Somali is the official language of Somalia and is also spoken in Djibouti, eastern Ethiopia, and northeastern Kenya. It is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Somali is very important for national identity and communication among the Somali people. It became a written language using the Latin script in 1972, which helped in education, media, and government. Somali is known for its rich oral tradition, especially poetry, which plays a big role in Somali culture.
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WHERE TO START
Department:
The University of Minnesota offers Somali courses to UW-Madison students through the Big Ten Academic Alliance CourseShare program, in partnership with the Department of African Cultural Studies.
Advisor:
Andrew Bartsch, apbartsch@wisc.edu
Intro Class:
African 391. Contact the advisor listed above for information on how to enroll.
If you have background in Somali, either through formal study, informal study, or as a heritage learner, contact the advisor listed above for placement information.
MAJOR
CERTIFICATE
LANGUAGE TABLE
Contact Adeola Agoke, adeola.agoke@wisc.edu, for details.
Iska warran [Iss-ka wa-ran]: "How are you?" or "What's up?"