Somali Script

Somali script is a general term for writing systems developed for or used to write the Somali language. For many centuries, Somali was primarily an oral language, with verbal forms such as poetry and proverbs being central to its culture, while Arabic script was used for formal writing. In the twentieth century, several scripts designed specifically for Somali emerged, along with attempts to write Somali using Arabic or Latin characters.

In 1972, the government of Somalia adopted the Latin script as the official writing system for Somali, after which a widespread literacy campaign was launched. Since then, the Latin script has become the most commonly used in newspapers, schools, and the internet, while other scripts have remained markers of cultural heritage and historical study.

Osmanya Script

Osmanya (Somali script) was developed by Osman Yusuf Kenadid in the early twentieth century. It is an alphabetic script with unique characters for consonants and vowels, and is written from right to left, in contrast to Latin script. It enjoyed strong support in the sultanate of Hobyo and elsewhere, and was used on documents, business records, and poetry. Its characters also included representations of numerals.

Borama Script

Borama script, also known as Gadabuursi script, was created in the city of Borama in the mid-twentieth century. It is associated with Sheikh Abdirrahman Sheikh Noor. It was designed to accurately represent Somali sounds, but its use remained limited to a small circle of scholars and their associates and did not spread widely. The term 'Somali script' is sometimes used to refer to Osmanya, and sometimes to Borama script, creating confusion between the names.

Kaddare and Other Attempts

Kaddare script was developed in the 1950s and is associated with Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare. It shares some characters with Osmanya but is a distinct system. There were also other attempts, some of which were not widely documented.

Arabic Script (Wadaadi)

The writing of Somali in Arabic script is known as wadaadi script or the script of scholars. It was used by Islamic clergy and teachers to write poetry, Qur'anic commentary, and documents. Because Arabic script lacks characters for certain Somali sounds, writing practices varied from scribe to scribe; later efforts attempted to standardize the system, such as the system developed by Sheikh Muhammad Abdi Makahiil.

Selection of Official Script

Between independence in 1960 and 1972, the debate over which script to adopt was both political and technical. Arabic script advocates cited existing religious and educational connections; Osmanya advocates argued for Somali heritage; Latin script advocates pointed to ease of printing, technology, and international education. The 1972 decision chose Latin, and a standardized system was created using doubled vowels to mark long vowels (such as 'aa', 'oo') and special characters for Somali-specific sounds like 'x', 'c', 'q', and 'dh'.