Dear Fathers and Brothers in Christ and in Irob inti Asosi,
Greetings form the bottom of my heart.
Here is the summary report of the confernce on the 28th of March. I am sorry that I am sending you common report. This days I hope to send you personal letter. Just I do not want to delay the report.
May God Bless us.
Your Brothe abba Abraham Hailu
The Report of the Third Irob-Language Forum Held
on 28th March 2009
The participants were 10. Some personally participated on the Telephonic Conference others have sent their answers and proposals by e-mail.
The participants were:
1. Abba Sibhat Hadgu from Rome,
2. Mr. Weldemariam Tesfay from Sweden
3. Abba Abraham from South Africa
4. Abba Ayob Khasay from Rom
5. Abba Tesfafamariam from USA
6. Mr. Hulluf Weldeslasie from Kenya
7. Br. Yohannis Hagos from Kenia
8. Abba Tium Debasay from Rome
9. Mr. Daniel Aduma from Canada.
10.Mr. Alema Tesfay from USA
Many are working on the questioner and hope to send before the next Conference with will be about the 25th of this month. We will include them in the list when they send us their results.
Here are the summary of the proposals sent by the participants and by those who attended the Telephonic Conference:
AD1. We agreed that in Summer 2010 we hold the referendum on the name of the Language: So we have to start looking for speakers from those who say our language is Irob and those who say it is Saho and those who say Irob-Saho. Of course the day steel to be confirmed.
1. We proposed to write the two books that of Grammar and Dictionary using the name ‘Irob-Saho’ for our language until the referendum on the name of the language takes place in 2010 in Irob land itself.
2. About the use of TS Tselot, we said that it is good to keep in Irob - Saho instead of completely being lost from the whole Ethioia. That is to say to use it as it is decided in the conference of Dawhan 2000 EC. In other words TS Tselot will be for D Dawhan and not for D Daya or Desta. D Desta is the normal D.
3. Proposals for the Grammatical Questions:
AG2
a. language: Wani, Quanqua, Af, Daw,
b. Vowels: Dimtsmalolit, maidamatsit, mainababit, maisabbit, dawiseenit
c. Consonants: dimtselit, mamnabbabit, daweenit
d. Nouns: Miga’a M’igo
e. Pronouns: Miga’a Iddit,
f. Verbs: Madduit
G. Adverbs: madduihatenit
H. Tenses: Gize
I. Articles: Hugga (Definit articles ‘the’) / Geda (indefinite article- ‘a’)
J. Adjectives: Aggane
k. Prepositions: taal (dilaletaal)/ maiballait
L. Comparatives: heklako hekeli win ya/ yaise,
- Superlative hekeli aumanimko win ya, aumanimko yaise…..
M. imperative: Izze, (tiizaz)
N. Conjugations: maidabadit, maimangit, masgallit
AD2.
1. Time: gize, wade, wakte, gul,
2. or: akkeke, weilele, weim,
3. but: makiy ki, yakoi ikkah, amah-ayih, amah abitah,
4. Example: ubula, kuluhea, nablegul, tegloita,
5. opposite: anqara, tabsol, Aada, maratsanal,
6. Synonyms: taimegegem, titah iggidam,
7. age: iggida, tato, Idme,
8. Class: kifle, Are’, modlo,
We also picked the tenses
And we proposed (not yet the last result) As follows:
TENSES
Basoh /gul Past tense
Megul simple past
Baso-basogul past perfect
Kado present tense
Sara-gul future tense
- We proposed to Fr. Sibhat if that the Salizians can take two Gospels to translate from Tigrigna to Irob-Saho. The answer is not yet given.
We proposed to Weldemariam Tesfay who is in Sweden, to make the translation of car outside and inside anatomy in three languages: ُEnglish, Irob-Saho, Tigrigna. He kindly agreed to try.
Dear brothers I have no words to thank you. You have extremely worked hard and succeeded in many things.
With many thanks your brother Abba Abba Abraham
The Third Irob-Saho Language Study Forum 2008-9
28th of March 2009
South Africa
All Irobs and Friends throughout the world,
I send you these greetings from all my heart in the Lord who fasted 40 days. I hope and pray that in this Lenten period all of us are taking time for God who is our deepest need and all of us are trying to reach out to all those who are more in need than ourselves. During this especial time, I ask each and every one of you to pray for a healthy and an inclusive development of our beloved language. I am sure you well know how a nation or a tribe without a strong, well defined and defended language and culture heads to its ruins soon. And nobody wants to happen that to us. So we are trying to do something together very hard.
Dear friends, sisters and brothers, this is the third telephonic conference. For those who cannot take part in the conference, written questions will be sent to them by e-mail and they can respond within a month. Because our plan is to hold one conference or answer one set of questions open to everybody every month for 6 months. Then we plan again.
Thanks to so many of you Irobs who financially, morally and with their unreserved efforts and prayers supported; now our language is officially a written language. However, we all know that there are no much written books yet. Also we are trying hard to put Irob-Saho Language in the Curriculum of Tigray Region for the school year of 2009/2010. Precisely our dream is to start kindergarten totally in Iorb-Saho for the Irob Wereda and and to put the language as a subject in whole Tigray. We hope and pray to have a positive result soon. Our Language Committee with the regional government is working hard on the field.
I would like to introduce with great joy that our language study group with the strong leadership of Dori Asgedom Tesfay, who has been the chairman almost for last 10 moths have managed to have a legal status. Congratulations to all of us! Especial thanks and best wishes to our committee in Tigray. Of course thanks to all of us they are our sons and daughters and they are doing all these because they know that we will not let them down.
Dear brothers and sisters, I believe that many people are writing couple of books. We see that there is an urgent need of a continuos consultation with each other.
We all know the nature of the first books in any language should be conventional and the fruits of common endeavour. We have to write what people would consider theirs.
So I call upon every person who is writing anything about our language to make it an open issue. Any document or book we write must be the fruit of long and scientific studies and consultations.
As I have indicated in the previous conference, I am trying to write a short Dictionary and Grammar; but I am having couple of difficulties. I need your cooperation.
I would like to take this opportunity to all who have participated in previous conferences, those who have sent their answers through e-mail and all those who are helping through their finance and moral help. I have put some questions forward. You may send your answers and proposals directly to me by e-mail or send to each other in anyway you can. Also Fr. Tesfamariam Baraki is our active member of the language study abroad. So he is kindly helping us post most of our works on the website you all know: www.irrob.org. It is good to check there always.
We have arranged a conference for the 28th of this month that is - this coming Saturday at 6pm London time. There are quite a few responded that they are going to attend the meeting.
I really ask in the name of Irob people to join us. You are very important even if just listen and then you will find your way of helping us to write proper books for our beloved people - Irob Inti Asosi.
Please if you are writing a book or translating anything come with your questions. Join us and God will join with you.
Although, you are more than most welcome at the last minute, would you confirm that you will manage to be with us in order to welcome you and to tell the others that you are coming?
Here are some of my questions. I am sorry most of the questions are repeated because last time we did not do well because you were missing.
Dear Friends,
Remember, that when the questions are regarding Grammar they will be presented as QG, whereas questions concerning Dictionary they will be symbolized by QD. The answers could be sent as AG and AD consecutively.
Here are my first questions:
QG1. What would be the name of the Book?
May be:
Irob-Saho Grammar
Saho Grammar?
Irob Grammar
Or other Names
QD1. What would be the name of the Book?
May be:
Irob-Saho Dictionary?
Saho Dictionary?
Irob Dictonary?
Or other Names
(of course the Characters will be in Geez)
Here, remember the troubles we have: The name for our language is not yet decided. At the same time we cannot postpone writing books until then. If we choose wrong we may need to re-write the whole work. What shall we do?
QG2. How would you translate the following grammatical terminologies?
A. Language
B. Vowels
C. Consonants
D. Nouns
E. Pronouns
F. Verbs
G. Adverbs
H. Tenses (all the tenses)
I. Articles? Do we have them in our language?
J. Adjectives
K. Prepositions?
L. Comparatives and superlatives
M.Imperatives
N. Conjugations
QD2. How do you translate the following words and metaphors?
1. Time – Gizie
2. or- weim
3. but – gin
4. example or for example – niabinnet
5. opposite – tekerani
6. Synonyms – Temesasay
7. age – Idme
8. class – kifli
9. character – Tebay
10. things –neger
11. sentence – Arefteneger
12. computer
13. telephone
14. mobile
15. internet
16. website.
17. Tizaz (command)
18. for example
19.
QD3. In order to help our students to become acquainted with English and Tigrigna I am writing the dictionary in three languages: One Irob-Saho word is explained in Irob-Saho, in Tigrigna and in English. So how do you translate the following words?
1. Gindieo in English
2. Killiho in English and Tigrigna
3. Dunnuhta in English and Tigrigna
4. Uure in English
5. Kifindaalo in English and Tigrigna
6. Kondod in English and tigrigna
QG3. Although the technical committee has proposed D like in Dawhan and in Dedtia to use Ts Tselot; and it was accepted by majority; may be not it is not found on strong grounds. The first reason given was it is close to D itself the second reason was, it is now taken off from the alphabets in Ethiopia. Now in stead of having two Tses to have only one Tse and that is Tse Tsehay. What would you say about it? I am afraid if we publish books already on these bases it will be difficult to change. Please help us as soon us possible.
QG. 4. What can we do about the week Irob-Saho letters:
Y, w, a and ` which is the sign of long letters?
(remember I am talking always about Ethiopian Alphabets)
a. Laye or lae or la` / yede or yed` or yedye?
b. B`/ bye/ ba/
c. When a is preceded some strong letters it tends to disappear what shall we do. For example:
Ni Awur --- na`wur how should we writ?
Or na-wur or ni awur?
QD.4. what does it mean
a. Hindise.
b. Nago / Ado nago
February 25, 2009
Irob-Saho Language Study Forum 2008/2009
Second Meeting
Dear Brothers, Fathers, Sisters, Friends and ALL IROBS All Over the World
My warm greetings in the Lord Jesus, who became man and speaks our languages,
Allow me to enter to the heart of the matter directly.
By now it is more than two years since I joined the process of studying our Beloved Irob-Saho language. Since then it has passed two main phases: they can be summarised as follows.
Phase One:
It is the phase of general consultation, which started in summer 2006, to evaluate the feasibility and necessity of studying the language (Irob-Saho or Saho or Irob), towards making it a written one. This Period lasted until April 30,2008.
The result was that apart from a very few people questioned that if concentrating too much on our language could slow our compatibility with other Ethiopian tribe, most of the people have agreed that it was time we developed our language definitively. That is to say about 98% of whom we managed to consult agreed to make our language pass from the vernacular one to a written language.
Phase two:
This is the period of rigorous studies and process of legally passing the language from the vernacular to a written language by Irob people and by the Regional Government. This period started by a meeting with most of Irobs interested in Addis-Ababa on the 3rd of May 2008. The work still continues at the same time there were already three main events during this period.
The first:
There was a well organized mobilization of Irobs outside and inside the country to engage them for more concrete studies, awareness and common responsibility towards the development of the language.
Many Irobs abroad were contacted. We thank all those who worked hard with us. And we apologize to those whom we did not manage to contact. We are looking forward to receiving your electronic address and you are an important role player and by no means guests to the development of your mother language.
This phase includes direct scientific studies with the representatives of the Three Irob (Adgadi Are, Buknaiti Are and Hasaballa) linguists and some Mekele University professors.
The second,
Language conference in Dawhan on Pagumien the 1st and the 2nd 2000 E.C. an overwhelming majority of the participants in the conference have chosen Geez to be the preferred alphabet for Irob-Saho.
On the same conference it was officially decide that the name of our language to be decided by the people after an appropriate studies in the following years.
The third,
Irob Regional Government after the necessary study of the work and the desire of the people has officially announced Geez Alphabet to be the character of Irob-Saho on the 23rd of November 2008. For the details, please see at the articles concerning the language on Irrob.org
Phase Three:
This is the present phase. There are struggles to write as many books as possible on the language, a search for any written materials anywhere and somewhere about our language.
We are trying hard to put Irob-Saho Language in the Curriculum of Tigray Region for the school year of 2009/2010. We hope and pray to have a positive result soon. Our language committee with the regional government is working hard on the issue.
At the moment, I am sure many people are writing couple of books, we see that there is an urgent continues consultation.
Dear Friends as you know the nature of the first books in any language should be conventional and the fruits of common endeavour.
So I call upon every person who is writing anything about our language to make it an open issue. Any document or book we write must be the fruit of long and scientific studies and consultation .
With many thanks to all who have kindly has already assisted financially: I would like every body to thank them and pray for them with me.
So far they are Mr. Daniel Niguse with his family who contributed kindly with 2000 Birr (Two thousand Birr which we have already received. The language committee through their chairman Mr. Dori Asgedom Tesfay in Mekele has received the money. We also received from Irobs in Israel, 500 Dollars (Five hundred Dollars.) Again the committee in Tigray has the whole amount in hand) This brothers and sisters of us deserve many thanks and blessings. I hope to write their particular names when I get them. There is a group of Irobs, Fife from Europe and one from USA who sent us 650 Dollars (six hundred and fifty Dollars)
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Sender
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Amount
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Receiver
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place
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Purpose
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Daniel Niguse with his Family
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2,000 Birr
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Dori Asgedom Tesfay
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Mekele
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For Mek. university professors
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Irobs in Israel
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$500
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Dori Asgedom
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Mekele
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For Mek. university professors
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Tesfay Gebray
Germany
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$100
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Abba Abraham Hailu
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South Africa
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Langue study Campaign
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Girmay T. Gezahegn Sweden?
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$100
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Abba Abraham
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South. Africa
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Langue study Campaign
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Tesfamariam Kahsay Germany
Gerany
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$100
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Abba Abraham
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South Africa
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Langue study Campaign
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Beyene Gebray (Gura)
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$100
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Abba Abraham
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South Africa
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Langue study Campaign
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Haileslasie Yohannis
Norway
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$100
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Abba Abraham
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South Africa
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Langue study Campaign
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Girmay Tesfagiorgis
USA
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$100
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Abba Abraham
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South Africa
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Langue study Campaign
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Also there is a good amount of money, 600 Dollars from Australia (from Tesfay Nuguse (Aduma) 500 and 100 from Yitbarek Tsegay.) It is sent to Mekele and when it arrives we will let you know.
With many thanks to those brothers and sisters, the lovers of their culture and language, who really make us proud and work day and night thinking of their trust and encouragement through their sacrifices and generosity. Irob People will always remember them and pray for them. Because they remained faithful to their origins. I would like to take opportunity to thank all Irobs in Ethiopia who offered gave a lot both financially and with their untiring hard work sacrificing their time, their expertise and energies. I say to them/you that because of all what you have done our language has been transformed definitively. Congratulations and May God Bless You.
The rest of you, we know you did not ignore us but the situation and our communication to you did not allow so far. Very soon it will and we appreciate you in advance.
For your further information we are still in urgent need of 55,000 Birr: 25,000 for paying the debt of the last conference and studies and 30,000 for publishing second book of Ato Berhe Zigta who is our prominent member of the language committee.
And you know well money is not the only way that you can support us. Find your ways. Some of them are here:
The second urgent call is to write more books, to translate more books, to write more articles and help with your intellectual and administrative talent, all those who have already started.
As you now last year we could not decide what name our language would take. We realized that we needed serous studies before the referendum on this issue. We are thinking not the coming Summer but in the following (2002 EC) to hold a special conference; this time more organized and well prepared internationally and locally well in time.
Is there anybody who would like to start scientific and historical studies in preparation to that conference?
Also we need from each continent two representatives in our Language Central Committee. How can we organize the issue.
I am one of those who started writing small books of dictionary and Grammar; but I am having couple of difficulties. I need your cooperation. I will put some questions to you. You may send your answers and proposals directly to me by e-mail or send to each other in preparation free Telephonic conference.
There will be a conference on the phone on Saturday the 7th of March at 6PM GMT (London time). There was the first one in last December where 7 of us only took part in it. This time we expect at least 17.
There is a short description and a website at the end of the document to help you how to use the telephone. From Europe and from Americas and Australia should be free but check it before hand please.
In Addition to what I introduced above, some of the questions to discus or answer before and during the conference are here above:
Dear Fiends,
Remember, that when the questions are regarding Grammar they will be presented as QG, whereas questions concerning Dictionary they will be symbolized by QD. The answers could be sent as AG and AD consecutively.
Here are my first questions:
QG1. What would be the name of the Book?
May be:
Irob-Saho Grammar
Saho Grammar?
Irob Grammar
Or other Names
QD1. What would be the name of the Book?
May be:
Irob-Saho Dictionary?
Saho Dictionary?
Irob Dictonary?
Or other Names
(of course the Characters will be in Geez)
Here, remember the troubles we have: The name for our language is not yet decided. At the same time we cannot postpone writing books until then. If we choose wrong we may need to re-write the whole work. What shall we do?
QG2. How would you translate the following grammatical terminologies?
A. Laguage
B. Vowels
C. Consonants
D. Nouns
E. Pronouns
F. Verbs
G. Adverbs
H. Tenses (all the tenses)
I. Articles? Do we have them in our language?
J. Adjectives
K. Prepositions?
L. Comparatives and superlatives
M.Imperatives
N. Conjugations
QD2. How do you translate the following words and metaphors?
1. Time – Gizie
2. or- weim
3. but – gin
4. example or for example – niabinnet
5. opposite – tekerani
6. Synonyms – Temesasay
7. age – Idme
8. class – kifli
9. character – Tebay
10. things –neger
11. sentence – Arefteneger
12. computer
13. telephone
14. mobile
15. internet
16. website
17. turgum
18. kutsre
19.
QD3. In order to help our students to become acquainted with English and Tigrigna I am writing the dictionary in three languages: One Irob-Saho word is explained in Irob-Saho, in Tigrigna and in English. So how do you translate the following words?
1. Gindieo in English
2. Killiho in English and Tigrigna
3. Dunnuhta in English and Tigrigna
4. Uure in English
5. Kifindaalo in English and Tigrigna
6. Kondod in English and tigrigna
QG3. Although the technical committee has proposed D like in Dawhan and in D in Datia to use Ts Tselot; and it was accepted by majority; may be it is not found on strong grounds. The first reason given was it is close to D itself the second reason was, it is now taken off from the alphabets in Ethiopia. Now in stead of having two Tses to have only one Tse and that is Tse Tsehay. What would you say about it? I am afraid if we publish books already on these bases it will be difficult to change. Please help us as soon us possible.
QG4. How can we write in Irob-Saho – the name of a sheep? Idat migaa or Ida-mgaa?
QG 5. 2 sinfila (name of a cow) Inki Senai (name of a bull) went to the river.
Lamma Sinfilak Inki Senai layeh arkte/araken?
With many thanks for your patience with me and your unreserved desire and participation in the integral development of our peoples at home in Irob,
Your brother
Abba Abraham Hailu
Comoni Missnaries
South Africa
abrahamhailu292@hotmail.com
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December 4, 2008
GOOD NEWS FOR IROBS, GOOD NEWS FOR ETHIOPIA!
BESSERATA! BESSERATA!
Dear Irobs around the World,
Very warm greetings to you all from Pretoria, South-Africa.
As most of you have already been following the study of our Irob-Saho or Saho language, there is a very significant development to announce to all of you.
Before that, I want to brief you on the steps that have been taken up to now. After consultation with all of you, how to go about the study of our language, last May we got into the heart of the matter and started an intensive study in full swing.
We established various committees and groups all over the northern regions of Ethiopia starting in Addis Ababa. We made a considerable effort to contact and consult with Irobs abroad as well.
We are grateful to you all who have generously sent their moral and technical support. As concerns financial support we know many of you are working on it, but so far one person only has sent us 2000 Birr from Canada. By now the amount must have arrived Mekele. We send him loads of thanks!
After quite a rigorous scientific studies, we held a conference on the 4th and 5th of September 2008 with more than 200 participants representing the “Three Irobs.” The core agenda was as Irob-Saho or Saho language enters the threshold of becoming one of the written languages of Ethiopia, which Alphabet to use: Latin or Ge'ez? After two days of presentations by technical committee and long discussions, the issue was put to vote. The result was 95% of the participants have preferred Ge’ez Alphabet whereas 5% of the attendants were either abstained or preferred Latin to Ge’ez.
The genesis of Irob-Saho study and the decision of the people have been presented to the Regional Government for approval and authorization. At the end of the day the legitimate Government authority has the last word on the issues critical like language and cultures of the peoples.
Now the GOOD NEWS that I am announcing to you all is that on Sunday the 23rd of November 2008 at the centre of Irob, Dawhan Town, in the presence of the chairman of the Irob-Saho/ Saho Language Study Committee, Mr. Dori Asgedom Tesfay, the Irob Regional Government has officially accepted the desire of the people and decided with its legitimate authority that the official Alphabet of the Irob-Saho/Saho Language to be Ge’ez Alphabet. With this historic milestone, we understand our beloved language has definitely passed from being a vernacular to one of the written languages of our country - Ethiopia.
I would like to congratulate you and thank from the bottom of my heart each and every one of you who has worked tirelessly in many seen and unseen ways. Because of your efforts we have reached this historic moment. We all deserve great joy and to be proud of what we have achieved with abiding presence and support of God and “Aliteni Mariam!”
I would like to thank my Congregation – Comboni Missionaries -- who supported me with finance and freed me from other commitments when I needed most.
With great gratitude to you and to God Who Created and Speaks our Irob-Saho/ Saho,
Fr. Abraham Hailu, Comboni Missionary
On behalf of the Coordinative Committee
E-mail: abrahamhailu292@hotmail.com
Mobile No. 0027 789 136 39
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September 24, 2008
Report of Dawhan-Irob Conference 2008 (2000 E.C.) on Irob Language
(Source of photo of Dawhan in Erob/Irob (Tigray, Ethiopia): Google Map)
Dowhan, Ethiopia. Photograph by kmcone. Misplaced? | Inappropriate | Comment it. Upload your photos » ...
panoramio.com
To all fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters in Irob Wereda, Ethiopia, and to all our supporters everywhere:
Greetings and best wishes of Meskel from Pretoria, South Africa !
First of all, I would like to thank you for your unreserved moral and intellectual support. You have been with us for more than four months as we worked hard to prepare a general conference on Irob langauge, which was held successfully on the first and the second of Pagumien, 2008, in Dawhan, Irob Wereda.
The conference ended well indeed. There have been four months of concrete studies and mobilization of Irobs in Ethiopia as well as in some parts of the world outside the country.
As I have already sent to most of you, we have set different committees throughout the country starting from Awasa-Sidamo to Addis Ababa, Mekele, Adigrat, and Irob Wereda itself. We have been working under three main committees: coordinative, technical, and consultative committees.
We held a mini conference in each city and have asked the participants their opinion about which Alphabet to adopt and what name to use for the name of our language.
The results were as follows:
Irobs in Awasa:
- The majority preferred Ge'ez to Latin
- The majority Irob-Saho to the rest of the names (Irobigna, Saho,)
Irobs in Addis-Abeba:
- The majority preferred Ge'ez to Latin
- The majority preferred Irobigna to the rest of the names
Irobs in Mekele:
- The majority preferred Ge'ez to Latin
- The majority preferred Irobigna to Saho by a very small margin.
Irobs in Adigrat:
- The majority preferredd Ge'ez to Latin
- The majority preferred Irobigna to Saho by a very small margin.
Irobs in Dawhan town:
- The majority preferred Ge'ez to Latin
- The majority preferred Saho to the rest of the names
Irobs in Europe:
- The majority preferred Ge'ez to Latin
- The majority preferred Saho to the rest of the names.
Irobs in American Continent:
- The majority preferred Ge'ez to Latin
- The majority preferred Saho to the rest of the names.
As far as the Irobs living in Australia and Arab Countries are concerned, we are still trying hard to contact them but so far we failed. If you can communicate with them, please give them our e-mail. They are warmly invited to join us and can be happily part of us in the formation of our language at this critical time, because the full report is not yet written. Of course, the official report has been already submitted on the 5th of Pagumien 2008 (2000 E.C.) to the government of Irob Wereda Administration asking them in the name of all Irob people to accept the findings of the study and the decision of the people.
However, as concerning which name to give our language, we the members of three committees have agreed in Mekele on 24th of August 2008 to postpone the final decision until appropriate study is made on the subject.
The big and successful days of the conference, having been attended by more than 180 people, have been the first and the second of Pagumien. From Addis-Abeba, one representative, Mr. Hailesilasie Tesfay, a lawyer by profession, has attended on his own expenses. From Mekele about 25 persons have attended. From Adigrat about 20 persons have attended. From Dawhan and the surrounding about 40 people have attended. From the seven regions of Irob Woreda including Ara’, Wora’tle and Ida-Algeda about 50 persons have attended. Also more than 30 persons from Bahli Irob and Alitena Lideta Parish. Irob musicians, who have recorded a first Irob cassette on religious music called “Iyesus Kolih Yoh-Yaise!”, have participated with their bright musical presentations. Also about 25 of different committee members of the language have taken part.
The Irob language has been studied very seriously by the Technical Committee. Members of the committee are:
1. Professor V.J., a Ph.D. in Linguistics and professor at Mekele University.
2. Mr. Isayas Tagebe with MA degree in linguistics and a lecturer at the Mekele University.
3. Mr. Alema Gebray with BA in language
4. Mr. Adhanom Gebray with BA in language.
5. Mr. Rufael Shifare with BA in language.
6. Mr. Hagos Nigusie with BA in Journalism and a lecturer at the Mekele University.
7. Mr. Zigta Hadgu with BA in Geography but who has tried for a long time to develop Irob-Saho.
8. Mr. Wasie Sibhat who invented his own Alphabets for Irob-Saho (although it was not accepted for the moment by the committee because the study does not follow International Phonetics system and could not be found on the standard Key Board of the computers and type writers).
This committee has been followed by the Coordinative Committee and has been funded with about 30,000 Birr (but not yet fully paid).
When the findings of the Technical Committee presented by Mr. Isayas Tagebe in Dawhan during the conference presided by the Irob Wereda representative, Mr. Selomon T., the participants have accepted it with great enthusiasm. Since the alphabets were studied and prepared in both Ge'ez and Latin, they were put to a vote at the end of the second day. One-hundred-fifty-five of the attendants have voted for Ge'ez and four persons for Latin, whereas those who kept silent were five persons.
BishopTesfaselassie, who wrote a book on Irob, nine priests, and two religious sisters attended the conference on the second day, and they took part, of course, voting for Ge'ez.
I would like to give you a very brief report on the Alphabets:
First the committee have identified the letters found and not found in Irob–Saho:
1. There are 18 original consonants for the language:
ሀ , ለ , ሐ , መ , ሰ , ረ , በ , ተ , ነ , አ , ከ , ወ , ዐ , የ , ገ , ደ , ጸ , ፈ
NB. We have conventionally agreed for the moment ደ to be pronounced as ደ in ደስታ and ዳባን and ጸ to be pronounced as ደ in ዳውሃን and ዳውደና. (because ጸ is taken off the new alphabets in Ethiopia at the moment.) Anyway if we realize the last letter issue needs further modification the technical committee is ready to receive your comment and see into it soon.
2. There are 4 letters for the words borrowed from other languages.
ቀ , ዘ , ፀ , ጠ
3. There are 5 Vowels. They are not very much used but it is good to be known their existence. Because in this Irob-Saho letters, we use the same Geez vowel system. And when they are long we have invented one new letter: ~ .
So the Vowels are: አ , ኡ , ኢ , ኤ , ኦ
4. There are words raised in the language. They are identified or represented by the apostrophe sign: ` .
ዓረ` - ዲክ
ላ` - (ሳዓ`)
5. There are words doubled:
ዓረ - ዳዳለ
ዓረ (ዓርረ) ዓራሰን ዳጉድ
ዳ(ጻ)ገ - ጋባህ ጻገ
ዳገ - ዳግገ ሳዒ ኦርቢሰና
6. There are long words:
ዳ(ጻ)መ - ዩምሩረ
ዳ(ጻ)~መ - ዓዳጋኮ ባሀ
Financial Appeal
Dear friends, this is not all. The study continues. The three language committees along with the Irob Development Association, need your help in order to develop it further working hand-in-hand with the government. Many people have taken some particular commitments. For example, Mr. Berhe Zigta, who is a highly dedicated member of our Language Committee, has written already a wonderful book on Irob Culture and Language. However, the manuscript is not yet published by lack of funds, that is, short of 35,000 Birr. I have taken the commitment of writing an Irob-Saho grammar and, hopefully, a dictionary; Mr. Zigta Hadgu also has taken a similar commitment of writing a grammar, as well as many others have taken other commitments.
We are confident that you will help us financially for publishing them.
Therefore, dear friends, remember to help us as soon as possible!
As most of you sent us your electronic votes concerning the alphabets to be adopted for our laguage, I urge you to help us as well to publish the book to be published and to pay off the remaining debt we incurred from the last conference in Dawhan. The total cost was 64,000 Birr. I paid 31,000 Birr, I am still in debt of 33,000 Birr.
Dear friends, altogether we are appealing to you for 68,000 Birr(35,000 Birr for the publishing of the book and 33,000 Birr to settle the remaining debt of the conference).
I wonder whether you have received my previous appeal and request I had written to you regarding the shortage of money we had to cover the cost of the conference to be held in Dawhan. Unfortunately, up to this date (24 September 2008), there has been nobody who managed to send us a single penny. I guess when things are not specified, people do not help the one who tries to help others; neither is helped the one in need.
Although, I can really understand how the collapsing economy is hitting hard at your families both in the country you are living in and your extended families in Ethiopia, I have decided to ask you, with a great humility and fear, a specific amount from each one of you, especially all Irob brothers and sisters living abroad, as well as all other friends of good will, to help us with your contribution of $200 (two hundreds US Dollars): Such donations would be enough to pay off our debts from the conferenced and the publishing of the book I mentioned above.
If you cannot pay at one time, please consider of making a pledge and send me a half of your pledge ($100 US Dollars) as soon as you can before Christmas and another $100 before Easter any time. I really apologize for all these burdens, but it's so critical that you help!
Whenever you send your contributions via Comboni Missionaries, please make sure you say "For Fr. Abraham Hailu Weldu, a Comboni Missionary in Ethiopia (not in Sudan because they may think I am still in Sudan) for the project of Language Study".
Those who are in Europe, you may send through our Comboni Congregation address in London and in Italy whereas those of you who are in Canada and USA, may send through our Comboni Address in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
- London Address: C/o Fr. Robert Hicks. Comboni Missionaries. London Road, Sunningdale, BERKS SL5 0JY (England) Tel. 00441344621238.
- Italy Address: Comboni Missionaries P.O.Box. 10733, Via Luigi Lilio, 80. 00142 Roma (Italia)
- Tel. 00390651945270.
- USA (Cincinnati) address: Comboni Mission Centre. 1318 Nagel Road, CINCINNATI, OH 452553120 (USA). Tel. 005134744997.
- Or those who who would like to send strait to Ethiopia my Address is Comboni Missionaries. P. O. Box. 5581. Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). Tel. 00251 115515210.
- Or,to make things easy, you may send by the Western Union to Ethiopia or to South Africa- Pretoria (where I am going to stay until the 30th of March).
I want to remind you in most of the countries Comboni Missionaries are exempted from paying taxes. Anyway, dear friends, if you send any thing to any of those addresses, just send me a note on my e-mail and I will manage to trace from any country you send to.
I am sorry for bothering you with a lot of words. I hope you do not mind. I assure you that whatever contribution you may send to us it will be recorded in full details (unless you mention that you want to remain as anonymous donor and we keep it secret).
May God, who knows how you care for your people and your country, bless you by the Cross of his Son which will celebrated in few days in Ethiopia.
Yours in Christ our Saviour who speaks all tongues including the Irob-Saho, our golden mother language.
Abba Abraham Hailu, STB, MA
Comboni Missionary
South Africa (for 6 months only).
abrahamhailu292@hotmail.com
(Mobile No. 0027 789 136 39)
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