Russian linguist teaching in classic Somali

[Wadaad]

I can confidently say this professor is more fluent and proficient in Somali than even myself. He has practically no accent either, speakiing in standard North Somali dialect:



You will never see North American linguists proficient in obscure languages at this level. He could be a university professor of Somali literature, that is how advanced he is. Late USSR had the best linguistics programs.

[Dylan]

If what you say is true and not hyperbole than that's amazing. Not that this is more important than vocabulary or grammar etc. but i never understand how people can physically replicate certain accents who are not native to them.

[Iloko]

Wow amazing!

There are like ZERO North American linguists who can be considered exceptional in my language, as far as I'm aware of that is.

[Óttar]

How closely related to Arabic is it? I hear similarities (wa, an... etc.) I know it is Cushitic ergo what early 20th century scholars would have called Hamitic.

[Wadaad]

If what you say is true and not hyperbole than that's amazing. Not that this is more important than vocabulary or grammar etc. but i never understand how people can physically replicate certain accents who are not native to them.

If you read the comments, you'll see alot of Somalis confirming what I wrote.

His proficiency levels would be equivalent to someone instructing an English lit. class on a Shakespearean play.

[Wadaad]

How closely related to Arabic is it? I hear similarities (wa, an... etc.) I know it is Cushitic ergo what early 20th century scholars would have called Hamitic.

I made a relevant thread that answers your question thoroughly: http://www.theapricity.com/forum/sho...tic-languages)

I would reckon that common nouns for animals and anatomical features is what Somali (East cushitic) is most similar to Arabic (C. Semitic)

For eg...eyes in Somali is "Indho" vs "'Ayn" in Arabic
mouth is "Af" vs "Fam"
nose is "San" vs "Anf"



Somali is way closer to Ancient Egyptian however

Somali vs Ancient Egyptian
Sun (Ra) vs Ra
Gift (Hibo) vs Hepu
Lion (Aar) vs Ar
I/me (Aniga) vs (Ankh)
Soul (ka) vs Ka
Shoe (kab) vs Kb
Stork (huur) vs Heru
Lord (Neder) vs Neter
Spit (Tuf) vs Tuf
River (Webi) vs Habi (the Nile)

etc

[Dylan]

Wow amazing!

There are like ZERO North American linguists who can be considered exceptional in my language, as far as I'm aware of that is.

There definitely are, they just weren't educated in the language in the United States, they likely studied the beginner parts here and then went abroad etc. One of my professors speaks ten or eleven languages proficiently, and 7 languages well enough to be deemed fluent. These languages are mostly Asian languages too. Some of the hardest ones. The US military also used to be really good at teaching languages back in the 70s etc. but i think they've fallen behind since.
Also, they tend to be experts at more relevant languages, one's with lots of materials and speakers to practice with. Learning obscure languages like Somali are incredibly difficult in terms of this.

[Wadaad]

There definitely are, they just weren't educated in the language in the United States, they likely studied the beginner parts here and then went abroad etc. One of my professors speaks ten or eleven languages proficiently, and 7 languages well enough to be deemed fluent. These languages are mostly Asian languages too. Some of the hardest ones. The US military also used to be really good at teaching languages back in the 70s etc. but i think they've fallen behind since.

They did...after the cold war fizzled it basically had alot of universities close down their "Russian Studies" departments...and right around 9/11 there was a paucity of proficient Arabic, Farsi, Pashtun, Turkish, etc speakers to work for intel agencies and the Military.

[Dylan]

They did...after the cold war fizzled it basically had alot of universities close down their "Russian Studies" departments...and right around 9/11 there was a paucity of proficient Arabic, Farsi, Pashtun, Turkish, etc speakers to work for intel agencies and the Military.

luckily for me, Russian is making a comeback

[Wadaad]

luckily for me, Russian is making a comeback

Why...Do you intend to learn Russian?