Somali-English/English-Somali Dictionary & Phrasebook

by Nicholas Awde

Book Overview

The essential Somali language resource!

Somali is an Afroasiatic language with approximately 15 million speakers worldwide. It is spoken primarily in Somalia, but also in Somaliland, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya and by a significant Somali-speaking diaspora. Somali is written with the Latin alphabet.

This unique, two-part resource provides travelers to Somalia and neighboring regions with the tools they need for daily...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0781806216
• ISBN13: 9780781806213
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books
• Length: 180 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 3.8" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

Somali-English, English-Somali Dictionary and Phrasebook

I work with children from all over the world, and I've encountered many speakers of Somali. They love that I'm attempting to speak their language, and I've been told this is the very same book that some parents are using to improve their English. It's extremely useful, but the pronunciation guide is a little cryptic, and it lacks the international phonetic spelling. That would be a 5-star improvement, but I'm giving it 4 stars because it's a great introduction to the Somali language, and I'm learning. Thanks for reading.

Basic Introduction

This dictionary was written for the tourist rather than for a culturist but contains a good introduction to Somalian grammer, prounciation, travel phrases.

Teaching English to Somali Adults

As an English teacher for Somali refugees this has been of great help. It doesn't always have all the words that we use in the US, but it does help me get the message accross. It has also has helped me understand their problems without having to always go to an interperter. It has alowed me to teach some difficult concepts when you are only panamiming. The students have really enjoyed me learnign their language. It gets me close enough to the correct pronunciation that they can correct me.

Northern Dialect

I'm learning Somali in order to better communicate with recently arrived refugees in the US, most of whom are from southern Somalia. Many of the entries in this dictionary are words used in the north of Somalia and are not understood by many from the south. People from Mogadishu, Kismayo, Jilib, and Galkaayo have told me this. That said, I have found the dictionary to be useful at times and is just about the only printed Somali-English/Eng-Som dictionary I have found.

Somali-English, English-Somali Dictionary Review

I purchased this small book for a refugee I am sponsering from Somalia. He was very excited to get this book and told me this is an excellent reference he can keep with him in his pocket while he is learning english and starting to work in america.