursaneya."

Inanki Suldanka ya d6fei

siyei.

yu nin Suldan

tegei,

u ku

Nagti Suldanki

u daldliyei.

"Wa

yidi,

markabna wa

slyei,

la

sahhebei

fnanku iyo darti Suldanka ya

la sahhebei.

yidi, " Sorti

Malinti

dambe yu

ninkaga adu sam^in

Suldanki ba fnanki u

tegei,

wuhhu

yidi,

jirta o

"Awa

Suldanki wuhhu yidi, " Haurkrsan."

anad wahh i la 'unese."
Inanki ba nagti Suldanka ku yidi, " Awa kolka anigu iyo Suldanku
annu sorta 'uneno, wahhan d6neya inad sorta na sisid." Nagti ba
Kolkasu yidi, " Ku garan mayo,
tidi, " Suldanki ya i garaneya."
ana ku odan wa nagtaidi." Nagti ba tidi, " Hadu i garan waiyo,
Habenki ba Suldknki
adiga yan ku ra'i d6na, o nag ku nokhon."
Nkgti
akhalki yimi, darkisi bu ghatei, fnanka akhalkisi bu yimi.
3
ba h6ggi akhalka ka so dustei Inanka akhalkisi bei timi. Kolkasei
,

Suldanki iyo fuanki

bu ka

ka'ei, akhalkisi

h6ggi ka dustei,

Kolku

sorti sisei.

arkei

bu u

ka'ei.

Suldanki ba gartef nagtisi, kursigi

Intanu akhalki gadin yei nkgti

gogoshedi yei ku fadisatei,

yu haddana akhalki fnanka ku

went from a ram

lit.

Suldanka

u.

ram for her.

come through.

for her, i.e. left a

3

Suldanki ba arkei.

so nokhdei, h6ggi bei

ka

PROSE
nkgti bu

so dustei nkgti,
'uneyei,

ya Suldanki ku

nagtadi modei

ba
"

ka

'8S

Wa

153

haddana

yidi, "

Ma

arkei.

Inanki, u 'untoda la

nagtatan sorta inna slnesa miad

yidi, " Nkgtu wa nagtaidi."

Suldanki
Ar6ryodi dambe ya fnanki Suldanka ku yidi,
" Haurkrsan," bu yidi.
Nkgti Suldanka ya fnanki

Inanki ba

"

fadlstei.

d6feya."

la ballamei, o yidi, "

Arorta halkas ka so dus, wa d6feya." Nkgti

ba halki ka so dustei, fnanki yei u timi, markabki bu geyei, wa la
d6fei, fnanki

V.

ba nkgti Suldanka gursadei, kolku

la bahsodei.

MAGALODI HOLAHA DADKA KU

Wahh

'UNA.

lei yidi, nin ba faras fulei, wuhhu

yimi habkr, wabhai
Haggad ku so'ota?"
Wuhu yidi, " Magklodas an ku so'Wabhai tidi, "Magkloda dadka lagu 3 ghasha, yan lagu
oda."
ghalonine, ha gelin."
Wuhhu yidi, " Kulli wa geleya." Wahhai
1

tidi, "

" Magkloda nin Suldknah bei lehdahai, ninka Suldknka fnan

bu lehyahai, fnanta bokhorkeda wa mas, masku dadka 'una. Aurna
isagu dadka 'una, kkhalka hortisa yu fadista, halko golgol ku fadista."
3
Wahhai tidi, " War, nino, hadad magkloda tegesa fnanta Suldanka
tidi,

dalei

akhalkeda

Wuhhu

<5rod o gal."

yidi, "

Ninki bei yidi 4 Eiga

,

dadka 'una, iyo aurka dadka 'una, iyo maska dadka 'una, haggan ka
5
dan d6na? " Iyadi bk tidi, " Gedaha ghado o aurki yu ku 'unine,
kolkad dafiso kkhalkiad ku so'oto, gedaha afka u geli, yu ku 'unine.
Ei'gana 'adka ghado o, eiga agtisi dig o, ha 'uno, yu adiga 'unine.
Maskana wa kan fnanta dehhdeda ku duban, ghoriga ghado o, maska
madahisi sar, dabad^d maska u diman d6na. Kolkad sida yesho
dabaddd kkhalka gal o fnanta u tag, dabad^d fnanta ghrso." Kol,

kasu isagu fnanta gursadei.

wuhhu

la ku.

wahha

here represents

literally therefore,

ku

u, in

have not met

it

the particle

Indicative mood,

i.e.

bei = ba

is

Who

= to.

It

means

The usual form

is

elsewhere.

i.

is

This must be some Continuative form,

ghalon for the negative Imperative.

but

which u

There came to (him) an old woman.

in, and refers to the town,
ghalonine.

If

the

you are

man

(as

you

say) going.

referred to

is

not clear.

There must be some

omission in the rendering of the story.

5

The conjunction

is

frequently used like this with the

sentence, instead of introducing the second.

first

coordinate

154

PROSE

NASIB.

VI.

Wahh

rerei, danki bu kahhayei, 'elki bu

Kolku so danshei yu aurti 'ss ku so
hedishei.
Kolkiu dehhdi j6gei ya lehh aur ka hadei, lehhdi kaleh
Kolku mel f6g jogei yu lehhdi ka hadei wai. Kolkasu
so kahhayei.
2
dib u so 6rdei.
Lehhdi aur o lehh libahh 'unesa ayu gu yimi,
8
kolkasu iss kaga yimi. Lehhdi aur 6 kaleh o lehh libahh 6 kaleh
Kolkasu sibrar bu ka ghatei aurti, gurig6di yu
'unesa ugu yimi.
2
yimi, rerk6di o la da'ei bu arkei, o 'oil da'ei.

geyei,

nin ba dan

lei yidi,

wa ka

so danshei

fnanki ba

laha.

dbneya, nag an gursada."

nag armali."

NAGTI WANAKSANEID.

VII.

Nin ba fnau

yidi, abihi

Kolkasu

yidi,

"

ku

"Abo, wahhan

yidi,

Wahhad

Kolkasa armalidi so kahhaistei, kolkasu

so kahhaisata
yidi,

"Gurso."

;<

Hadig ku hed, kolkei ku la

hadasho hadiga ka fur." Kolkasu hadiga ku hedei. Nagti ba tidi,
"Wahhan 3 maan arkf jirin, mahhad nogu 4 sameinesa ? " Kolkasu
hadigi ka furei.
Arorti yu abihi bu yimi, kolkasu yidi, " Mahhai ku
tidi ? "
Kolkasu yidi, " Wahhai i tidi, Wahhan maan arkf jirin,
wahhas mahhad nogu sameinesa ? "
Kolkasu yidi, " 'ss ka 'eri."
Tasu wa mid.
Inanki ya abihi bu yidi, "Nag kaleh so kahhaiso, fnan wein so
Kolkei ku la
kahhaiso." Kolkasu yidi, "Awa hadig ku hed.
hadasho ka fur." Kolkasu hedei, kolkasei tidi, " Wahhan maan u
makhli jirin, mahhad wahha nogu hddesa?" Kolkasu ka furei.
Kolkasu

Kolkasu gursadei.

yidi,

'

'

Arorti abihi u yimi, kolkasu yidi, "

makhli
"

jirin,

Tanna

'ss

Kolkasu

W ahhai
T

tidi,

mahhad hadiga nogu sameinesa

ka 'eri." Tasna wa mid.
yidi,

"

Wahhad

Kolkasu so kahhaistei.

'

Wahhan maan

'
'

Kolkasu

yidi,

so kahhaisata fnan yer o wanaksan."

Kolkasu

yidi, "

Awa

hadig ku hed, kolkei

ku la hddasho hadiga ka fur." Kolkasa fnanki 'ss ka sehhodei,

habenki 6 dan yu 'ss ka hurdei. Kolki arorti ahaid manti yei
inanki
igu

ma

ke'isei,

kolkasei tidi, " Hadigi-ad igu hedtei

hedna, hadiga igu hed."

wa iga da'ei, o
Arortina abihi yu u shegei, " Abo,

Hadiga iga da'ei, o igu ma hedna, hadiga igu hed.'

tidi,
Kolkasu yidi abihi ba yidi, " Tas haiso, tasa ba wanaksan." Ti
dabad^d yu 'ss ka gursadei.

wahhai

'

from Uinao,

This thing.

of.

104.

Adjectival sentences with

na u ku.

o, cf.

261.

155

PROSE

DADKU IYO WARABUHU.

VIII.

Warabuhu h6lah laha, Dadku wahhba ma

dambe ya Dadku h61aha Warabaha u ilaliyei,
Warabahana wa shirei. Be>igi dambe aya Dadku tashadei, wuhhu
yidi, "An Warabaha h61aha ka ghadno, fyaga o shirki Warabihi ku

Wahha

yidi,

lei

Bengi

lahain.

Ya Dadki

maghanyahai."
yimi ya laga

wuhhu

tegei,

Mel

dulno."

"

yidi,

War,

Habenki u yimi, kolki-u

kaleh ugu

holihi 6dei.

Warabihi ya ghailo

'eriyei.

da'ei."

lei

bei so maren, balli biyo

tegei, bahalihi

Kolkasei yidahhen, "

ku jiran

yei yimaden.

An

Sakaro

i dein, ka 'abi maysan."

"War, wa
Biyihi yu 'idi ku shubei,
ka 'abena, naga tag," yei yidahhen.
kolkas biyihi idladen, kolkas harad u bakhtiyen, kolkei biyo waiyen.

lab aya yidi "Balli hadeidinan

HASHU IYO H6LAHEDA.

IX.

Wahha

lei

Hal wahh wada

yidi,

laha,

iyo dad, iyo libahh, iyo ghaiyano, iyo amin,

mas iyo hhas, iyo dab,

wa toddbodas ya hashi

ka dahhaisei. 'Ashodi dambe ya ghaiyanodi tidi, " Libahha hasho

wein inna ka ghadne, an libahha dillo." Kui kaleh ya yidi, " Side
Kolkad
u dilla ? " Kolkasei tidi, "Maska libahha ha ghanino.
1

Kolkasa yo ghaninei, kolkasu hhaski galei.

ghaninto, hhaska gal."
"
Dabka 0, hhaski iyo maska gublabadaba." Kolkas
Kolkasei tidi,
Kolkasei tidi, " Dabku iya maska
dadkuna dabka ha bakhtiyo." Kolkasei kminta
ma maro, dehhda un bu mara, an innagu hasha

hhaski iyo maski dabki ya gubei.

iyo hhaska bakhtiyei,
tidi,

"

Dadku

biirta

burta la marro."

"An

Kolkasei burti la maren.

hasha ghalono."

'Adki mahai

'adki bei lukhoten.

ku mergadei,

'ad

Kolkasei tidi ghaiyanodi,

Kolkasei ghashen, kolkasei 'adka bisleisaten,

wahh kaleh ka ma

wein bu aha, afkina u

'unin, 'adki

mari wai.

ya

Kolkasei

bakhtiyen.

X.

NINKI INDAHALAA.

Laba nin, midna wa

Mesha rag badan ya wada hadleyei.
midna ma indalaa.
Ninki indahalaha 2 aya yidi,
"Mahhad nin indala kala hadlesan ? Wahhba arki mayo." Ki

indalayahai

indahalaa 3 ba yidi, "

1

ya

Ya

nin indala u 4 taghanin

"

Inti kalehto

ya

u.

Note inflexion of adjective,

indahalaha the man with eyes.
3
nin indala, ninki indahalaa.
* By what do you know a blind

nin indaleh

man ?

man

with eyes, but ninki

PROSE

156

Wahhannu

"

tidi,

arkenin."

indahalaa u naghan, ninki an wahhba

ninki

Markasu

Wahha

ki indahalaa yidi, "

indala, ninki an

ogh6n lahain, ya indala."

XL
The

following

is

an example of the pure narrative

style,

being an

account of Col. Swayne's expeditions against the Mullah, from the

November 1900 to the battle of Erigo in

was taken down by me from the mouth of a
Somali native officer with the force, Nur Jama, Habr Awal.
Note the use of iyanna, iyu, etc. for the pronouns yannu,

raising of the levy in

October 1902.

yu,

It

The Present tense

etc.

is

freely used for the Past.

The raising of the Levies.

Kolkas " Swayne " ba

im^neya, askarr badan bu ghorfneya

Kolkas " Swayne " so bahhai, Harrar bu nogu yimid.

(enlist).

Kolkasu yidi, "Askarr ban d6neya."

Markas Oskar Garad,
"Imisad d6nesa?" bu yidi. Markasu yidi, "Boghol fardoleh ban
d6neya." Markasu yidi, " Bogholki lagu sineya."
Bogholki aya
la siyei.
Kolki la siyei, iyannu so so'ona. Adadleh iyannu nimid.
Sided kumbaui (company) iyannu nokhonei.
Kolkas iyannu
ayarsina (drill), bil keliah iyannu fadinei. Kolkasu 'ollki "Swayne"
no yimi, Burao-na ka so so'onei, Ber bannu tagnei.
"Col. Swayne" iyo "Col. Phillips" labadas u sarreyen (were
command). Wadadku wuhhu yal Olesan. Kolkas iyannu nimid
Uduwein. Halo la direi, wadadki, so ego la yidi. Dabaded wahha
2
lei yidi, wadadki bahhsei
Uduwein iyannu ka gurrei (started).
Dabaded wahhannu tagnei Olesan.
Wadadki wuhhu jirei Nogal.
Olesan bannu ka gurrei, dabadddto Wad&mag6 ilalo iyannu ka

in

Ilalodi

dirrei.

iyei

rero

araktei, hal

so

iyo aur iyei so heshei.

Faraski iyo Rakubki iyannu ka dulinei (sent to attack), dabaded

'ollki

kolku dulei iyannu ka daba gurrei.

iyannu

so'onei,

kun
" Laba kumbani

iyo Faraski sided

yidi
;

ka tegi"

(will

Kolkasa

'ollki

Kolkas laba dararod

kolkas Haridig (Sanala) bannu degnei.

be

o gelah

left).

iyei

in la so ego.

After sided

kun

iyei kenei.

halkan fadiyesa, gelina halkas

" iyu

iyei laga

tegei.
2

o,

Rakubki

Kolkas " Swayne

Kolkas kurabanaydga u so hadei, iyo

"Swayne" u

gel

is

made

cf.

104, note.

adjectival by the termination ah.

geli.

157

PROSE

MacNeUVs

zariba (Sanala).

"Capt. MacNeill" iyo "Murray" iyei heroda laga ka tegei.

Malinti labada sa'adod
ilalodi wadadka iyannu aragnei.

Kolkas

Kolkannu 'ollki aragnei, iya sirkalku,

dabadddna iyannu wererrei (fought),
kolkas iyannu iss lei'nei (slew each other), dabad^dna afar sa'adod
(for 4 hours) iyannu dagalla (fought). Lehhdi sa'adod (6 o'clock)
iyannu ka 'ennei (chased) kolka dabaddd zaribada gudahi iyannu iss
(2 o'clock) 'ollkisu no yimid.
" Zaribada so gala," bu yidi,

ku

Kolkasu dabad^dto todobadi sa'adod habenki iyannu

bannu dagalla, kolkasa sagalki sa'adod iyannu
Haddana k6di bei so nokhden, haddana sa'ad keliah iyannu

fadisona.

wererrei, laba sa'adod

'ennei.

Kolkas iyaga iyannu

dagalla.

(in

sa'adod iyei so nokhden, kolkasannu

iyannu wada

the early morning) tod6badi

kolkasannu derewishti

iss leina,

leina.

Intanei so

dowanin (Before they came

Maxim gun)

iyu

ku

(Gidliganki

dishei.

dabad^dna wa araren (they

leina,

Kolkas waga iyo beri

ran away).

close)

gidliganki (the

Kolkei so dowaden askarrti banadtikhdi iyei

lei.

wa wanaksanyahai, wa

bahal,

wa

shaitan).

badan
ka lai (died), kolkas dabaddd haggi zaribada iyei ku so ya'ei (fled).
Afar nin o askari wadad w&ranki iyu ku dilei.
Kolkas iyannu
Kolki nimanki fogeyen iya gidliganki lagu

si

dayei, kolkas rag

iyannu gh6bonei.

'ennei, afa'rton nin

laga dilei so
dignei

afar

kumbani

Wahhan

tiri."

bdghol

iyo

sagal nin iyei

wuhhu

yidi, " Inti

wadadka
wahhannu ka
lehhdon inti diinatei.
Annaga labadi
ka dilen.
Kolkas "MacNeill" ba yidi,

"Capt. MacNeill" iyu aniga u yedei,

kahhaistei t6ban askari,

yidi, " Ragi derewishki dintei mel iss u gei."

Kolkas iyannu
mel keliah so kennei. Kolkasa 'ollki " Swayne " iyu no yimid,
wad^dki wahhba isagu ka ma helin.

wuhhu

Ferdiddin.

ugu yimid. Dabad^dna ilalo iyannu

Kurmis iyei gel badan ku so araktei. Ilalodi ba so
nokhotei, gel badan iyannu aragnei, 'ollki o dan iya gurei, dabadedna
Kurmis iyannu tagnei. Allegheri gel badan laga so ghadei. Shan
iyo t6ban 'asho iyannu fadinei.
Dadki hdlahalaha ba no yimid.
Dadki iyu " Colonel "-ki u yimaden. Wuhhu yidahhei, " Edinkannu
'Ollki o

dan iyu Bohotle

iss

ka dinei.

idin ra'ena, adigi iya lo 'elin " (will be recovered).

Kolkasu yidi,
Reraha o dan so
Kolkasi Allegheri na ra'ei. Kolkasu yidi,

" Hadeidin ra'esdn adigi iyan idin ku 'elfneya.

rera o agteda kena."
1

waddd here used

for a Mullah's

man.

PROSE

158
"

Wadadki bannu

iyannu nimid.

Dabad^d iyannu

idin la d6nena."

gurrei.

B6hotle

Ragi buka o askarrtaaha iya B6hotle lagu rebei

behind), dabadddna Bohotle iyannu ka gurrei. Wahhannu

Wudwud, dabaddd ilalo Wudwud iyannu ka dirrei. Wahhai
Kolkasannu ka gurrei, shan
yidahhen, "Wadadku wa f6gyahai."

(were

left

degnei

haben iyo shan dararod so

wadadka
dilen

Dararti

so'onei.

DabadM

(met).

iss hellei

iyannu

dambe iyannu 'ollki

Wahhai kaga

dirirrei.

af-Arabed

shan iyo t6ban askari iyo sirkdlki

(i.e.

Capt.

" Dickinson " sahib rasas ba

ku da'dei, b6dodi kaga

Shan iyo labaton askari iyei rasasti ku da'dei, an dimanin
da'dei.
Kolkas iyannu biyo wehna (could not find)
(without being killed).
Friedrichs).

o so nokhonei.
haison,

wa

dahhnei.

Wahhannu ka

Shan
Kolkannu halkan nimid,

bakhtiyesa.

hawildarki sadehh halod iya la

siyei.

so baghanei, askarrti hadanei biyo

iyo t6ban 'asho iyannu Berberah

Askarrti fasahh, nin ba

" Force "-kan halkas iyu

siyei,

bil

fasahh iyu

raids.

Burao wa so yimi.

fadfna, kolkas ilalo laga direi.

wahhai

helei.

ku damadei.

Las Idleh
'Ollki labad iyu

u so
badan la siyei,
ninki jemadarkaaha afar ba la
askarrti gel

Burao-na dabaded afar bflod

Ilalodi Ali

Naleyah

" H6lo badan iyannu so aragnei."

tidi,

iyei u taktei,

Afar kumbani iyo

"Col. Cobbe " iyo "Col. Swayne " iyannu ku so'onei, wahhannu

Las Idlehna faras badan nogu yimid.

tagnei Las Idleh.

Kolkas
Holo badan iyannu so
Kolkasannu Las Idleh ka gurrei, kobyo-thban haben u si
aragnei."
Jid Ali iyannu Ali Naleyah u tagnei, kolkasu kumbani
so'onei.
"Col. Swayne" iyo kumbani badki iyannu mel
waliba mel marei.
kaga tagnei. Kolkas iyannu Ali Naleyah we>errei, habenki iyo
iyannu

ilalo

dararti

wa

Ilalodi

dirrei.

h6lihi

ka

da'nei.

iyei

tidi,

"

Kolkas holihi iyannu zaribadi

kennei, wihhi-annu rag aragnei iyannu leinei.

gurrei.

Wahhannu

u so dahhnei.

tagnei,

siyei,

so

Las Idleh shan iyo toban haben iyannu

Kolkas askarrti ba adi

labyo-toban adi la

Kolkasannu ka so

la

siyei,

ninki askari aha

ninki hawildarka iyo naikka labaton la

jemadarki iyo " color-havildar "-ki soddon ba la siyei. "Col.

"
Cobbe " iyo " Col. Swayne " Berberah ku nokhden. " Maj. Petrie
iyo afar kumbani Burao-annu so nokhonei, kolka bil fadmei Burao.
Kolkasa "Col. Swayne" iya no yimid. Wuhhu yidi, " Force "-ku wa
Reidka Somalida gel maawinah
bahhaya, wadadka iyannu d6nena.
siyei,

kena," bu yidi.

Kolkasi Habr Awal iyo Habr Yunis gholi walba

159

PROSE

Habr

sided boghol o halod iya lo kena,

lo

Toljala lehh boghol o halod

kena.

The Nogal Campaign.

Kolkas

sided dararod naga

iyo Faraski Berberah ka yfmaden, o

Kolkasu Rakhbki

dambeyei.

Kumbanaykga

iyu dakhkghei.

'ollki

Wahha u sarreyei " Capt. Osborne." Kolkas

Shan dararod dabad^d Bohotle iyannu
tagnei.
daba
annu
ka
Kolkannu Bohotle ghobonei, "Col. Swayne" iyo 'ollki
ghobonei.
iyannu u tagnei. Kolkasa ilalo laga direi, ilklodi iya toban haben
Burao nogu yimaden.
'ollki

naga maghana.

iyei

"Wadadki maannu

so

nokhotei, wahhai
" Colonel "-ku

Kolkasa

Nogal iyannu ku

dulena."

wa

Ilklodi

arag."

ba

yidahhen,
yidi,

"Wa

Kolkas iyannu tagnei Gerowei.

dullei.

H6lo badan iyannu Mohammed Garad ka ghadnei. Gerowei labaton

haben bannu fadinei. Ilklo iya la direi. Ilklodi wadadki iyei Mudug
ugu taktei (went to Mudug for the Mullah). Ilklodi ba no timid,
Kolkas iyannu
ilklodi ba tidi, " Wa omaniaha, o biyo heli mayno."
Halin bannu gh6bonei.

Bari gh6bonei.

iyannu ka so ghadnei.

Labyo-t6ban 'asho bannu so

" Colonel "-ku yidi, "

so'onei,

Laba nin o

ha nokhdan." Kolkasa
nokhden. Skdehh kun

Kolkas

gurrei,

ilklo

tidi,

"

la

"Wa

nokhonena."

kolkasannu Gaulo nimid, kolkas

sirakil, iyo

waranlaha iyo h6laha

o geli iyu " Colonel "-ku so rebei.

(Oct.

wahhai

direi,

6,

1902).

taktei,

Wadkdku Mudug bu

wadkdki

fadiya."

kolkasu shan haben bannu dahhnei,

Erigo derewishti iyannu

Ahhmed holo badan

yidi,

h61ihi iyo waranlihi iyo laba sirkal iyei

Erigo

Kolkasei

Naleyah

Kolkasa sirkklku

iss

ku

hellei.

iyei

'ashodi lehhad arorti

Kolkasu mel bannu fadisona,

kolkasa dabade"dto derewishti iyei nagu so dakhaghdei.

kolki no &6

jirei,

taktei.

Kolkasannu ku

" Mile

sirkklku yidi, " Inna la dfriri mayan, aurta rera,

Mesha wa mel
Kolkasannu ku dakhkghnei.
" extend " ba lo dakhkjiyei, sidaannu so'onei o kol keliah l'yagu " fire " nogu ridei. Kolkasa berka
iyannu dulka digna, kolkas iyannu dirirrei. Afar kumbani wa teg,
inna dakhkghna."
ainah.

iyei

Kolkas kumbani walba

haggk ka bkghatei, o

kkleh wa bkghatei.
kumbani ba dagklen.

inti

krarei.

Sadehh kumbani iyannu

Kumbanaykga

Zaribadi iyannu so gallei, kolkas derewishti iyei timid.

kumbani
nimid.

iyei

dibadda u bahhdei o

'^ridei.

dagkllei,

iyo lkba kkleh skdehhda

Sadehh

Dabade"d Bohotle iyannu

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES.

I-XI.

HABIYO BUTIYA (LAME HABIYO).

I.

There once was a Sultan who had a son, whose mother was dead.

Now

the Sultan married another wife, and went on a pilgrimage.

Jew was

a friend of the Sultan's wife, but the Sultan's son and the

The Jew said

were enemies.

to the

woman,

But

a certain

" Let us kill the boy."

Jew

So she

mixed some poison in his food. But the boy had a mare, who knew everyand when the
thing, and the mare said to the boy, "Don't eat the food"
food was put before him, the boy refused it. The next day the Jew came
to the Sultan's wife and said, " When the Sultan comes back, say you are
sick, and when he asks what will cure you, tell him the liver of the mare."
The next day the Sultan came. Then she laid a skin on the bed and
placed under it some fig leaves, and when she lay down the leaves crackled.
Then the Sultan said, " What is the matter with you ? " and she said, "I have
a pain in my ribs." " What will cure you ? " he said and she answered,
" The liver of your son's mare." The Sultan called the boy and said, " I
intend to kill your mare for your stepmother." And the boy said, " Very
;

well but let me take a ride on her this evening." In the evening the boy
rode the mare, and said to his father, "Good-bye, Father," and departed

He went to a town, and near the town he saw six girls

washing at a welL The youngest of the girls saw him and when she saw
the man, she ran away from the well, being ashamed before the man. Then
he singed the tail of the mare, who went up into the sky. The young man
then pretended to be a cripple, and went into the town, and there became a
with the mare.

servant.

"We

Later the daughters of the Sultan said,

Sultan beat his drum, and announced,

Then the

rich

young men

wish to marry."

The

"My

daughters wish to marry."

came together, and the girls were brought, and

Then the girls were asked, " Are the men

the young girl said, " The man I wanted is not

the people stood in the plain.

you want
here."

the

all

The

men

here

And

"

slave girls

who were summoning

in the town, so they called the

the Sultan asked the

girls, "

young

Are the men

all

the

men were
Lame

cripple,

here

"

told to call

Habiyo.

and they

all

Then

said, " Yes."

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

The

girls

man

were given six oranges, and they were

she wants."

Lame

The

five

told, "

161

Let each

girl hit

the

other girls hit five rich young men, the young

Then her father and mother were so struck with

and the young man married the girl. On
the next day they were told, " That which will cure the Sultan and his wife
is rhinoceros' milk."
And the young men who married the five girls were
given five good horses, and Lame Habiyo was given a donkey, and they left
the town. There came to Lame Habiyo the mare, whose tail he had burned,
and he put on his gold dress and sword and mounted the mare. The mare
flew up and reached the sky.
Then he went to a place where rhinoceroses
are born. A young rhinoceros he cut open, and opened out the skin and
made a figure from it. In the afternoon the mother rhinoceros came, and
Lame Habiyo pretended to be the young one. The first portion of milk he
milked into one skin and the second portion he milked into another skin.
Then the rhinoceros went to graze. Then the young man threw away the
figure, and took the milk.
He went to a tree and tied his mare to it. While
he slept under the tree the five young men who married the other girls
came to him, and said, " Salam Aleikum " and Lame Habiyo said, " Aleikum
Salam." Then he said, " "Where are you going ? " And they said, " We are
looking for rhinoceros' milk." Then he said, " I have some rhinoceros' milk.
What will you give for it ? " And they said, " Whatever you wish." Then he
said, "Wealth do I not want, but I will brand my name on the buttocks
of each of you." Then they said, "Agreed." So he branded his name on the
buttocks of all five. Then he gave them the first milk, and the second milk
Lame Habiyo took for himself. They went to the town where the Sultan
lived, and took the milk.
The five young men carried the milk, and it was
poured on the eyes of the Sultan, but was of no use. Another day Lame
Habiyo gave his milk to his wife and said, " Let not your father and mother
see you, when you pour it in." Then she took the milk and she poured it
in.
And the eyes of the Sultan and her mother were opened. Then the
girl came running away and came to her house.
Then the Sultan learned
that Lame Habiyo had opened his eyes, and the Sultan called the other
young men that married his daughters, and he said, " To the young man
Lame Habiyo, who married my young daughter, have I given authority
over my town, and you, be his servants." Afterwards Lame Habiyo became

girl hit

Habiyo.

hoiTor, that they lost their sight

Sultan.

II.

(A variant of

"THE DRAGON-KILLER."
the story

There were a brother and

of Perseus and Andromeda.)

sister

who kept a

cow.

They dwelt

in

deserted place, and the brother used to go with the cow, while the sister
sit in the house, and at night they met in the zariba.
The sister
was of great beauty, and men asked for her, but her brother refused to let
the girl be married. One day some men came into the house for the girl,

used to

K.

11

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

162

and they conversed

that men had come

men returned to

and the brother came

for his sister, but

the girl and said, "

We think

and found
The next day the
your brother when

in in the evening

he said nothing.
of killing

he engaged ? " And the girl said, " When he is milking the cow." In
the evening they came as he was milking the cow and leaped in over the
fence.
When he saw the enemy, he drew his sword. His sister seized
is

he cut it off, and jumped over the fence, which cut off his
and he escaped. He went near a town where there was a girl tied
to a tree, and he said, " Who are you, girl ? " And she said, " My father is the
Sultan of the town." And he said, " Why are you tied up here ? " And she
Then he
said, " I am tied up for a dragon, which will come and eat me."
said, " When does it come ? " And she said, " In the evening." And he said,
" When the dragon comes, what will it do ? " And she said, " First it will
drink the water, and afterwards eat me." And he replied, "Very well."
When the dragon came, it went down to the water, but the young man
drew his sword and struck it on the head, and it died. Then he led away
the girl, and brought her to the town, and the people of the town came
running to him, as he led the girl, and they said, " What is this ? " And he
Then he was brought to the Sultan, and
said, " I have killed the dragon."
they said, " This man has killed the dragon." And the Sultan bade him
his hair, but

genitals

marry

his daughter.

So thereupon the man married

THE GIRL WITHOUT

III.

A Sultan had a daughter, and the

One day the Sultan went on a
priest,

and

coveted the
said, "

said,
girl,

Come to me

LEGS.

daughter used to be taught the Koran.

pilgrimage, and entrusted his daughter to a

"Continue to teach that

wishing to

her.

lie

to-morrow."

girl

with her, but the

On

the Koran."
girl refused.

The priest
One day she

the day arranged she removed from the

house the ladder by which the priest used to ascend. He then sent a letter
to her father, and he wrote, " Your daughter has become a harlot." The
Sultan returned from the pilgrimage, and he was angry with the girl, and
he handed her over to some slaves, and he said, " Cut that girl's throat."
Then the slaves took the girl, and they brought her to a wooded place, and
they cut off her legs, while they dug her grave. While they were digging
the grave she crawled away, and went into some trees and hid. When the
slaves had dug the grave they looked in the place where she had lain and
could not find her. Then they slew a gazelle, and the gazelle's blood they

and brought the blood to the Sultan, and said, " We

One day later a caravan passed by the place, and
camped where the girl lay. In the afternoon as the party were loading up
the camels, they saw the girl sitting under a tree. A man took the girl,
and put her on a camel, and brought her to the town they came to. The
man who took the girl put her to live in a house. Later on the son of the
Sultan saw the girl's face, and the young man saw that her face was
poured into a

bottle,

have slain the

girl."

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

163

and he said to the man whose house she dwelt in, " Let me
marry that girl from you." And the man said, "The girl has no legs."
Then the Sultan's son said, " I will marry her, give her to me." And so
beautiful,

the man said, " Well and good." And the Sultan's son married her. She
bore two children, and while she was with child the young man said, " I am
going on a pilgrimage," and he left her a ram, and went on the pilgrimage.
While he was away on the pilgrimage his wife had a dream, and she

dreamed that two birds sat upon her two legs, and her legs had grown out,
and that she made the pilgrimage. In the morning at break of day she
saw the two birds sitting upon her two legs, and the legs had grown out.
After daylight she took her two children and the ram and the two birds,
and went on the pilgrimage. She came to a building at the half-way, and
there came to her her father and her brother and the priest and her
husband, none of whom knew her. She told stories to her children, and
she related all that had happened to her, and her father heard, and the
priest.
Then the priest tried to run away, but the Sultan said, " Sit down
until the story is finished."
Then the Sultan, the girl's father, cut the
priest's throat, and the girl with her father and husband went on and
made the pilgrimage. And so the girl and her father were reconciled.

THE HOLE IN THE WALL.

IV.

There was a Sultan who had a

son,

and

his son said, " I

want

to marry."

So the Sultan gave him many presents, and also a ship. The Sultan's son
set sail and came to a town, and when he arrived at the town he became
friendly with a Sultan,

made

The young man

and the Sultan gave him a house.

a hole between the house he was in and the Sultan's house, and he

One day the young man said to the

Make some food for me just as you are accustomed to make
your husband" And he went to the Sultan, and said, " To-night will

became

friendly with the Sultan's wife.

Sultan's wife, "

it

for

you take food with me 1 " And the Sultan said, " Well and good." And
the young man said to the Sultan's wife, " To-night when I and the Sultan
are having our food, I want you to serve us with the food." And the woman
said, " The Sultan will know me."
Then he said, " He will not know you,
And she said, " If he does not know me, I will
I will say you are my wife."
go with you and be your wife." At night the Sultan came home and
dressed himself, and came to the young man's house.

And

his wife passed

through the hole in the wall, and came to the young man's house. Then
she served the food to the Sultan and the young man. The Sultan recognised
Before he reached
his wife, and got off his chair, and went to his house.
his house, the

woman

the Sultan saw her.

passed through the hole and sat upon her bed, and
her he straightway came back to the

When he saw

house of the young man, while the

woman came through

the hole, and

112

still

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

164

he saw her. The young man, who was dining with him, said to the Sultan,
" Did you think this woman who is serving our food was your wife ? The
woman is my wife," he said, and the Sultan sat down. The next morning
the young man said, " I am sailing." " Very good," he answered. And the
young man arranged with the Sultan's wife and said, " In the morning come
through that place, I am sailing." So the woman passed through and came
And the young
to the young man, and he took her to the ship, and sailed.

man having run away

V.
There
old

with the Sultan's wife married her.

THE TOWN OF MAN-EATERS.

man was riding a horse, and there came to him an
Where are you going ? " And he said, " I am going

a story that a

is

said, "

woman, who

she said, " In that town people are slain and eaten

to that town."

And

not go

they slay you."

lest

in,

And he

answered, "

Still I

am

going

do

in."

said, "

The town has a Sultan, and the Sultan has a daughter, and
And there is
is a snake, and the snake eats the people.
a camel who eats the people, he sits in front of the house, over there upon a
bed." And she said, " See, my man, if you are going to the house, run and
enter the house of the Sultan's daughter." And he said, " The man told me,
The dog eats the people, and the camel eats the people, and the snake eats
the people. How am I going to pass them ? " And the woman said, " Take
this grass, and let not the camel eat you, but when you pass the house you

Then she

the daughter's sash

are going

to,

put the grass in at the door,

take this piece of meat, and put

you.

And

and place
have done

for the snake,

it

which

it

is

lest it eat you.

near the dog, and

let

he married the

for the dog,

it

and not

tied round the girl's waist, take this stick,

on the snake's head, and then the snake

this enter the

And

him eat

house and go to the

girl,

will die.

and then marry

After you
her."

So

girl.

VI.

MISFORTUNES.

a story that a man once loaded his water-camels and took them
and went to draw water. When he went to draw water he tied
his camels together.
When he was in the nullah he left six camels behind
while he led the other six. When he was some distance off, the six camels
that were left behind were not to be seen.
So he ran back, and came up
to find six lions eating the six camels.
Then he left them, and returned to
the other six camels, and found six other lions eating these. Then he took
a waterskin from the camels, and came to his home, to find his family looted
by an enemy.

There

is

to the well,

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

HOW

VII.

165

TO CHOOSE A WIFE.

A man

had a son, and the son said to his father, " Father, I want to
Then his father said, " Do you take a widow." So he took a
widow, and his father said, " Marry her." So he married her. Then his
father said, " Tie her with a rope, and when she speaks to you, untie the
rope." So he tied her with a rope, and the woman said, " This is not what
What are you doing with me ? " Thereupon
I have been accustomed to see.
he untied the rope. In the morning his father came and said, " What did
she say?" And he answered, "She said to me, This is not what I have been
accustomed to see. Why are you doing that to me ? " Then his father
said, "Send her away."
That was one.
The father said to his son, " Take another wife, take a grown girl."
Then he said, " To-night tie her with a rope, and when she speaks to you,
untie it" So he tied her, and she said, "This is not what I have been
accustomed to hear, why are you tying me with that ? " So he untied her.
In the morning he came to his father, and he said, " She said, This is not
what I have been accustomed to hear, what are you doing to me with
the rope ? " Then his father said, " Send her away too." And that was
marry a

wife."

another.

Then

his father said, "

Do you go and

took one, and he said, " To-night

to you untie

it."

tie

take a nice, young girL" So he

her with a rope, and when she speaks

So the young man did

and went to

so,

sleep,

and was

In the early morning the girl woke him up, and said,
asleep all night.
" The rope with which you tied me is fallen off and is not tied to me, tie it
upon me." And in the morning he told his father, " Father, she said, The

rope has fallen

said, "

Keep

off,

and

is

not tied to me,

that one, she

is

tie it

the right one."

upon me." Then his father

So she was the one he after-

wards married.

VIII.
It is said that the

Man was

MAN AND HYAENA.

Hyaena owned

flocks

and

Man had

looking after the Hyaena's flocks, and the

none. One day

Hyaena went to the

Man thought, and he said, " Let us steal the Hyaena's

away at the council." So Man put the flocks in a zariba,
and night came, and when it was night, they were driven off. The Hyaena
howled, and went to the other animals, and he said, "See, I have been
looted."
Then they said, " Let us attack." They came along, and arrived
at a pool of water, and the male Dikdik said, " If you do not let me come to
Council

flocks,

After this

while he

is

the pool you shall not drink."

" Sir,

we

will drink, leave us,"

they

said.

Then he scratched sand into it, until the water was gone, and they died
thirst, when they found no water.

of

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

166

CAMEL AND HER FOLLOWERS.

IX.
It is said that a

Camel possessed altogether a Snake, a

Flood, and a Lion, and Deceit, and

One day Deceit

owned.

"We

said,

Zariba, a Fire, a

Those seven the Camel

might steal the Lion from that big
Honesty.

said, " How are we to kill him ?"

Snake bite the Lion, and when you have bitten him,
go into the Zariba." So he bit him and went into the Zariba. Then she
So the Fire burned
Fire, burn up both the Zariba and Snake."
said, "
both Zariba and Snake. Then she said, " The Fire has killed the Snake
and the Fence, let the Flood too put out the Fire." After this Honesty said,

Camel,

let

us

Then she said,

"

kill

The others

the Lion."

" Let the

travel on the mountain, but only in the nullah, let us

on the mountain with the Camel." So they travelled on the mountain,
and then Deceit said, " Let us slay the Camel." So they slew her, and cooked
the steak, and gulped down the steak, and except the steak nothing else
And the meat stuck in their throats, for it was
of the Camel did they eat.

The Flood does not

travel

a big piece, and could not pass through their mouths.

X.
In a certain place

So they died.

THE BLIND MAN.

many men were

talking,

and there were two men, one

The man with sight said,

of whom was blind and the other was not blind.
" Why do you talk with a blind man ?
He can see nothing." And the
said, "

blind
"

man

man

said, "

We know

How

do you know a blind man

a blind man, he

He

that

is

blind

is

is

"

The other one

said,

man who sees nothing." Then the blind

the man who knows nothing, he is blind."
a

XL
Then Swayne came and began to enlist many askaris. Then Swayne
and came to us at Harrar. Then he said, " I want askaris." Then
Oscar Gerard said, " How many do you want ? " Then he said, " I want a
hundred horsemen." Then he said, "The hundred shall be given you."
The hundred were given. When they were given we marched and came to
Adadleh. We made eight companies. Then we drilled, and we stayed for
one month only. Then Swayne's force came to us, and we left Burao and

left

went

to Ber.

Swayne and Col. Phillips were in command. The Mullah lived at

Then we came to Uduwein. An illalo was sent and told to look
Afterwards it was said to me, the Mullah had fled. We
for the Mullah.
The Mullah was in the
Afterwards we went to Olesan.
left Uduwein.
Nogal. We left Olesan, and afterwards at Wadamago we sent out illalos.
Col.

Olesan.

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

167

found some karias, and captured camels, female and male. We

Afterwards when the force
attacked we loaded up and followed. Then we marched for two days, and
then halted at Haridig. The Camel Corps and horsemen brought in 8000
Then Swayne said, "Two companies will stay here, and the camels
camels.

The

illalos

sent the horsemen and camel corps to attack.

will

be

Then

left there."

my company

was

left

with the camels.

Then

Swayne's force went.

Capt. MacNeill

Mullah's

illalos.

and Murray were

left at

the zariba.

Then we saw the

When
o'clock in the day his force came to us.
the Sirkal said, " Come inside the zariba," and afterwards
At 2

we

we
saw the enemy
attacked and then we slew each other and fought for four hours afterwards.
At 6 o'clock we chased them away. After that we sat down together inside
the zariba Then later on, at 7 o'clock at night, we attacked and fought for
two hours, and at 9 o'clock drove them away. Now at 1 o'clock they returned
and this time we fought for one hour only. Then we slew those men,
and afterwards they ran away. Then the next day at 7 o'clock they came
back, and then we fired at each other, and then during the day we shot all
the dervishes.

came close the maxim shot them, when they came close the
(The maxim is a fine thing, a wild
them with their rifles.

Until they
askaris shot

beast or devil.)

When

the people went further off and the

many people perished. After that they

Mullah man killed four askaris with his spear.

then

caught 40 men.
Capt. MacNeill sent for

maxim was

let off at

them,

up to the zariba A
Then we chased them and

fled

Count for me all the Mullah men

and we counted 460 dead. Of our two
companies they killed 9 men. Then MacNeill said, " Put the dervish dead
men together somewhere." Then we brought them to one place. Then
Swayne's force came to us, it had got nothing from the Mullah.
The whole force came together to Bohotle. And afterwards we sent out
illalos, and they found many camels at Kurmis.
The illalos came back
and we saw many camels the whole force loaded up, and we went to
Kurmis. The Allegheri were looted of many camels. We stayed fifteen
days.
The owners of the animals came to us. The people went to the
Colonel and said, " We will follow you, and the sheep will be brought back."
Then he said, "If you follow I will get you back your sheep, load up all
your karias and bring them close in." Then the Allegheri followed us. Then
they said, " We will look for the Mullah with you. Afterwards we loaded
up and came to Bohotle. The askaris who were sick were left behind at
Bohotle, and then we left Bohotle.
We halted at Wudwud and afterwards
sent out illalos from Wudwud They said, " The Mullah is far off." Then
we started and marched for five nights and five days. On the next day we
met the Mullah's force. Then we fought, 15 askaris were killed, and the
Sirkal who talks Arabic.
Dickinson sahib was struck with a bullet, he was
struck in the thigh. Twenty-five askaris were struck with bullets, but not

that are hit."

me and

said, "

collected 10 askaris,

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

168
killed.

Then we found no water and came

askaris have

Berbera.

no water they

When we came

havildar was given

3,

We

will die.

back.

We

here the askaris were given

every jemadar

4,

were

afraid, if the

spent fifteen days marching to

milk camels.

many
The

camels.

Every

askaris received

a month's leave.

There was the end of this force.

The second force came to Burao, and we stayed at Burao for four months
afterwards.
Then illalos were sent out and they went to the Ali Naleyah.
They said, " We have found many animals." We marched there, four companies under Col. Cobbe and Col. Swayne.
We went to Las Idleh, and at
Las Idleh many horses came to us. Then we sent illalos, and the illalos
Then we left Las Idleh and marched
said, " We have seen many animals."
on for eleven nights. We went to Jid Ali, to the Ali Naleyah. Then each
company went its own way. We left Col. Swayne and half a company.
Then we attacked the Ali Naleyah, and during the night and day looted the
flocks.
Then we brought the animals into the zariba Any men we saw
we slew. Then we left. We reached Las Idleh in fifteen nights. Then the
askaris were given sheep, each askari was given 12, a havildar or naik 20,
jemadar or colour-havildar 30. Col. Cobbe and Col. Swayne went back to
Berbera. Maj. Petrie and our four companies came back to Burao. Then

He

we halted for a month at Burao. Then

"The Force will go out; we will look

for the Mullah.

people bring camels to help," he said.

Then the Habr Awal and Habr

Col.

Swayne joined

us.

said,

Let the Somali

Yunis each brought with them 800 head of cattle, the Habr Toljala 600.
Then the force moved My company remained behind for eight days.
Then the Camel Corps and horsemen came from Berbera to Burao under
the
five

command of Capt. Osborne. Then we followed after the force. In

days we reached Bohotle. Then we joined Col. Swayne and the force

Then illalos were sent out. The illalos were away for ten
The illalos came back, and they said, "We have not seen the
Mullah." Then the Colonel said, "We will advance." We advanced into
the Nogal. Then we went to Gerowei. We looted many animals from the
Mohd. Gerad. We stayed at Gerowei twenty nights. Illalos were sent
The illalos came back to us and
out, they went to the Mullah at Mudug.
Then we made
said, "It is a dry place, and we shall get no water."
east and reached Halin. We looted many animals from the Naleyah
Ahmed. Then the Sirkal said, " We will go back." For twelve days we
marched and then came to Gaulo. Then the Colonel said, " Let two officers
with the spearmen and animals go back." Then the animals and spearmen
and two British officers went back. The Colonel left 3000 camels behind.
Then illalos were sent. They went to the Mullah, and then said, "The
Mullah is staying at Mudug." Then we loaded up and marched for five
nights.
On the sixth day in the early morning we met the dervishes at
Then we halted somewhere. After that the dervishes made a
Brigo.
move towards us. When there was a mile between us, the Colonel said,
"They will not fight with us, load up the camels and move." Then we
at Bohotle.
nights.

TRANSLATIONS OF THE STORIES

169

moved. The country was thick with trees. Then every company was
extended thus we moved, and all at once they sent a volley into us.
Then we lay our bellies on the ground, and we fought. Four companies
departed. They were frightened and ran away. We three companies
fought, the rest ran away.
The three companies that fought were mine
and two others. We came into the zariba, then the dervishes came.
;

Three companies went out and drove them away.

Afterwards we came to Bohotle.

SONGS.

In the songs a distinctly poetical style

number

noticeable,

is

of words, not found in colloquial Somali,

many

also

of which

are absolutely unintelligible by themselves to an unpoetical native.

Many

by the author, but many are pro-

of these words are coined

bably old words handed down from generation to generation.

necessary therefore in
fellow poet (of

whom

many

It is

passages for the author himself, or a

there are many, both professional and amateur),

to explain the real meaning.

have not published here, as

Several of those which

collected

could get no satisfactory rendering or

explanation even from interpreters.

Those translations which I have given are necessarily free in

places and by no means literal.
They are interesting as

many

examples of

style, rather

than of grammar.

Songs are divided into three

classes,

known

Gerar, Gabei, and

The Gerar
and

is

sung on horseback, and usually relates to raiding

fighting.

The Gabei

is

love song.

The Hes

Hes

as
1

is

a chant of a more peaceful nature, and

It is usually

sung round the

fire in

is

often a

the evening.

the Dancing-song, and always accompanies a dance.

It is often in parts for

men and women, and

is

usually of an

amorous nature.
1

Paulitschke (n. Cap. 2) describes six kinds of songs, and gives numerous

examples.

171

SONGS

similar rhythm, which runs

somewhat

All three seem to have a

as follows

Halna wa
Halna wa
Halna wa

Hal wa

wa

iga sa|lan,

iga sa('abghad,

Iga su|al.

sa'ab|ghad,

sul|danka ajmanti,

siradlki Berber ad,

|

lyti

The length
point

wa hal|da subahh

of the whole line

may

vary considerably.

An essential

the alliteration of one letter throughout the song, each line

is

of which

must contain a word which contains that letter. Thus one

in a "g" song this letter
g, another d, and so on
some word in every line. The songs usually consist of solo

may have

song

joga,
|

occurs in

and chorus, often sung in parts. Besides these, there are certain
well-known chants which are sung while watering or grazing animals,

Many

marching, loading or unloading.

The watering chants vary

and sheep have each
vary in different

of these are very old indeed.

for the different

their special chants

tribes,

animals

camels, horses,

sung to them, which again

and are adapted to the nature of the well

in

order to suit the action of drawing the water.

Gerar, in

I.

s.

Greeting to Sultan
?

Nur on

his

visit

to

Habr

the

Toljala.

1885.

Somali.
2

English.
3

Halna wa iga salan

Halna wa iga sa'abghad,
Halna wa iga sual.
1

Hal wa i sa'abghad,
i Suldanka amanti,

wa

siradki Berberad,

wa

iyo

halda"

subahh j6ga,

First

we

salute thee,

then we shake thy hands,

then we ask a question.
First
is

is

our handshake,

praise to our Sultan,

the light of Berberah,

who

is

as an ostrich standing in the

morning,
1

from me.

salaam.

poetical

word meaning "one thing," " item," similar

The sing, pronoun is used for the plural.

to kodl in prose.

SONGS

172

shaking out his wings,

balashi kala saide',

wahh

la sisto la

wah 2

beyond compare.

Halna wa iga salan.

3
3
Gela, Senyo iyo Lan

Again we salute thee.

The camels, Senyo and Lan,
(and) the stallions have become

sangayasha ghar&stei,

gabdaha surta

la

m6da 4

the young girls are like

fat,

straight

sticks,

iyo seyahhainu

ku

Sadada nabad ba

Halna wa

and we lie in the dew.

The tribute is one of peace.

jifna.

leh.

And

again we have a question.

The Sultan who reigns,
why hast thou come forth,
that we should eat the sinews ?
God granted to us,

iga sual.

Suldanki bokhronado,
hor mahhau so'oten,

sedka ainu 'uneno 5

Rabi ya inna slyei,

6
sadehhdeni Ishhak

us three (sons of) Ishhak,

hadanan ku salughin,

we do not make trouble with thee,

Sultan,

thee,

yanna ka ye din 7

salo

if

Suldano,

adiga

that thou shouldst not bring com-

plaint against us.

II.

Gerar, in

The

singer's tribe has

g.

been severely looted, and he demands

justice.

Somali.

Ma

English.

Like the bustard,

sidi gel6ga,

o guluf mel

who has seen an enemy somewhere,

ku daremei,

yan gam'i wai haben.

Sidi arka iyo g5sha,

Like the lion and

The Potential

This

literally

cannot sleep at night.

lioness,

tense is often used in songs for the Indicative.

means, "nothing can be found to be given for

it," i.e.

no

price.
3

names

for camels.

an idiom meaning "

lit.

" is thought,"

i.e.

have the poor parts of the animal to

i.e.

Habr Gerhajis, Habr Awal, Habr

lnanad salo naga yeain.

appears to be frequently used

is like."

Cf. la

bida in Yibir, q.v.

eat.

Toljala, the three Ishhak tribes.

for

especially in introducing similes.

in

songs without necessarily asking a question,

SONGS
whose young have been slain,
I would make much clamour.

o gabnihi laga layei,

ma

gurhan

173

igu bdte.

Sidi G6dir irman,

Like Godir, when with milk,

o elmihi ka ghalen,

whose young have been slaughtered,

I would groan for justice.

garti

mau

ulule.

Sidi ganleh shisheyei,

ma

tollkei

Ma

sidi

o nagu,

iss

ugu

Like enemies apart,

my

gdftei.

nin gabobei,

Like an old man,

gunyo ka

whose

dibei,

Web her gerida jdga,

ma gel annu lahain,

For the

whose

paid

lazy,

were taken,

fine

has not been paid

us,

bring out the "diya."

ma ghabdbei,
ma gtidan,
wa wahh ma mogi,
2

Fortune has not grown

and law

Nabsi wa
herna wa
Guli

whom he

for

lives that

itself.

camels that were ours,

gudub nogu maghana,

haghi so gudbiya

wives,

among

much,
have grown bad and
I am angry at it.

ku geshiyeya hhumatei,
yan ugu hantameya.

tribe is divided

God

is

is

old,

everlasting,

all-knowing,

g6bina wa warranta.

and the high-born have the news.

Gelan manta haino,

henya godonkbda,
iyo wag^rki wadana,
hadano gudfdin
labadiba an gdine,
mia no garaten* ?

Let us have the camels to-day,

fight,

The

price of a

man's

their genitals,

and

heart,

let

us cut both,

do you decide
life is

100 camels, whether

or raid, or in a private affair

for us

it

takes place in a tribal

this is the Arabic " diya," or

Somali

" hagh."
3

Nasib.

gentry, or well born, opposed to tribes of doubtful origin, Esa, Gadabursi,

Somali custom.

Hawiya, and outcasts.

5

The general meaning

of this stanza is clear, but

1.

27 I cannot translate.

SONGS

174
III.

Gerar, in gh and

g.

To my Bay Pony.
English.

Somali.

Hamar
Hamar
Hamar
Hamar
Hamar

0, ghorohhdado

0, garadado
0, guwidado

0, ghofalkago
0, gadankago

Hamar

0, ghorohhdado

ghaili

dof laga k^nei,

'

Hamar,
Hamar,
Hamar,
Hamar,
Hamar,

rati

size

your obedience
your price

(and) die of astonishment.

Hamar, your

size

}as a camel which has grown very fat

on the sand of Milmil,

ghaib ugu nahhai

ghorigi Berberad

markab, ghaid u sugaya,

miya 5

ghun u

j6ga,

Hamar

0, garadado

as a ship at the pier of Berberah,

waiting for orders,

stands

fast.

Hamar, your strength

ghalimali libahh,

as a black-maned lion,

iyo saryen ghortu u ba'dei,

and a
and a

iyo wlyil ghorah, miya.

Hamar

and Indian raiment,

things which I look at,

0, guwidado

your

Hamar, your beauty

gh labkan ku arkei,
2
g^suhugu dfnta

Hamar

a cloth brought from over the sea,

iyo ghanfirka Hfndi,

gharidi Milmilad

your beauty

your strength

0, ghofalkago

bull oryx with broad neck,

bull rhinoceros.

Hamar, your obedience

the path which

suryadan kaga rabto,

I desire

ghalbigu ka garta,

your heart understands,

gelafdidka hawen,

as a dutiful wife,

iyo wayel haj u gh6btei,

and an elder gone on a pilgrimage,

an

iss

ku gh6nsan, miya.

Hamar

0, gadankagu

without grumbling.

Hamar, your

a bright tartan cloth, most worn by Dolbohantas.

for

Milmil, in S. W. Somaliland.

Dolbohanta for "camel."

This word like ma is often used

gesana ugn

flinta, lit. I die of

price

astonishment at the thing

in similes.

Perhaps

it is

look

only " eh

at.

"

SONGS

175

gholidan la halelo

(from) the tribe

mama gas ka ma h6io'.

Ma gasanad Sirkalku

never can enemy take (you) away.

ghaib u $6 ballagha

The

singer tries to persuade two tribes to

We

3
,

ku dolad ahain,

yu idin diifsan.
War, tollo, inna 4 daya!

ma

Ye

e ghailo daluntei,

nago urleh

d6hhai

la

5
,

so

are all of one

salt,

tribes, desist

The

place you raised your shout,

like

women with

child ripped up,

whose homes are burned with fire,

who have no property to move,

o guriihi dab la rubei,

an dunyo

peace.

and under one government,

a spirit entices you to evil.

jini

Mel

make

English.

innagi dan wadagta

iyo iss

so lavishly?

d.

Somali.

Wa

fight with,

Can the Sirkal

who scatters his money

Gerar, in

IV.

dakhdaghaghin,

dugeda hissaba 6
wahh ku daida halkasa.
War, tollo, inna daya

consider somewhat there.

Wayelka ya dad

The

bal

think

Ye

aslahha,

how

old

it is,

tribes, desist

elders settle the affairs of

people,

men

dalintase ka dida.

but the young

Bal da'danahai, dai,

See then, how old

bal ddrkan talinayo,

how fairly I will decide,

and weigh the case,

dawodeda hissabo,

iyo

wahh ku daida

I,

consider somewhat here too.

halkana.

war, tollo, inna daya

disobey.

am

ye

tribes, desist

1
Among the Somalia, a mare, a well and a woman belong to the tribe,
and cannot be parted with without the consent of the tribe. Hence the singer
here says " No one can take you from our tribe."

refers to British Officer.

la

wadago

take meat together.

sing, of a verb is used after a

4

or naga,

is

The 3rd sing, is used, just as the 3rd

pronoun with ba, e.g. idinka ba shakheineya.

often used in such expressions, without necessarily referring

to " us."
6
A custom fairly common among the Somalis until recently.
has often practised" it on his raids against the Ishhak.
6 i.e.
it is so long since it occurred.

The Mullah

SONGS

176
Matani

dagughei

la

iyo fardi

ghad ku

The

iyo debilihi la kahhayei,

gashan kun

ma dim6ne

wahhas,

la dareyei,

we must not forget that,

and must choose to be of one
and wish for peace,

o tollimdno ka ddrne.
o samir bannu 3 dedallei,

wahh ku daida

Hadi tana

ye

annana 3 wa dfrirra,
'olio, ha inna dulin
Gerar, in

tribes, desist

If this is refused,

la dido,

and enmity preferred,

we too must fight,

o laga d6rto 'olladda,

V.

tribe,

consider somewhat there too.

halkasna.

war, tollo, naga daya

wells are shut down,

and the horses are sore-backed,

and the camels are driven off,
milk is drawn on to shields,

dulbelei,

ye armies, do not attack us

g.

To my Pony.
English.

Somali.

Nefka gadada weinleh

My

amantis garan mayo

how

Ma Haud

Like grass-covered

gedaleh ba?

'Erku o galab hore

"I

gabdankisa, miya

Libahh mel f6g ka guhha

gabnihisi,

lit.

my own

Like

innagl in line

a grown

like

girl,

who has been given her husband,

Wells out of use are shut up by their owners,

singer's people,"

and not

fill

the hollow of a shield.

to the others.

The pronoun

includes the people addressed.

The

Names of camels.
The summer wind.

Lan ?

song

clatter over the ground,

la slyei,

"we, the

His four hoofs

covered with stones.

refers to

Like the foals of the

by covering them with wood and stones.

2
upon. This means that there is only enough to
3

not.
?

of a

/of Ged and Hohhad

miya?
Afartlsi gundod
dulka ugu gara'a,
ma sidi gabad wein,
gerarkeigu,

know

Haud

Like the pattering

/camels, Gedo and

'I

rain from last evening's sky

/lion roaring afar

5

6
7
Ana, Ged iyo Hohhad

o geyaukeda

him

to praise

\ Likethe cubs

miya?

Gela,Gedo iyoLan
ganihisu, miya ?

broad-chested beast,

district

S.W.

of the

Nogal Valley.
6

(Karif.)

The spring winds. (Hagar.)

means the " betrothed."

177

SONGS

o gor ga lidka hadkeda,

and has received great flocks,

who, with most costly robe,
and silken raiment,
and dress, has clothed herself,
and at the time of mid-day shadows,

ninkiyo gama'san,

to her sleeping husband,

wein lagu

ti

gana'leh,

o guyo

darka

dibei,

iyo garbasarka haridah,

iyo gashali huwatei,

gasinka u sita

brings his food,

o kabihi gadda lo'ada',

as with the shoes of cow's hide

miya

gara'^sa

she clatters

Gerar, in

VI.

s.

To my Pony.
English.

Somali.

My

Faraskeigu soyan,

midabkagu ma s6 kan
Sifahagu guy^dna
ma sagal gu jir ba ?

Ma

fine horse,

your colour,

'ad ba?

is it

not white

Your manners and age

are they not nine years

sankarkaga tura,

Are you not like a gentleman

As I groom you,
I throw away the dirt,

golahan salebeya,

nin sirkalah

sidi

Intan ku salahho,

o saharka

an gedo kugu saya.

Halki senyo ku s6fto,
adigo

wahh ku sema 3

clean the stable,

and remove the dung,

while I put down grass

ka idleya,

with you

and until

sunka ka de'b'in mayo.

Wahhba ha i la sula'an,

I will

Do

share,

not loosen girths.

softly.

Raiding Song.
English.

Have

banan idinku baneyal,

i.e.

attack,

my

h.

get

not prance with me,

Somali.

Idinku baneyal

must

and neigh

Gerar, in

VII.

for you.

Where camels graze,

o sfema iga rid mahai,

o salogiga ghunyar

ye, over plains

and

plains,

over (countless) plains,

the dowry.

The women's shoes are not fastened by a strap at the heel, and, being just
heavy as the men's, make a great clatter in walking. The best shoes are of
2

as

cow's hide.
3

touch, but here the meaning

This

An
K.

is

the meaning given

is

"loot."

me by

the author, but I cannot explain

it.

intensive form of the plural.

12

178

SONGS
whose richness belongs to God,
gone out to war ?
Have ye assembled the young men

Illahh beididi hai'sta,

mau btilaten ?
Barbar ma iss ka gurten ?
Bad 6 mau ghdbsoten ?
2
3
Bustihi iyo shalka ma Bad6
dtilan

huwisen

and trappings

Rakabka birtaah sulka mau

barkisen

Yassin 6

Have ye put

iron

maugu bahhden ?

ma

h^shen

banan maugu takten

Ebba badbadshei,

dabka mau bilbfshen

Sibrar 'anaha bokha 6

have ye found the tracks ?

While he is talking,
have ye taken to the plain
Boys, enriched by God,

Isago ka balawaya,

Wllal,

have ye prepared the

iyo habenkana barurta,

and

have ye eaten

VIII.

Gerar, in

Cn

the

fire ?

fat for to-night,

fat

b.

Raising of the Tribal Horse, 1903 7

Gerar wa bogholal,
wa badwein iyo m6jad,
wa baburki sidisa.

like the great sea

Ninki an badinahain

The man who

berka wa ka ghalaha.

his bowels are cut out.

Bablr mai makhashen ?

Hadi gaso lo bilabo,
8
o Burao lagu tont6mo

Do ye

Songs are in hundreds,

and waves,

like the ships.

Name

If

hear

is

my

not

song

full of

them,

companies are collected,

and hailed

to Burao,

of a horse.

2 is

the hairy skin placed over the saddle.

8 is

the woollen trappings on headstall and breast-plate

(sita').

With the Somalis, as with other African horsemen, the

small, and only the big toe is inserted.
5
The Prophet.
4

English.

Somali.

skin of curdled milk,

ma

barura 'unten

the toe in the stirrup

Have ye made your prayers ?

Where the enemy cut the ground,

Butlyihi 'ollku jehhai,

iyo budulki

Curdled milk and melted sheep's

tail fat

stirrup iron is

are the usual supplies taken by

a Somali on a raid.
7

This and the next two were

of the raising of

mounted native

1902-4.
8

Have ye caught Bado ?

Have ye put on Bado the blanket

'

from " tomtom

"

drum.

made by my

sais, or

groom, on the occasion

levies for the operations against the Mullah,

SONGS
wilal berka Ishhakah,

sons of Ishhak's loins,

adunk6da badna,
an ku berkadsadahain
ayan Sirkal Basha ka ra'i.

of great wealth,

who

Gerar,

IX.

in

179

are not weak-hearted,

I will follow

the Sirkal Pasha.

b.

Leaving Burao before Jidballi.

English.

Somali.

We

Innagu Burao jogna,

ma jawabta

illalo

has the scout brought answer

War,

wait at Burao,
?

Lo, wiry dun,

bulali jader, 0,

upon

so'od beinnaga 4 j6ga.

the time to march

Jiryal affeyei,

have
and cut a thong from an oryx,
I

iyo sun b'e'id laga jehhai

aya

iss

ku

jidei bilawa.

Wa jehhad

tegeya,

ilia

'ss

have tied on a dagger.

go on a crusade,
start in the early morning,

We

ku jad 8 ndkhona.

X. Gerar, in

are of the

same mettle.

b.

The Object of Fighting

is

Loot

9
.

English.

Somali.

o ghasiradi bokhosho,

However many you

and cut their pay,

la'agteidi bakshishleh,

my

hadan bur 10 na la sinin,

ama gela Badwein bada leigu

if it is

In kastada bareiso,

iyo

I do not

not given us in heaps,

Badwein

if

they are

not looted for me,

know

the derivation or correct form of the word in this line, but

meaning was explained

2

kill,

bakshish money,

or the camels at

'eriyin,

the

us.

in order to hasten.

jidaneya.

Anna

and

aya jld ar6ryo,

is

sharpened spears,

as I have given
3

scout, spy.

it.

dun-coloured pony.

foa

innaga.

Oryx hide is the strongest in Somaliland.

6
Being an ignorant man, he did not realise the meaning of this word, or he
would not have used it in referring to a campaign against fellow Mohammedans.
8

in la.

The Somalis, even our

is

the Hindustani word.

so-called friendly

and protected

tribes,

have no

army unless we promise them

loot, in the shape of camels.
It is also implied here that money is of little
consequence compared to camels an important fact to remember in dealing

compunction

in saying that they will not join our

with these people.

10

mountain.

Here equals "

piles of

money."

122

SONGS

180
inan forska 1 u b6do,

that

wa

is

hal an bihhihainin,

u sheg.

Sirkal berka

XL

Gabei

let the Sirkal

gabeiga watan

Forget the holy song

beriaha daba'ei digdya,

formerly laid down,

dari tidahhai,

from what people sang,

An dubeyo wa ki beriaha
And from what came to me to

An ku
me

in his heart.

and Raids of the Mullah,

Abdallah, 19001904.

Hadba anigu o dayei ya

Now I myself too have ceased

Let

remember

the Invasion

Mohammed
3

join the force,

in d.

Lament on

Da'da

a thing of no value,

if

sing before.

yan hadalka

d'odo, Somali

speak out, and

igu dahhsonei.

dei'nahain,

Somalis cease not their chatter,

Dab61ki an ku rido, hedoda an daboka gud

me put on the lid, and cover up the dish.

saro.

Let

Digti halei dahhdiga ka

All last night

my

ma

gam'in, da'kirka an ka'ei,

heart could not sleep, in the morning I arose,

Derewfshtu wa

ti

ka timi degalodoiyo,

There were the Dervishes come from their homes,

Darudki 5 wagi hore yei dabin oghojen,

Darud first had laid his snare,

Dabadedna wa ti lei yimi dagahhan Idoro 6

And afterwards he was come to the land of Idoro,
,

Dareghada 7 iyo wa
There were the

ti

guben, dinti Ne'biga dab ku shiden,

burned, the faith of the Prophet set fire

priests' schools

to,

Adopted from the English.

I have given as literal a translation of these " Gabeis " as I can, but in
some cases where I am not able to explain how the meaning is arrived at, I
have given the meaning derived from a colloquial paraphrase by the author.
3 1
5.
Old songs do not suit the present days of strife,
Now keep quiet unless you wish me to stop.
1

And

Name

later

1.

7,

of the

wa

ti, cf.

Somali

289.

tribes,

including Dolbohanta, Ogaden,

etc.,

i.e.

the

tribes of the Mullah.

6

A name

Daregho

for Ishhak.

for priesthood.

one

is

is

a school where young

The

men

chief schools are at u.

that referred to here.

learn their religion, or are trained

Sheikh, Hargeisa

the u. Sheikh

SONGS

Dabuna da'ei iyo dunida nafbdei,

And he carried off loot and laid waste

Dadku da'ei, ag6nti dulmiya

He robbed the people, injured the

1
,

181

the earth,

derisadu layei,
orphan, slew the neighbours.

Dubki 2 iyo shaladki, arladdi lagu

doafei,

Their headcovering and chant, as they tramp over the ground,

danab ku

Sidi

Fell like lightning

digoda

da'ei, rerihi

lo rebei.

and thunder, our homes were

dung.

left as

Ebbo, adi ya dayenah, an duri ku moghene,

Father, thou art everlasting, and all knowing,
Dalki adaha laba nin 3 ya dasaddu tunei,
sides have clamoured for portions of the land,

Two

Rabo, kala dabal eida madhar

leiss la

d6neya.

God, separate the armies which seek one another.

Gabei, in m.

XII.

My future
An
It

is

Wife.

maleyo tan mage wa madahhada Guledo.

my mind that she whom I would marry is the (daughter

in

of)

the

head of the Guleds.

Marrin 5
She

pink,

is

Kub
Her

'as weiyei,

ga'amo wa majeno r6bah,

and her hands are

like

drops of

rain,

malasan ba lehdahai, marodi wa sohhei,

ankles are round, her skirt

is

pleated,

Talaboda magug o ma rldei, wa miyirisei.

Her steps are not those of a fool, she walks daintily.

Malaek sameis an farsamo, lagu

She
7

is

ma

nagin

6
.

after the fashion of an angel, a virgin full of skill,

Weli melod jogtana maarag, ku maana moghene.

Never yet have

I seen the place of

your abode, nor have

any knowledge

of you.

Orphans are ordered

The white cloth they

to be specially protected
tie

by the Koran.

orer their heads as a badge.

The Mullah's people and the British Government.

tian.

pink colour, or light copper, the favourite colour among Somalia.

From nag woman.

The singer now addresses

the lady.

SONGS

182

Halun

ba mirtfdaha ghalbigu ka muradsidei,

my heart I dreamed

Last night, for half the night, in

Marrwein hoyoda wahhannu

We

will give

Mur

sin

of you.

ai rerato

3
,

your aged mother a loading camel,

Walalkana hamar maidan ban malin ho odane 4

And to your brother one day I may present a pure bay
.

Mos ban u

jebin abaha,

An

majalis
all

Hemaleh 6

iyo

wada ghaddnne, miday6da

take our places, come to

XIII.

Gabei, in

pony.

camels with your father.

I will divide a host of

Let us

Mura

my

kali.

people.

d.

To Dahab.
Dirahh

h<5rte,

Guban

In the spring time, Guban

dukha

hayamei.

lei

is

dead, the people have taken the road.

dilei,

la

Ninki dano kahhayo banan dauga so ghdbeya,

He who

leads water-camels, takes the road to the plain.

5

Dukhan iyo Ogaz 6 6 dalei, derig la dansh6do,

Dukhan and Ogaz have foaled, and are proud with repletion.

Wa
Here

derejo labadeni o ghollad

is

honour for both of

us,

Unsiga ad nagu dadisida.

While you sprinkle scent over

Wahhad d6nto
Whatever you wish
7

Dud annu
Our

tribe

is

wa

ku

'ss

who meet

0, no kali
Dahab, come

us.

Dahab

0, no kali
Dahab, come

be given you,

nahai la

ma

horeyo,

second to none,

one room,

Dahab

laga heleya,

will

darei,

in

Dahab 0, no

kali

Dahab, come

Akhal dorah mod leiss ku darei, galmo daba joga,

Our goods are laid together in a beautiful house, the camels wait behind,

Durba holaha naga ghobo, Dahab

Now

take our

flocks,

Name

Ho

Halei un.

That she may

Names of camels.
The maritime plain from which

0, no kali

Dahab, come

load.

of a camel.

take, hold.

Oflo say.

the tribes wander into the

Ogo, or southern slopes of the Golis range, at this time of year.

7

Forest.

Here used

for tribe.

more

fertile

183

SONGS

Wan
A

ram

lei

dilei,

barur laga dala'ei,

slaughtered, fat

is

is

cooked,

Aulalada diran, manfa'an wada d6nonne, Dahab 0, no

The ribs are ready, let us all find food, O Dahab, come
Sar dab61an x
Put on the

kali

hes 2 danoneiyo, weso darandera,

shield-cloth,

hang up spear and white

Tusbah d6rah, iyo watahhan

hore u

flask,

dadsha.

si

Lovely rosary and prayer-mat lay in front.

Kabo dalinka

leisska diga e

malmo lagu

In weariness one lays aside shoes in which one

dalo,
toils

by day,

Iyo ga'anta ka ma dein karo jedal dubandabeyo.

And the whip which the hand cannot cease from flicking.

Daf hadan,

la so yidi

gogolaha darah gogoshuwa,

Enter now then, the beds are ready spread,

Dalaghdalagh

u so'odkad hubki dib u

XIV.

Hes, in

Dumar
Ye women,

0,

lo lafiyotei

5
.

g.

kunka kabaha,

kulliga damanta,

the thousand generations,

all

and everyone,

Sikakaaga akhal gudi u garane.

Of your ancestors within the house we may know.
Illahed goisi u garane.

The

partitions of a

Raga

gelisi

room we may know.

u garane.
know the men's

We may

Gashan ma ghadan, ma ku gaban taghanin

Do you carry a shield, do you know how to lower

camels.

it?

Marka rag iss u srt galo, ma gangani taghanin?

When men compete, do you know how to draw a bow?
G^ranka afki u badan iyo gojoda lugtaah m6yi.
The great clamour from your lips, and the dancing of your

Gembi kaleh ma garatan

Is there
1

feet, I

know not

any other art you understand?

Somalia keep their shields white and new by covering them with a white

cloth.
2

Name

Watann is the tree from which

Wagging of the head.

of a particular kind of spear.

the bark
5

is

Walk.

taken for tanning leather.

THE DIALECTS OF THE OUTCAST

YIBIR

These two

AND MIDGAN.

ACCOUNT OF THE TWO

1.

tribes are called

TRIBES.

by Somalis Sab,

or outcast, being

Darud

considered of low origin and not descended from

(cf.

Appendix

III).

For

TRIBES,

this reason Somalis will not

or Iskhak

mix with them

or intermarry.

The Yibirs

are said to be

sorcerers,

powers and the power of cursing.

especially

They

and

have prophetic
by begging, but

to

live

by the levy of a tax on Somalis, at a marriage or the

an old tradition told in a story which

birth of a child, according to

is

given here in Yibir dialect.

by the meat of game they can kill in the jungle.

employed by Somalis to work for them, in return

and live largely

They are also
for which they

receive occasional payment, in food or otherwise,

and protection,

The Midgans

are by nature hunters or trappers,

from their employer.

water,

This work consists in fetching wood, drawing

and digging and cleaning wells.

tribes also work in leather, tanning

Both

hides,

and making

leather ornaments, saddles, shoes, etc.

They profess to be Mohammedans like pure Somalis, but the

Midgans are very lax in their religion, being unclean in the matter
Many, however, are comparatively civilised
of the meat they eat.
and are strict on this point.
Neither Yibir nor Midgan have any definite tract of land, like
They are scattered as wanderers
the numerous tribes of Somali.
over the whole country, the Midgans either attaching themselves
to some Somali tribe as abban, or living upon them as robbers and
thieves.

Each

tribe has its

own

dialect,

which has hitherto been kept as

a solemn secret from the rest of the world.

They

still insist

upon

AND MIDGAN DIALECTS

YIBIR

185

and made me promise not to divulge to their

what
hereditary enemies
they were quite willing to explain to the
white man.
I, therefore, rely upon any who may read this not to disclose to
any Somali what I have been allowed to write down for the benefit
of the Sirkal, but if any other officer of an enquiring disposition
secrecy from Somalis,

wishes to pursue the subject, he should be acquainted with the

Somali language, which

all

the Sab know, and discuss these things

with one of them.

2.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIALECTS.

(Quoted by kind permission of the Editor of the Journal of the

African Society 1 .)

and Midgans are both very jealous of their languages,

and keep them a secret from other Somalis, although all speak the
There are,
common language of the country, namely Somali.
and
dialect,
either
anything
of
I believe, no Somalis who know
Yibirs

my

interviews with these people, they were very

particular not to allow

any Somali within hearing, our conversations

while I was having

having to be carried on in the

Here

let

me

repeat that

latter's language.

was put on

my

word by both peoples

not to divulge anything to a Somali, but was allowed to write

down

it

for the use of British officers, their vanity being evidently

touched by the idea of a white

man wanting

to

study their

language.

Therefore

must ask any who may read

to repeat what I give

sojourn in the country, not

not of Yibir or

A.

W.

Midgan

Schleicher

is

this

and who may

any Somali,

here to

birth.

the only author

language {Die Somali- Sprache,

p.

who

refers to

an unknown

x)

"Unter den Somali leben mehrere Helotenvolker, von denen die

Midgan, Tomal und Yibber die bekanntesten sind. Nur die Yibber scheinen
eine eigene Sprache zu besitzen, die sie unter sich sprechen."
"Bestimmte Angaben dariiber konnte ich nicht erhalten, dem Somali
sind die Yibber ein Greuel. Nach Hussein versteht kein Somali ihre Sprache,
doch verstehen die Yibber
1

alle

das Somali."

Journal of the African Society, No. xni., October, 1904.

AND MIDGAN DIALECTS

YIBIR

186

The construction

of the languages, I find,

the Somali tongue, as spoken

that

is

all

to say, they are identical in,

(1)

the same as that of

is

over the country, and by

and the same

all tribes

rules apply in

Syntax,

(2)

Conjugation of Verbs,

(3)

Inflexions of

(4)

Methods

Nouns and

Adjectives,

of forming Derivative Verbs, etc.

In the matter of Vocabulary, the following parts of speech are

practically altogether different from Somali

though a very few roots are common to

On

are

(2)

Adjectives,

(3)

Verbs,

(4)

Adverbs,

(5)

Conjunctions,

(6)

Prepositions.

the other hand such parts of speech

common

and from one another,

three

Nouns,

(1)

and consequently,

all

as,

(1)

Definite Article,

(2)

Demonstrative Pronoun,

(3)

Possessive Pronoun,

(4)

all Particles,

to all three,

and have the same forms and constructions.

The Yibir vocabulary is fairly complete, though poorer than

The Midgan, on the other hand, is extremely deficient.
large number of words have therefore to do duty for several

Somali.

meanings each, according to the context.

Examples,
Yibir.

dalanga

any animal or bird (an appropriate epithet or descrip-

agar
a

thing, stuff, food, etc.

tion being required for each individual kind).

"rer,"

family,

home,

flocks,

belongings,

baggage,

property.

awas

any vegetable,

iftin

light,

sun

money

tree, grass,

(as

wood.

moon (masc),
adjective = bright

(fern.),

star,

rupee,

or white).

silver,

NOTES ON THE DIALECTS

gun

ilahh

fire,

mid

exist, be, stop, stand.

tomala
lawo

anything hard,

187

(as adjective =hot).

hill,

stone (adjective

hard).

water, rain, river, year.

Midgan.
hangaguri
nas

thing, place, time, town, person,

ghoribirro

wood, and anything made of wood,

any wild beast

(carnivore).
self.

tree,

bow, shaft of

spear, thorn,

gosad
iftimowa

iron, knife,

any iron

tool,

sun, light, day.

gomosfmo

water, rain, river,

ghan

good, large, heavy, far, white, hot, full,

neghatal

bad, small, light, near, black, cold, empty,

makabur

stone, hill,

money, rupee

(as adjective

= hard).

I could not find any other native words to translate the various
meanings given opposite each of the above.

Where

special definition

Yibirs have no special

as the following

is

names

required,

some paraphrase

for animals,

is

used.

but use such expressions

dalangihi khabarki ghandldsan

hyaena

(lit.

the animal with

plenty of noise).

dalangihi

walahumo ku dashlya

oryx

(lit.

the animal having

spears).

Midgans describe the lion and leopard

and hangaguri neghatal, respectively.

The

as,

hangaguri ghan,

following are good examples of other paraphrases required

by the languages

my

father

(Mid.)
(Yib.)

alowihi i so finfinshei.
goriedki i jagh'idei, literally, the man who
begat me.

yesterday

(Mid.)
(Yib.)

iftimowihi tegedei.
iftinti tegedei, literally, the light that has

gone,

to-morrow

(Mid.) iftimowihi so tegedeya,

that

is

coming.

literally,

the light

AND MIDGAN DIALECTS

YIBIR

188

am hungry

guratada

(Mid.)

wa

neghatal,

literally,

my

belly is

small (or thin),

look at

(Mid.)

ind6kholaha ku

(Yib.)

ku yef, literally, turn your eyes to.

gomosfmo 'ss ku dahhdahhbi, literally,

(Mid.)

pray

yef.

ainta

buy yourself with

Does

(N.B.

this refer to the

praying, or has

evening

(Mid.)

it

water.

Mohammedan

ablutions before

any connexion with Christian baptism

literally,

the small light, as night comes on.

Notice that these phrases are similar in each language.

number

?)

iftimowihi neghatala himirki so 'idbeya,

of words too are

common

Examples,

teged

to both

NOTES ON THE DIALECTS

The

189

and Midgan are the same as those of the

as, for instance, agreement of
of Verbs, plurals of Nouns, and the Definite

inflexions of Yibir

Somali, and not of the Galla language,

Adjectives, inflexions
articles.

Derivative words are formed in the same

way

as in Somali

Examples,
Idib

so Idib

go.

shan
(Y) wish

fed

ind6khol (M)
ain

(Y)

The
regards

mi

yifnei

following
its

Midgan

various

I bring,

(Y)give.

'id

eat, or drink.

'ido

eat,

or drink.

indokoleisi|
aimeisi

makhalei
makhashimei

so snamei

give.

inddkholei
aimei

'

<Y)
makhali
makhashin (M)

yifan (Y)

(M)

kul

kusho

look for

feflo

shamei

dbi

so

take

so shan }

make

makhaleido
makhashimeiso

i hear.
J

ghamo

good,

shew

listen

to.

be good.

yifno

root ragh, or

and

derivatives

raghahh,

is

constructions,

interesting as

which are

all

purely Somali.

raghahh
raghahhi mayo
'ss ka raghahh
so raghahh
ku raghahh
faras ku raghahh
raghahhi
gosad ku raghahhi
raghahho
raghahhsan
ku raghahhsan
raghahhsanei
raghahhsano
ku raghahhsano
In an account, given
of his tribe,

it

act, do, fix

I

will

sit

not do

down

it

(set yourself)

wait
catch, hold

ride a horse

make

set, place,

cut (with a knife)

take to yourself, marry

be, exist, He, live

wish, have

give

look for
like,

me by

love

a Midgan, of the traditional origin

was suggested that

this

language was invented

190

YIBIR

AND MIDGAN DIALECTS

by the Midgans' ancestors in the jungle as a secret code.

possibly be the case, judging from the following examples

Midgan.

This
:

may

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCES AND CONVERSATION

3.

IN YIBIR

AND MIDGAN.

Midgan.

English.

higge ka so 'idibtei

where have you come from

alowa ba so 'idbeya.

a Midgan

naskas

give

kul.

me

is

that.

goriedki ghansana.

the good man.

awinti ghansaneid.

the good woman.

come

higgan so duhur.

ka

'ss

higga

here.

go away.

sir.

'ss

ka raghahhsano.

stay there.

we saw many

bannu dagnei.
gedgharomed ma ku raghahhsana ?

are there trees there

raghahhi mayo.

I will

gararati shar

jalmihi gomosfmodi u

not do

cut the rope.

bulalki so shanshamei.

light the

gomosfmo ma raghahhsanid.
makaburta u sharei.
ma dukhanta ?

there

sharodei

ghoribirro

baghdankini
nasina

give

kul.

me a big stick.
me your language.
me nothing.

teach
give

kulin.

my

wahhan kushodo

give

tegec'lei

fire.

no water.

more money.
you sick ?
are you well ?

guratada wa neghatal.
iftim6wihi

is

are

dagsi.

it.

give

ghan

horses.

take the camels to water.

'idbi.

hajiaha g6sad ku raghahhi.

ma

coming.

kul.

alowihi

so

stomach

me

is

empty.

something to

yesterday

my

eat.

father was killed.

finfinshei la rufiyei.

iftim6wihi neghatala bodowyashi

higgar u shamei.

in the evening take the

camels over there.

burden

192

YIBIR

AND MIDGAN DIALECTS

Midgan.

English.

iftim6waha ban Aji sukhodin ku

to-day

shot a Somali with a

bow.

dukhei.

awintaida yag61ka raghahhsanta.

my

moyodi higga erifogad iss dukhesa

the people fighting over

wa shar.
wa mahai naskas bakhrinka ku
raghahhsan

is

at home,

there

are many,

what

is

that on your head

makaburta ghan ku

yag51kaigi

wife

my

house

is

by the big

hill.

raghahhsana.

naskakan

shar

ku

bannu ku

ra-

hangaguri

midsha,

hajia

many

here are

them

animals,

we catch

in traps.

ghahhadna.

you shew me a lion,

much money.

hadad hangaguri ghan i indokholeisineso, makabur shar ban

ku kuleya.

if

himirki jalmahaiga laga la

in

sirei.

will

give you

night

the

my

camels were

looted,

mo-

to-morrow, when the people take

yodi jalmihi higga erifogad u

the camels over there, let us

iftirnowihi tegedeya, kulhidi

shameineso, an rufino moyoda,

kill

o jalmihi la sirno.

with the camels.

the people,

yafantahai

yafnan ba

are you well

so yafnan

higge u bidbidefnesa

higga dugageigu

wa

miya

peace

myself

am

going there.

what do you want ?

want you to give me a

tobe.

'ida.

humaggi mahhad
g6dibki

ma

ma

ddrigas

'fdatan

'idatan

dugagagu weli
weli

is it

where are you going

tegedeya.

mahhad f^desa ?
wahhan ka fedeya inad kalwein
i

off

English.

Yibir.

ma
ma

and go

ma

what do you eat at night

do you drink milk

awelisatei

awelisan.

mahhad ku

are you married yet

I

awelein

am

?
?

not married yet.

what are you going

that?

to do with

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCES AND CONVERSATION

English.

Yibir.

ma ku dashisa
ku ma dashiyo.

jalmo

alkhailahagu

have you any camels

wa inhima

wa

so

make the

bidbideineya.

ad

ba

yiftimeisei

ma

so

zariba strong, a wild

you

have

caught

anghaksodo "huwad"

khabar ghandid ba lagu bida.

mahha bakhrefneya

ma

la wo

agarma ku midesa ?
agar ku ma mideso.
kulhimad bidbideinesa ?
higge ka so tegedei ?
alkhail ku tegedeya.
mahliad u tegedi weida ?
goriedki ma mideya ?
higga darsad 'ss ka midi.

that

man

the

thing

is

one-eyed,

one

nothing

when

is

am

why
is

don't you go

man

down

here

bring

bakhreineya

agarma

ada biggan midslya.

jalamada kabarta ku midsiya.

milk,

what does the animal making

that noise want ?
put the things down here,
load up the camels,
take your things away,

la teged.

higgisa ha mideyo.

(leave

alone.)

let it be.

am

(abstract.)

killed,

cut the rope from me.

difadki iga bilehh.

humaksaneid

it

what are you doing

lei rufiyei.

kalweinti

me some

bring the camels here,

u fedeya?

wa

at the back there,

godib

khabarma aweleinesa

riding a horse,

the

sit

so shimi.

where have you come from

jalamada so shimiya.

is

there,

are you going

look this way.

agartada

on

prays

"huwad."
you are good at the language,
what is that noise ? rain ?
what is in there ?

ainta igu so yef.

dalangaha

Mullah

the

you were fighting?

la bida.

beast will come,

g<5riedkas ain ba rufsan.

derigi lagu

are your horses

they are many.

awaski yafneisfya, dalanga

ganiden

have none.

how many

wa ghandid.

anghagi

193

yifnan

ugu shimi.
agarma aimeisei ?
khabarma makhaleidanesei
dengas ma ku duhuresa ?
ku ma duhuro.

fold

up the blanket

well.

iss

what did you see ?

what did you hear ?
do you understand that
I

do not understand.
13

194

AND MIDGAN DIALECTS

YIBIR

English.

Yibir.

kulhida g<5riedka so tegeda,

so

when the man comes,

tell

me.

lagh.

khabarkas
agarteidi

'ss

ka

wa ku

never mind that,

ladishei.

my

midesa.

saddehhi kulhiod wa ku laghei.

watahhadi

darsad

galabfdi

so

leave

alone,

it

things are there.

I have told you three times,

come back to-morrow evening.

tegeda.

watahho walba kulhfdi

wa

godista
ani,

iftinti so

yahafnyahh ba

la bida.

gamaghda, gamaghdis ba

it is big,

lagu

duhuresa

aweleya,

you are right, he is

he is telling a lie.

ma ku

do you understand what

higga

ka so tegedeya

wa

is

said

news from

the

good

he was killed there,

that

la bida.

gorieddi almanki fedatei agar

ghandid

agar

right.

army?

lagu oremei.

there

is

khabarkas urshen ba
aimeisei

you

to

gorieddi yiftimeisa khabar yafan

ma

small.

la bida.

hegha yu lakheya.
khabar

we will come every day at sunrise.

so tegedena.

ma

is

bad news,

has the force found some stock

they have found plenty.

bei

aimeisei.

ma

aimeina

was the force frightened away

from where they went to ?
at the next village we find good

ghorimada yafan dugagina awe-

your people made the good boats

higgi lo gurei, almanki

bagheyei
aihi

la

ga

darsad,

awas

ba

yafan.

grass.

leyei, lawihi

ma

urshena
igu

laga tegedo, deriihi

to cross the sea on, the

awelin.

ones they didn't make.

makhaleido,

khabar an ku

listen

me,

will

tell

you a

story.

laghi.

wa ku makhaleidaneya, khabarkas
i

to

bad

am

listening, tell

me

that story.

lagh.

higgas ugu orensanyahai.

it is

goried yafan ba lagu bida, kha-

you are a good man, say your

barkagi

ha

lagh, bidbidsin

no.

waferka katowa ku

ma

dashlyo.

hilaghamaha hadeidinan agar ka

'idin,

ma

say, I will not

mayo,

bidin.

yafna khabarkas.

torn there.

it is

that knife
if

go against

it.

not.
is

blunt,

you do not give anything

the wives,

it is

not good.

for

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCES AND CONVERSATION

English.

Yibir.
fil

wa

iftin

195

so doi'yoneya.

am

going to buy some

rice,

d^rigan asuwan bu ku dashfya.

this

lawihi darsad yu awelisaneya.

he

derigi asuwanti jagh'idei dado yu

to the girl's father he gives sheep

ganadod o dado yu u
'idei, kulhidan ya ka fedeya.
jalmahaiga derigo ya ka almamei.
jalanka inhfman kaga doiyoda ?
hosi u bidbidei.

Abiryaha walahumo aweleya.

kulhidi

ad

midesen, ya'unki ku la khabreyei iyo

ba

and

20

man

that

shield,

10 rupees

now he

sheep,

is

looted

my

camels,

how much do I pay for a camel 1

put it down below,
the Tomals make spears,
the old man who spoke with you,
when you went to the front of

dugagagu den yafan

the house,

and yourself are

great men.

dugagisu u yafan.

he

tomalaha aniga adayadau shantei,

my

lawo iyo awas yu u fedatei.

dugageigu u shameya, hadanan

the senior,
" rer " has gone to that

is

hill,

for

water and grazing.

am

going myself, in order not

to die.

rufin.

goriedki jalmihi iyo dadodi fedtei,

so tegedeya

deriihi

year,

engaged,

la bida.

ma

marry next

will

he gave a good

lfmihi

horyadedi

wife,

and money,

'ida iyo iftimo.

altob yafan, tobanihi fftimod, iyo

kabarti

one has a

is

the

man coming who

the camels and sheep

anghaga ka daras tegedei.

those

who

followed

fetched
?

the

after

Mullah,
goried difada ya la gu bida.

wa anghaksona,
saddebhi kulhiod wa humaggi,
limihhi wa watahhadi.

shanihi kulhiod

difadki jalanki

u lagu awelein

you are a gentleman,

we pray five times, three times
at night,

and twice by day.

the rope with which the camel

is tied,

jira.

dantashi seyadki lagu shimfn jira.

the vessel one puts ghi into.

Anasioda

Hanfili leaves alone people

ka

so godisa.

give plenty to the Yibirs.

deriihi yabar yifno

'idin jirta, Hanfili

Anas

ain rufsanei kulhina

so godisei

waferti

ma ku

has a blind Yibir ever come to

you?

humaksana lugu

who

tegejiyo.

the knife to cut the hair with.

132

YIBIR

196

A CONVERSATION, IN
ya'imkaaha

Anaski

dadodisi

How many

Aferi ganadod iyo limihi ganadod

rtifei,

laghei

ka

anigaaha yu

Inhima ku
Ya'un

fila

fedtei,

jalankisi

What did he say ?

He took them to Berbera.
He wants to sell them, he went
with his big camel.

la tegedei.

so shansaneyei

How much

iyo ya'un asera, limihi

kalweinod, iyo

took.
?

Aferi iftimod iyo aferi ganadod

Kulhidiu

How much money

When

i
laghei, "higgaga midi,
hadan iftimo darsad aimeisto
wa ku so 'idahaya."
Kulhidas dugageda na laghdei,
" Gamagh."
Anaskohadi asuwantadi u inhidas
o iftimo u 'idei, asuwanteidi
inhide ad u 'idei ?
Limihi ganadod iyo limihi iftimod
ban u 'idei.
Hadad inhidas u 'idei, miad inhi
ghandidah u 'idei ?
Inhida o iftimo an ku dashiyei,
inhi kelemad hadan ku dashiyo,
ban u 'idi laha.
Iftimo mad u maghurtei ?
Maghurti aimein wai.
An iftimo u maghure, ma u

shimin
midinena.

it,

gave.

he said she

and if he got more money, he

would give it.
Then she said to us, "All right."
If that

man

gave that money to

your

wife,

how much did you

give

mine ?

gave her twelve rupees.

If

you gave

much?
So much
more,

had,

I
I

you give

that, did

if

had had

would have given

Did you borrow money

it.

could get no loan.

may
will

higgeigannu

he

rupees

he gave

was to stay where she was,

mayo,

did he give

Twenty-four

'idei

bu

shimfnesa

and dates, two

sash to tie his wife's dress, he

your wife

'idei.

rice

and an anna, and a

tobes,

ku

shansoto, yu ku so shansodei.
Asuwantadi inhide iftimo u 'idei

was he carrying

One man's (?)

mado kushan iyo

difad asuwanta kalweinta

inhidas u

man's

of skins there were.

Kalweinaleh bu u shimlyei.
Iftimo yu

old

Thirty have died, that number

huwadisi inhida aha.

Khabarma u

the

of

sheep died?

inhfde ruftei?

ya

YIBIR.

will

lend

you some money,

you take
not take

where we

are.

it?

it,

we are staying

MOHAMMED HANIF

MOHAMMED HANIF

197

(Ancestor of the Yibirs).

Kulhfdi horimad anghag ba lagu bidei

The time before
a priest
there was.
goried

ma

la

midfn

Deri'ihini

jirin.

Your people

people with not to live used.

Hig bu mldsha 2
Where he
lives

1
.

deri'ihi
horimad, iyo
before,
and the people

dehhdodi
u mldshei, limihi ya yfftimeyei.
among them
lived,
both
fought

anghaksodei

Deri

A man

(who) prayed (who)

ghandldsan ya

yabar
of property

"Awas no

godisei.

came.

"

yu

laghei.

he

said.

'idi

me

" What reason for

said.

fedesan 4 ?"

"Khabarkeku

idbi," yei laghen.

to (him)

before

do you want(it) ?

Kulhfdas yu laghei, "Deriahan anghaksoda yannu ku

Then they said, " These people (who) pray we with (it)
Kulhfdas yu laghei,
Then
he
said,

will kill."

to

horimad ya u so

Deri'ihini

Your people

was.

herb to us bring," they

rtifinena."

la bidei.

he

plenty

mahai

5
,

give without,

awaskeiga

my

herb

"Wa
" It

idin

goderdwi iftimo iyo goderdwi jalmo

a hundred rupees and a hundred camels

Kulhf das yu awaski u sara

Then
he the herb to (them)

doiybden.
bought.

anghakstfneyei alman so fedten 7

(who) prayed

a raid

went

(I) will not."

inhfdas
so

much

'idei

6
.

gave.

you

plenty

mayo."

'idin

you give

to

ghandidah, idinku

iftimo

money

is

Kulhfdas yu
Then they

awaski

yei

the herb they

kaga
for

Kulhfdas ya deriihi
Then
the people

Kulhfdasa yei deri'ihini horimad

Then
they your people
before

for.

'

they a raid on (them) went for.

Kulhfdas limihi godertfwi o lawod 8 yei

Then for two hundred
years
they

hig

tegedei

alman

yei

u so

midshei, o

a place

lived,

fedten.

higgiu

and where they

Think,

Aorist, from midso.

Plur. derio.

la bida

it is

went

thought.

ya aimein waiyen.
(they)

This

is

find

could not.

Kulhidasa
Then

used for "is" (Somali wa).

Here the narrator refers to the people of the person he was

whom he considers to be the same as the Gala,
derllbi anghaksodei means Moslems.
4
Somali mahhad ku donesan ?
6 Somali:
idinku 1 sin mahai unless you give me.
6
Hand over. Somali flib.
7 Look
for.
(wan fedta.) Somali ddno. alman fe&o, Somali dul.
addressing

(i.e.

myself),

Water, rains,

i.e.

year.

198

TIBIR
anghaks6neyei higga ku rufen.

deri'ihi

(who) prayed

the people

there

yifmefyen 1 anghagi bu
property
fought the priest he

yabar

yahafnyahh
small

kelemad

hig

midfn

four

others

a place

live

(while)

to.

anghagi yifna ya

to.

s<5

He

there

"

said,

What

lives

Au-Bakhardli he

he

Kulhidasu
Then he

said,

"Ka

laghei,

ma

"

said,

"Khabarka ad

me

Moge holy

am."

The reason you me than (more) holy are me

4

"Higgas an ka godisaya,
" There

said,

will penetrate,

great

hill

than

he beneath

it

to

"
?

(more) holy

Kulhfdasu
Then he

shew."

godis dugagagu." Kulhfdasu

through go

ka

tomalaha anigah yu hosidlsi

that

ka

Kulhfdas yu u laghei,
Then
he
said,

anghaksanahai."

anghaks&ntahai igu aimidsi."

iga

are

for

anghaksantahai

iga

(are you)

o anghag lagugu bida ?

mldesa,

" Yourself

Kulhfdas
Then

was.

there for do you live, and a priest

Kulhfdas bu laghei, " Dugagagu

laghei,

A boy

asuwano difadsha
and women

shamei, Au-Bakhardli bu nokhdei.

yu u laghei, " Khabarma higgo u

"

Weled

Weledki Mohammed Hanif ba

The boy Mohammed Hanif

jirei.

used

to (him) came,

the priest great

Then

la alman.
was looted

Dugaglsu 3 higga midsha o

jirei.

used

he

His home

Weledku kulhfdas yu anghag nokhdei, asuwano yu

women
he
became,
The boy
then
he a priest

bidei.

was.

difadfn*

ya

Adlsi

rufei.

died.

u u
jagh'idei, ya higgi ka so godisei, weledki iyo
(whom) he begat,
the boy and
there from
came,

aferi

la

Kulhfdas yei anghagi

Then
they the priest

died,

Then

yourself."

Kulhfdas ka godisei,
Then (he) went through,

godisei.

through went

higgo u ku godisei, yu u laghei Au-Bakhardli, "Tomalaha 0,

" O Hill,
went,
he to him said Au-Bakhardli,
and there he in

gan'id."
seize."

Kulhfdas tomalihi 'ss ku godisei, kulhfdas yu

hig u
the hill together
went,
Then
then
he where he

wai.
ka so godiso aimein
could not.
see
out may come
1

This

is

Tomalaha dehhdlsi yu ku
The

in it

hill

not correctly given, but the sense

is

"They

he

rufei

died

fought over the dead

priest's property."
2

Whether

There

is

this

means "marry,"

one story that

or

of his immorality.

dugagalga

Self, person,

Through, across.

"rape"

Mohammed Hanif was

I myself.

is

not clear,

dlfad

rope.

expelled by Sheik Ishhak because

MOHAMMED HANIF
Anghagi

anghagi.

The

the priest

weldihi

no-ga*

begat

The

Ma

"

laghei,
u

said,

(Am

marriage

mian

am

begets

money

laghen,

"

said,

"The boy

to give

noga sara

ka

Inhfdi

iyo

For that

When

aim an

and the man (who)

derigas ka

than that

man

ku duhurna.
know.

kulhida u
when
he

the

is

for that

yannu agar ku
reason we
a price
iyo

iyo

Wannu u
We thus
'

yabartfnna.
earn our

Derigi

man

lo

to us is

living.

rufrufeya

The man (who)

lagheya,

derigi

going on a raid, and the

na

ilbirta

money and the ewe

understood.

fed6neya,

(who) says,

is

sick

"an
"let me

ur behhensanado," inhfdas awas lo

yannu
'ido
be better,"
we
for that a herb to be given

annu
u
whom) we

Deriga,

That man,

successful,
1

(to

no sara

yifnado,
is

iftin,

money,

the marriage

wa ku duhurna.
(we)

The

inhida khabarka

Kulhidi iftinta

Yibirs.

many

derigi

Sara-

give

or

Khabarkas

receive."

o ghandldah

other

'ida

I to

saradostriska

'id,

awasyo yahafnyahh yannu u

'idna.
we to them give.
small

Herbs

sara

am

darseisa

'idtfnena."
will

mase

'ida,

Kulhfdas ya weldihi
the boys
Then

given, sticks

Awas kelemad

idin

That (which) follows (hereafter) so much

shansonna, Anasyod&yadu.

'ido,

ka

idin

ka sara Ida?"

ilbir

yannu agarta
ku
we
as the price for
we

ilbir

a ewe to us for (him) give,

weldahana 3 ilbir.
and the boys a ewe.

take,

khabarkan kulhfdasu
then he
this word

jalmo

goder<5wi

to you for

Weledka

said,

a ewe to you for (him)

idin

iftin

laghei,

a hundred camels to you to give,

to-day

weledki goried u jagh'ido yan

the son a Somali

doshiski

ku

watahhadan
I)

agar

ruflyei,

Our father you have killed, something

to (them)

priest

Kulhfdas ya
Then

died.

"Augayoada
"

said,

he

there

laghei,

they

Anghagi ba

'id."

to us for it give."

higgas u ku rufei.

aihayaga

priest of our tribe

u jagh'idei yu u

the boys he

199

to

'idna,
give,

iftimo

money

'ida.

us hands.

Plur. weldo-ni.

na u ka.

And.

Cf.

ka

siso

pay

for.

ghandidah yu,
plenty

he,

YIBIR-ENGLISH and MID&AN-ENGLISH

VOCABULARY.
The following

is

list

of Yibir

and Midgan words not used by other

Somalis.

Words, such as Pronouns,

Particles, etc., are not given, being

common

to all three dialects.

Nouns are recognised by the

Definite Article which follows each noun,

separated by a hyphen.

Examples,
ain-ti

eye

bulal-ki

fire

In these examples, ain equals an eye, bulal equals a

" the fire,"

The

would

fire

" the eye,"

be, ainti, bulalki.

suffixes, -ki, -gi, -hi, are

masculine,

are feminine.

-ti, -di,

Abbreviations
Yibir dialect.

(Y)

Midgan dialect

(M)
(M)

(Y),

The Arabic

intransitive verb.

v.t

transitive verb.

a.

adjective.

letter ain (*) is represented

by

',

ghain

is

represented

represents the " cerebral d," which at the beginning or end of a word

sounds like

d,

but in the middle of a word

This letter in Yibir

a-di

to both dialects.

v.i.

by gh, kh.
fl

common

(pi.

ao-hi) (Y),

is

family, "rer,"

possessions

ababo-di

Plateau

(M),

Tomal
work in

(an

(Y),

tribe that

more

Gazelle,

agar-ti

iron)

adeisfmo-di (M), milk

aferi-hi (Y), four

afjaghin-ti (M),

mouth

outcast

is

like r.

like dh.

object

" dero "

Abir-ki

is

pronounced usually

(Y),
;

there

thing,

any concrete

agarma ku midesa ? what

?

aghtul v.t. (M), strike, hit

aimei v.t. (Y), see, find, understand
aimeisi

v.t.

(Y), shew, teach

ain-ti (Y), eye

your eye

(i.e.

aintoli-hi (Y),

ainta ku

look)
lie,

untruth

ye/,

turn

VOCABULARY
Aiyifan-ti

(Y),

baghdan,

Gala

Aji-gi (M), Somali

alb&khar-ti

(Y),

cow

baghdan-ki (M),
guage

alkhail-ki, -shi (Y), horse

bagb

(Y), rob, loot

v.t.

alman-ki (Y), army, enemy

alowa-hi (M), man (esp. ref. to
Midgan man), not used in referring
to a Somali ; aloicihi

my

sofinjinshei,

father

altob-ki (Y), shield

amedo-di (Y), goats

anaduhr-ki (M), elephant
Anas-ki (Y), Yibir

Anasnimeiso
manyo "

collect the

v.i.,

"

Anasnimo-di, the

" sa-

samanyo " paid

(Y), priest,

anghakso

v.i.

(Y),

"mullah"

(Y),

ba

la

behhensan a

(Y), useful

bid

think

(Y),

v.t.

art

he, she

na

new

ha bidin
bidbidsei

red (sometimes ase-

(Y),

you, they are

are

bida, I

lei

am

(don't think) it

v.

(Y),

make

to go,

bikho-di(M), "Dik-dik"
bilehk v.t. (Y), cut

'assi (M), lynx

bi'yuso

asuwan-ti (Y) wife

boba'un v.t. (M), gulp down

bod6wa-bi (M), camel
buf-ki (M), donkey

au-gi (Y), ancestor

awas-ki

(Y),

God

(Y), vegetable, grass, tree,

bush, zariba, grass

aldibo,
Yibirs,

aweilei

mat

the sacred tree

aicaski
of

the

used as a charm,

v.t.

(Y), like,

v.t.

bulal-ki (M),

fire,

bulalyei,

(M), burn, heat, forge

v.t.

smoke, fire-arm

bulbul-ki (Y), stick

bulbul-shi (Y), whip

make, construct,

buskulohh-i

do

dabo-'ad (M), Haartebeest

(Y), do,

(Y).

v.t.

for yourself,

dado-di

marry
awin-ti (M),

woman

(Y), butter

dag

v.t.

(Y),

sheep

(M), see, understand

dahir-ki (M),

babato-di (M),

send

be pleased

cause

aweiliso

No

is not.

'as6wa-hi (M), blood

'asero-hi (Y), blood

cloth, dress

dahhbi

v.t.

fat,

(M),

go

(Y),

v.t.

is

a Yibir

away, throw away

used)

Awashona-hi

bi-

derigas ba la bida, that

Anas ba

'aserah

a.

is

we

bida,

bidbidei

is

khabarma

The Passive, formed by "la,"

used for the verb " be "
lei bida, I am
lagu bida, thou

'aser-ti (Y), (M), dates ('asero-hi)

radh

desa ? what do you think

e.g.

correct,

woman

asahan-ti (M),

ka

bakhar-ti (M), cow

bakhrei v.i. (Y), make a noise
(? inverted "khabrei")
bakhrin-ki (Y), (M), head
balkhalo-bi (M), lesser bustard
baneisin-ki (M), in front, before

la

kniah a. (Y), great

anisan a (Y), complete,

(M), be afraid

bagho, be afraid of

ani

(M), be in fear

v. (Y),

v.i.

what

talk, speech, lan-

bagho

is

large

is

say

tell,

(Y), (M), frighten

pray

ani-gi (Y), largeness

bi&a, it

talk,

baghei v.t

to Yibirs

anghag-gi

(M),

v.i.

nasker bad baghdamesa?

are you saying ?

aleliso-di (M), bird, bustard

alman

201

ghi

buy

202

YIBIR

dalanga-hi

(Y),

AND MIDGAN
dussi (M), leopard

animal

damdmei v.t. (M), dig, excavate

damomya-hi (M), inside
dangharei

erifogad-ki (M), distance, in time

or space, year, country

(Y), refuse

v.t.

daras-ti (Y), behind,

tail

ka ddras

tegedei, last year

d'arowa-hi (Y), breast, udder

darsad (Y), afterwards, subsequent
watahhddi darsdd, to-morrow
darsei

v.i.

be behind, be

(Y),

faled-di (M), rupee

fardaho-hi (?M), finger

farolahato-hi (M), hand, arm

left

kulhidi ka darseisa, afterwards

dashi v.t. (Y) (M), have, possess
(always used with "ku");

ku dashisa
you?

how

fed

many have

-di

-gi,

person

fidsin-ki (Y), camel's

is

jowaree

deri

one

finso

me

(Y),

to,

ga'alo

v.t.

(M), like

gabar-ti (M), water-flask

(Y),

truth.

Yes.

All

right

gamagho

(Y), jugular vessels

v.i.

be

(Y),

right, correct,

true

self;

ganad-di

(Y), (M),

hand

In counting, "ganad

duhur v.i. (M), travel, go

ku duhur v.t. (Y), understand;
ku duhuri mayo, I don't understand
v.t.

(M), give birth

v.t.

(M), be born

v.i.

gamagh-i

"

Dero
buy

dugag-gi (Y), person, people,

dugaggeigu, I myself

dujo

tomdlaah,

gadlahato-di (M), camel-skin, shield

galabi-di (Y), evening

dikhxarin-ki (M), hide (of game),

prayer-mat
v.t.

gabis-ki (M), shield

dffad-ki (Y), rope, snare

dubadyo hi

hump

after, back,

(of an animal)
dibyalin u
raghahh, stand back
dibyalin-

tail

dolyo

beget

dibyalin-ki (M), behind,

dilin-ti (M), "

mean

f. iftin, rice

or finfin

fin,

(Y), loins

behind

grain

(Y),

fil-shi

diboder (M), Clarke's Gazelle

keigi,

want,

what do you

want?

one

finger;

(Y),

ba ku mideya, there

derigab

fedesa ?

fedo v.t. (Y), look for

fedolahato-di (M), breast

derigas, that one

wish,

(Y),

v.t.

mahhad

inhima

degayir (M), arrow

degig-gi (M), donkey
deri-

erifo-

gddkini, your country erifogddki

behind

teged, follow

higgar

away over there

erifuydd,

" refers

to

and means five

the
limihi gdnadod, ten saddehhi
gdnadod, fifteen aferi gdnadod,
five fingers

twenty
(M), leave

be, never

'ss

ka dujo,

mind

g.

duk v.t. (M), strike,

dukhan v.i. (M), be

sick,

v.

(M),

be afraid

fear

dul-shi (Y), end of backbone

dusar-ki (M), elephant

gdnaddi yafneid, right hand

yahainyahheid, left hand

gana'id

kill

be empty, be broken

dukhumei

let

v.t.

(Y), catch

gararati-gi (M), horse

gedgharom^d-ki

(M), tree

geryal-ki (M), Waller's Gazelle

ge8
}(M),Oryx
gesolahato-di J

?T*

VOCABULARY

hangaguri-gi (M), animal, any wild

animal

gir-ki (M), ostrich

godanahh-i (M), chest

goiierowi-gi (Y), rosary, hundred

godib-ki

milk

(Y),

godis v.i. (Y), come, arise, come up,

begin kulhiddi iftinti so godista,
;

humaggi wa

at sunrise

the night

is

godisa,

coming on

gomosfmo-di

(M), water, river, rain

(Y),

pray

for,

iron, metal,

any metal

gosadku raghahhi,

"Aoul," Soemering's

ghami

neghatal,

am hungry

ghan

a.

humag-gi

(M),

make

(M), be

good

v.t.

night

(Y),

humak-

black;

(Y),

a.

sano bakhrinka, hair

huwad-ki

(M), fox

prayer-mat

(Y),

huwiya-hi

(M), sheep-skin

im-

good,

'id v.t. (Y) (M), give

prove

ghamo

(Y), before, (time)

hur-ki (M), quiver (of arrows)

guratd-di(M), stomach, belly gura-

wa

higma?

horyad-di ( Y), before, in front, (place)

horyalin-ki (M), before, in front
hosyad-di (Y), below, beneath
hosyalin-ki (M), beneath, below

humbur-ki

Gazelle

gujin-ki (Y), meat

iddi

higgan,

place;

(Y), see 'ilaghan

humaksan

cut (with a knife)

gosin-ki (M),

untruth

lie,

(M),

where ?

horimad

beg

men

article, knife

(Y),

(Y),

himir-ki (M), night

goried-ki (Y), (M), man, person

gdsad-di (M),

hekho-di

bilghan-ki

goried-di (Y), (M) (plur. ofgoriedki),

people,

hedig-gi (M), ostrich

here; higgcb, there; higge?

gonya-hi (M), inside, within

gorad-ki (M), cup
gorbei v.t

hainyalisan a. (Y), mad

halyokho-di (Y), iron
hawar-ti (Y), backbone

big-gi

woman

golof-ti (M),

203

v.i.

'idbi

(M), large, long,

fat, hot,

good

(far,

Idib

white)

ghandid-ki

(Y),

'ido

plenty

ghandldah

a. (Y), many; jalmihi

ghandidkadh, the many camels,
ghandidei v.t. (Y), increase
ghansan a. (M), good
ghodahh-di (Y), tin for ghi

ghoribfrro-di (M), wood, bush, thorn,

branch of a
wood, bow
ghorin-ki

tree,

any

article

of

v.i.

(M), go

take,

come

so idib,

(Y) (M), eat, drink

v.i.

(M), go away, run

iftimo-hi

money

(Y),

away
of

(plur.

iftin)

iftim6wa-bi (M),
iftimoicaha,

yesterday

morrow
i.

(Y), plate, dish, ship

to go,

so Hdbi, bring

v.t.

idon

make

(M),

v.t.

lead

n.

iftin

a.

i.

i.

light,

to-day;
so

day

sun,

tegedei,

i.

tegedeya,

neghatal,

to-

twilight

himirki soHdbeya, evening

(Y), white, bright

iftin-ki (Y),

moon
rupee

hajla-hi (M), rope, string, trap

iftin-ti (Y), sun, light,

haman-ti (Y), bird

Hanan-ki (M), Yibir
Handud-ki (M), Tomal

flaghan-ti or -ki (Y), child, daughter, or son

Hanflli

(Y),

Hanfili,

ancestress, spirit

ilahh-hi (Y),

the

Yibirs'

fire,

fire-arm

awelei, light the fire

ilan-ti (Y), leg

ilahh

204

YIBIR

AND MIDGAN

ilbir-ki (M), limb

ilbir-ti (Y),

kul-ki (M), half

ewe

kulhi-di (Y), time

bow
ram

kulhidas, then

ildighan-ti (Y),

ilowa-M

(Y),

kulhidan,

saddehhi kulhiod, three times

(M), be sick

imitirahh-i (M), wing

kulun,

shew
ind6khol-shi (M), eye indokholaha

kunoli-hi (Y), heart

(M), point out,

v.t.

yef, look

ind6kholei

much; inhima? how much?

how many ?

so

v.i.

v.i.

kushan-ki (Y), ring

kusbo, v.t. (M), eat, drink

(M), look at

v.t.

inhi-di (Y), (M), quantity: inhidas,

irso

kulhidi horyad, before

imil-ki (Y), male camel

inddholeisi

now

kulhima ? when ?

(M), remain

(Y), (M), body, belly

labodin-ki

ladishei (Y), leave

cease, let

lafeiti-di (M),

still

'ss

ka

ladishei,

be

bone

lafil-shi (Y), breastbone

jagaflaho-di (M), shoe, sandal (plur.

jagafiahoin-ki)

jagh'id v.t. (Y), give birth to, beget;

goriedki ijaghHdei, my father

jagha-bi

(Y), child

jalan-ti (Y), (M), she-camel (plur.

lagh v.i. (Y), speak, tell, say

laghdam-ki (Y), tongue
lagbowa-hi (M), tongue, throat
lamdi (see limdi)
langharomid-ki (M), rice
lawo-hi (Y), water, rain, river, year

jankho-hi (Y), kid, young goat

jehhar-ki (M), buck-Aoul
jimikb-hi (M), caracal-cat

lawodaur-ki

jindar-ki (Y), ox, bull

limdi

kabar-ti (Y),

house,

loading-mat,

load of a camel

lig-gi (M),
v.i.

(Y), cloth, clothing; k.

limi-hi (Y), two

(Y),

town, Berberah

that knife has no edge

kelemad a. (Y), other

kbabar v.i. (Y), talk, speak
khabar-ki (Y), speech, talk, lankhdbarkas 'ss ka
guage, news
ladishei, stop that talk khabar;

that

khabarmad fedesa?

what do you want 1

khabrei v.i. (Y), talk, speak
kub'en-ti (Y),

tail, tail-fat.

(M), give

mad6biyo-hi

(M), liver

maddkushan-ki

katowa-hi (Y), mouth, edge; waferka katowa ku ma dashlyo,

v.t.

down

limdiyi)

(Y), half

kalweinaleh-di

kul

buck-Gerenuk
(Y), (M), sleep, lie

ludub-ki (M), penis

hutnaksan, blanket

Jcas, like

(Y), water-bottle

(lawo-bi (M), milk)

(infin.

kalabed-ki
kalwein-ti

lawihi darsad, next year

jalmo-hi)

madola-hi (M),

maghur v.t.
makabur a.

(Y),

anna

tortoise

(Y), lend

(M), hard

makabur-ti (M), hill, stone, pebble,

money
makabur-ti (Y), tortoise
makbalei v.t. (Y), hear
makhaleido v.t. (Y), listen
makhali-di (Y), ear
makbasbin-ti (M), ear

makbashimei v.t (M), hear

makhashimeiso v.i. (M), listen
manabho-di (Y), food
marubo-bi (M),

plate, dish

VOCABULARY
mid

be present,

(Y), be, exist,

v.i.

be

remain,

alive

agarma ku

midesa ? what is there ?

(Y), (M). go
'ss ka mid, go
away; so mid, come; la mid, go
with, accompany

mid

midsan
midsi

v.i.

mirdolo-hi

want
raghahtsanei v.t. (M), give
raghahhsano v.t. (M), look for
raghahsdno,

remi

v.t.

rish-ki (M), ostrich-feather

robsahan-ki
r6f

v.i.

r6f-ki (M), corpse

(Y), penis

ruf
rufi

nafel-ki (Y), hunger

saddehh-hi

nani-gi

(Y),

(Y),

satchel

carried

a.

(Y), die
(Y), (M), kill

v.t.

rufsail

(M), be sick, be poor

v.i.

(Y), three
(Y),

v.t.

slay,

cut

(M),

self

bad, few

small,

salolad-ki, -di (M), goat

saradoshis-ki

bridegroom,

(Y),

wedding

(thin, near, black, light)

nirokh-i (Y), loins

sareyagh-i (M), ostrich

omas-ki (M), bird

saryen-ki (M), bull-Oryx

sedah-hi (M), legs of ostrich

oran-ki (M), guinea-fowl

seyad-di (Y), (M),

oremi v.t. (M), kill

oren v.i. (M), die
orensan v.i. (M), be sick;

shamei

v.t.

(Y),

be

shan v.i.
come

(Y),

shani-hi (Y),

raghahh

v.i.

(M),

act,

do,

catch;

raghahhi mayo, I will not do it

'ss ka
raghahh, sit down
so
raghahh, come here, wait here
;

ku raghahh, catch, hold gararati

ku raghahh, ride a horse
raghahhi v.t. (M), set, place, make
gosad ku raghahhi, cut (with a
knife)
'ss ka raghahhi, put
it
down there
raghahho v.t. (M), take for your;

marry
raghahhsan
self,

ghi
;

so

(M), be, exist,

lie,

iW), go

so

shar,

five

shanshamei v.t. (M), kindle (a fire)

shanso v.t. (Y), take for yourself,
keep, put in, cany
shar a. (M), many, plenty
sharei v.t. (M), increase
sharo v.i. (M) be well
shashin-ki (M), things, property,
belongings

shimi
put

v.t.

(M),

take

u shimi,

in

shirfei-di (Y), small quantity

siftihh
v.i.

oil,

(Y), (M), take, lead

shamei, bring

torn

spoilt,

the

throat

saneg-gi (Y), nose

by Yibirs
nas-ki (M), thing, place, time,

neghatal

v.i.

sakhsakh

be hungry
bag,

(Y), (M), loins

(M), die

moyo-di (M), people

mukhtaren-ki (Y), needle, bodkin

v.i.

ku

(M), hit, strike

mirgin-ki (M), plant, vegetable

nafelo

like

rihin-ki (M), meat

midso v.i. (Y), remain, live; ya^unki

ku jaghHdei ma midsha? is your
father alive

ku raghahftsdn, have,

think;

live,

rer-ki (M), feather

bring

(Y),

v.t.

down

(M), sit

205

a.

(Y), fat

siftihh-di (Y), fat

206

YIBIR

hair (usu. plur. sil-

(M),

silsil-ki

AND MIDGAN
wafer-ki (M), spear

silodi)
(Y), leg

sir v.i.'(M),

go

so'oto-di (M), foot, track

tabantab
wander

(M),

v.i.

walk,

pass,

weled-ki

(Y),

tahab v.i. (MX move, go mahhad

u so tahdbtei 1 what have you
come for?
takhalamo-di (Y), song
teged v.i. (Y), (M), go so teged,
come alkhail ku teged, ride a
horse; ka teged, cross
;

v.t.

(Y),

send

tingir-ki (M), Waller's Gazelle

yabar-ki

yabaro

yafnan-ti

tomala-bi

(Y), stone, hill

living,

(Y),

goodness,

health,

Peace
yafneisiso

hard

make your

Yadur-ki (Y), Midgan

yafan or yifan a. (Y), good, right
hand

yafneisi

(Y),

(Y),

v.i.

earn your living

tobani-hi (Y), ten

a.

goods, wealth, pro-

(Y),

perty

tiro-gi (Y), liver

tomala

boy

(Y), fasten

v.t.

tegeji

walabun-ki (Y), spear

Waran-ti (Y), Midgan
watahh6-di (Y), day watahhddan,
to-day
watahhddi darsad, tomorrow
wawa'li-gi (M), dog
;

sukhodin-ti (M), bow

tagi

(Y), knife, tooth

simokh-i

v.t.

(Y),

v.t.

make good

(Y),

arrange for your-

self

yafno

v.i.

(Y),

be good

yag61-ki (M), "herio," camel-mat,

ukub-ki (M), ram

ulud-di (M), upper arm

'unimad6- (M), cheetah

'unukh-bi (Y), throat
uro-di or ur-ti (Y), stomach
'urshen a. (Y), bad
'urshen

v.i.

(M), smell

'urshen-ti (M), nose

'ursheni

v.t.

'ursheni-gi

(M), smell
v.t.

(M), anything that

smells, dung, etc.

uskin-ki (M), leg

hut

yahafnyahh

a. (Y), small, bad

yaban-ti (Y), two annas
yahbab-ti (M), herd of Oryx

yal-sbi (Y), (M), leg

yaliyifo-bi (Y), shoes
ya'un-ki, -ti (Y), old man,

woman

ya'unti jaghHdei, mother

yef

v.t (Y), (M),

yiftimei

v.i.

turn

(Y), fight

yihan-ki, ti (M), man,

woman

yiryiro-hi (M), sheep and goats

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY OF SOMALI,

YIBIR,
English

AND MIDGAN.

208
English

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY
English

209

210
English

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY
English

211

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY

212
English

Somali

rice

baris-ki

fil

midig-ti

yifan

hand

right

Yibir
iftin

ring

katun-ki

kushan-ki

rope

hadig-gi

difad-ki

rosary

tusbah-hi

goderowi-gi

run
rupee

orod

bidbid

rubiad

iftin-ti

sandal

kab-ti

yaliyifo-hi

satchel

ghandi-gi

nani-gi

say

odo

(see

see

arag

aimei

send

|dir
(

kahhai

"speak")

shimi
tegeji

bidbidsei

sheep

adi-gi

dado-di

shew

tus

aimidsi

shield

gashan-ki

altob-ki

sheep skin

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY
English

213

214

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY

INDEX.
The numbers

refer to the sections.

Gender

Ablative 159, 245

Accents

Nouns 17

214

3, 60,

Accusative, see Object

Linking Consonant

Adjective 69, 169

Plurals 164, 165

25,

26

Inflections 75

Comparison

Interjections 134

82, 172

Interrogative

Derivative 73

Adjective 23, 33, 202

Nouns 15

Adjective

Demonstrative, Possessive and Interrogative, see Suffixes

Adverb

10, 44, 129, 130, 131, 137, see

Pronoun

65, 146,

202

Adverbs 131, 146

Sentences 145, 146

Particles

Linking consonant 24, 31, 32, 34, 75

omission of, 27 with Plurals 164,

Article

Indefinite 149

165

Definite (Suffix) 23, 28, 31, 32, 55,

63, 75, 150,

"be" 142
belli

la 67, 118

197

mahhan etc.
mayo 92

143, 147

(b),

201

Concord

75,

164-168

58, 131, 194, 202

Negative

Conjunctions 10, 133, see Particles

Conjugation 91, 145, 230

Consonants 7

of

Coordinate sentences 127

(b),

252

aho 112
Pronouns 210

Indefinite

wah

195

in Subordinate clauses 258

Dative 157

Demonstrative

see Particles

Adjective 23, 198

Nominative,

Pronoun

Nouns

63,

199

see

Subject

10, 12

Abstract 15

Euphony

6,

20,

25

(iii),

97, 98, 104, 123,

Existence 147

186

35,

87, 95,

Cases 43, 155

Gender 17, 164
Plural 34, 162

INDEX

216

Substantives 10, 11

Nouns
used Adjectivally 160, 170

Suffixes 10, 22, 197

Combination

used Adverbially 29, 152, 158

Numerals

10, 46,

of 31, 198

with numerals 47

163, 168, 170, 178

as Pronouns 62, 63, 65, 199

-ah 73, 160

Object 44, 136, 156

o,

-ed 73

Conjunctive Particle 127, 170, 254,

73

-la 48,

261

-leh 73, 116, 160,

wa, ba, ya 54, 138, 171, 185

ba witb Negative 213
wa Perfect Tense 220
ma Negative 91, 145, 230

ma

Interrogative 93, 145

203

66, 131, 202

-ma

Particles 9, 124, 236

-na 127, 210

-se

127

Superlative 176

Time

48, 130, 265

Adverbial 236
Prepositional 125, 236, 241

Conjunctive 127, 144, 253

83, 211

Verbs

Partitive Case 161, 208

Adjectives 72, 108, 113

Passive 118

Attributive 103, 122, 171

Place 157, 158, see

Adverbs

Auxiliary 86, 214

Causative 123

Plural

Nouns 34
Pronouns 63
Adjectives 76

Gender and Concord of 164-168

Possessive Case 45
Adjective, see Suffixes

Prepositions 10, 132, see Particles

Pronouns

Conjugations 89, 95
Continuative Tenses

5, 86,

Intensive 120

Moods and Tenses 211

Nouns 15
Negative form 91, 112, 231

Persons 88, 228

Personal 10, 53, 183

Reflexive 121

Demonstrative 63
Empbatic 55, 229

aho 111, 147

Indefinite 67, 204

j6g 148

Interrogative 65, 146, 202

jir 85,

Possessive 62, 198

imo 106

Beflexive 61, 196

laho 115, 148, 203, 214

Relative 64, 259

nokho

run 201

fadi 109, 148

148, 214, 224

105, 148

odo 106
ogho 106
oil 100,

Salutations 135

wah
Vowels

Subject 44, 53, 136, 141, 156

Subordinate sentences 257

wahhan

M.A.

148

117, 195, 274 (note)

Similarity 177

CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY,

92, 96,

221, 222,

3,

etc. 57,

192, 264, 288

AT THE UNIVERSITY FRE8S.

PJ
2532

K57
1905

Kirk, John William Carnegie

grammar of the Somali
language
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