Ajami (Arabic: عجمي, ʿajamī) or Ajamiyya (Arabic: عجمية, ʿajamiyyah), which comes from the Arabic root for 'foreign' or 'stranger', is an Arabic-derived script used for writing African languages, particularly those of Mandé, Hausa and Swahili, although many other African languages are written using the script, including Yoruba, Mooré, and Pulaar. It is considered an Arabic-derived African writing system. Since many African languages include phonetic sounds and systems not found in the standard Arabic language, an adapted Arabic script is used to transcribe those sounds not normally found in Arabic. Similar modified Arabic scripts exist in Iran, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
The West African Hausa is an example of a language written using Ajami, especially during the pre-colonial period when Qur'anic schools taught Muslim children Arabic and, by extension, Ajami. Following Western colonization, a Latin orthography for Hausa was adopted and the Ajami script declined in popularity. Ajami remains in widespread use among Islamic circles, but exists in digraphia among the broader populace—Ajami is used ceremonially and for specific purposes, such as for local herbal preparations in the Jula language.[1]
There is no standard system of using Ajami, and different writers may use letters with different values. Short vowels are written regularly with the help of vowel marks (which are seldom used in Arabic texts other than the Quran). Many medieval Hausa manuscripts, similar to the Timbuktu Manuscripts written in the Ajami script, have been discovered recently and some of them describe constellations and calendars.[2]
In the following table, some vowels are shown with the Arabic letter for t as an example.
^Donaldson, Coleman (1 October 2013). "Jula Ajami in Burkina Faso: A Grassroots Literacy in the Former Kong Empire". Working Papers in Educational Linguistics (WPEL). 28 (2): 19–36. ISSN 1548-3134.
^. Archived from the original on 2014-11-30. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
Literature
Bonate, Liazzat JK. "The use of the Arabic script in northern Mozambique." Tydskrif vir letterkunde 45, no. 1 (2008): 133–142.
Dobronravine, Nikolai, and John E. Philips. "Hausa ajami literature and script: Colonial innovations and post-colonial myths in northern Nigeria." Sudanic Africa 15 (2004): 85–110.
Hegyi, O. (1979). "Minority and restricted uses of the Arabic alphabet: the aljamiado phenomenon". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 99 (2): 262–269. doi:10.2307/602662. ISSN 0003-0279. JSTOR 602662. S2CID 163610376. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
Lüpke, Friederike. "Language planning in West Africa-who writes the script?." Language documentation and description 2 (2004): 90–107.
Mumin, Meikal. "The Arabic Script in Africa: Understudied Literacy." In The Arabic Script in Africa, pp. 41–76. Brill, 2014.
Naim, Mohammed C. "Arabic Orthography and Some Non-Semitic Languages." Islam and its Cultural Divergence. Ed. Girdhari L. Tikku. University of Illinois Press: Chicago (1971).
Ngom, Fallou. "Ajami scripts in the Senegalese speech community." Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 10 (2010): 1–23.
Robinson, David. "Fulfulde literature in Arabic script." History in Africa 9 (1982): 251–261.
External links
"Notes on sub-Saharan languages written in Arabic script". A-label: African Languages Between the Lines. a research blog associated with the Ajami Lab at the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures at the Universität Hamburg, a research blog associated with the Ajami Lab at the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures at the Universität Hamburg
PanAfrican L10n page on Arabic script and "Ajami"
Omniglot page on Hausa Ajami Script
2022 article on Ajami script
January 10, 2023
ajami, script, ajami, arabic, عجمي, ʿajamī, ajamiyya, arabic, عجمية, ʿajamiyyah, which, comes, from, arabic, root, foreign, stranger, arabic, derived, script, used, writing, african, languages, particularly, those, mandé, hausa, swahili, although, many, other,. Ajami Arabic عجمي ʿajami or Ajamiyya Arabic عجمية ʿajamiyyah which comes from the Arabic root for foreign or stranger is an Arabic derived script used for writing African languages particularly those of Mande Hausa and Swahili although many other African languages are written using the script including Yoruba Moore and Pulaar It is considered an Arabic derived African writing system Since many African languages include phonetic sounds and systems not found in the standard Arabic language an adapted Arabic script is used to transcribe those sounds not normally found in Arabic Similar modified Arabic scripts exist in Iran South Asia and Southeast Asia The West African Hausa is an example of a language written using Ajami especially during the pre colonial period when Qur anic schools taught Muslim children Arabic and by extension Ajami Following Western colonization a Latin orthography for Hausa was adopted and the Ajami script declined in popularity Ajami remains in widespread use among Islamic circles but exists in digraphia among the broader populace Ajami is used ceremonially and for specific purposes such as for local herbal preparations in the Jula language 1 Contents 1 Hausa Ajami script 2 See also 3 References 4 Literature 5 External linksHausa Ajami script EditThere is no standard system of using Ajami and different writers may use letters with different values Short vowels are written regularly with the help of vowel marks which are seldom used in Arabic texts other than the Quran Many medieval Hausa manuscripts similar to the Timbuktu Manuscripts written in the Ajami script have been discovered recently and some of them describe constellations and calendars 2 In the following table some vowels are shown with the Arabic letter for t as an example Latin IPA Arabic ajamia a ـ a aː ـ ا b b ب ɓ ɓ ب same as b ٻ not used in Arabic c tʃ ث d d د ɗ ɗ د same as d ط also used for ts e e ت not used in Arabic e eː ت not used in Arabic f ɸ ف g ɡ غ h h ه i i ـ i iː ـ ى j d ʒ ج k k ك ƙ kʼ ك same as k ق l l ل m m م n n ن o o ـ same as u o oː ـ و same as u r r ɽ ر s s س sh ʃ ش t t ت ts t sʼ ط also used for ɗ ڟ not used in Arabic u u ـ same as o u uː ـ و same as o w w و y j ی z z ز ذ ʼ ʔ ع See also EditWolofal script Aljamiado Jawi script Perso Arabic script Timbuktu Manuscripts ArwiReferences Edit Donaldson Coleman 1 October 2013 Jula Ajami in Burkina Faso A Grassroots Literacy in the Former Kong Empire Working Papers in Educational Linguistics WPEL 28 2 19 36 ISSN 1548 3134 Saudi Aramco World From Africa in Ajami Archived from the original on 2014 11 30 Retrieved 2011 10 16 Literature EditBonate Liazzat JK The use of the Arabic script in northern Mozambique Tydskrif vir letterkunde 45 no 1 2008 133 142 Dobronravine Nikolai and John E Philips Hausa ajami literature and script Colonial innovations and post colonial myths in northern Nigeria Sudanic Africa 15 2004 85 110 Hegyi O 1979 Minority and restricted uses of the Arabic alphabet the aljamiado phenomenon Journal of the American Oriental Society 99 2 262 269 doi 10 2307 602662 ISSN 0003 0279 JSTOR 602662 S2CID 163610376 Retrieved 23 December 2021 Lupke Friederike Language planning in West Africa who writes the script Language documentation and description 2 2004 90 107 Mumin Meikal The Arabic Script in Africa Understudied Literacy In The Arabic Script in Africa pp 41 76 Brill 2014 Naim Mohammed C Arabic Orthography and Some Non Semitic Languages Islam and its Cultural Divergence Ed Girdhari L Tikku University of Illinois Press Chicago 1971 Ngom Fallou Ajami scripts in the Senegalese speech community Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 10 2010 1 23 Robinson David Fulfulde literature in Arabic script History in Africa 9 1982 251 261 External links Edit Notes on sub Saharan languages written in Arabic script A label African Languages Between the Lines a research blog associated with the Ajami Lab at the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures at the Universitat Hamburg a research blog associated with the Ajami Lab at the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures at the Universitat Hamburg PanAfrican L10n page on Arabic script and Ajami Omniglot page on Hausa Ajami Script 2022 article on Ajami script Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ajami script amp oldid 1131925497, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
