The Gadabuursi alphabet, also known as the Borama alphabet (Borama: ), is an alphabetic script for the Somali language. It was devised around 1933 by Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nuur of the Gadabuursi clan.
History
Though not as widely known as Osmanya, the other major orthography for transcribing Somali, Borama has produced a notable body of literature mainly consisting of qasidas.
The Borama or Gadabuursi alphabet was devised in 1933 by Sheikh Abdurahman Sheikh Nuur, a Qur'anic teacher and son of Borama's qadi (judge), who devised the new orthography for transcribing the Afro-Asiatic Cushitic Somali language. A quite accurate phonetic writing system, it was principally used by Sheikh Nuur, his circle of associates in the city and some of the merchants in control of trade in Zeila and Borama. Students of Sheikh Nuur were also trained in the use of this alphabet.
See also
Kaddare
Osmanya
Somali orthography
References
External links
'Borama/Gadabuursi alphabet' in Somali, at Omniglot
Somali reconstruction and Local Initiative: Amoud University. Published in World Development (2001). The Gadabuursi Somali Script - qasidas in Gadabuursi/Borama The report of the Somali Language Committee