Despite advances in modern communication and the proliferation of information, there remain areas of the world about which little is known. One such place is Somalia. The informed public is aware of a political meltdown and consequent chaos there, but few comprehend the causes of this tragic crisis. This new edition covers Somalia's origin, history, culture, and language, as well as current economic and political issues. The alphabetical arrangement of this Dictionary, with a complete chronology, list of acronyms, and in-depth bibliography provide useful information about the country in a convenient format. A vital addition to reference collections supporting undergraduate and graduate programs on Africa and the Middle East, international relations, and economics- a useful fact-filled compendium for government and public libraries, NGO's, and other special libraries

Ethiopia is one of the world's oldest countries; its Rift Valley may be the location where the ancestors of humankind originated more than four million years ago. With a population of 67 million people today, it is the third most populous country on the African continent after Nigeria and Egypt. It is the source of 86 percent of the water reaching the Aswan Dam in Egypt, most of it carried by the amazing Blue Nile. Ethiopia offers major historical sites such as the pre-Christian palace at Yeha, the stele and tombs of the old Kingdom of Axum, and the rock-carved churches of Lalibela. For anyone interested in Ethiopia, this historical dictionary, through its individual and carefully cross-referenced entries, captures the importance and intrigue of this truly significant African nation. Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia appeals to all levels of readers, providing entries for each of Ethiopia's 85 ethnic groups and covering a broad range of cultural, political, and economic topics. Readers interested in the cultural aspects or who are planning to visit Ethiopia will find a wealth of entries on art, literature, handicrafts, music, dance, bird life, geography, and historic tourist sites. Practitioners in government and non-governmental organizations will find entries on pressing economic, social, and political issues such as HIV/AIDS, female circumcision , debt, human rights, and the environment. The important historical role of missionaries and the combination of conflict and cooperation between Christians and Muslims in the region are also issues reviewed. And, finally, many of the entries highlight relations between Ethiopia and her neighbors-Eritrea, Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Kenya, and Sudan. In the bibliography, considerable emphasis has been placed on including both new and old materials covering all facets of Ethiopia, organized for easy identification by areas of major interest.

A dictionary of Somali verbs in everyday contexts The Somali-English dictionary of verbs is the first of its kind for learners of Somali as a second language. It contains more than 500 verbs used in Somali sentences with English translations. The dictionary has been compiled in learner-friendly format to help the student: identify the conjugation group of a given verb learn specific tense usages learn how different prepositions affect the meaning of the verb in a sentence learn relevant verbal nouns enhance self-study through use of conjugation tables learn variant spellings of verbs learn Arabic loan verbs in Somali learn verbs that mean the same but belong to different conjugation groups make use of the English-Somali index learn how to make use of deictic words sii and soo

Somali people speak quite a number of languages and dialects, Maay and Mahaa being the lingua franca of the majority. In 1972, the latter was put in a written format and became the national language of the country. This experiment alienated the other Somali languages and produced tremendous disenchantment, particularly on the part of the Maay speakers. In 2003, however, the Somali Peace and Reconciliation Conference at Mbegathi, Kenya, acknowledged that Maay will be another official language of the Somali Republic. This English-Maay Dictionary is the first experiment exploring the roots of Maay language and its relationship to the other Somali dialects as well the Kushitic family of languages in the Horn of Africa. The dictionary provides over 15,000 of the most frequently used words in Maay and their English translations, with numerous examples of their every day usage. The dictionary is a vital addition to reference collections supporting undergraduate and graduate programs on African and Middle Eastern Studies. It is also an essential tool for non-Somali case workers such as those in refugee camps, immigration and naturalization officials or lawyers dealing with Somali asylum seekers. It is equally a vital tool for interpreters and translators working on court cases, hospitals and legal papers as well as for public school teachers on ESL programs that teach Maay- speaking children in English- speaking countries.

Rapid change both worldwide and in Ethiopia necessitated this revised edition. Contains considerable material on Eritrea as well as Ethiopia.

The most broadly accepted explanation of Sufism is the etymological derivation of the term from the Arabic for “wool,” ṣūf, associating practitioners with a preference for poor, rough clothing. This explanation clearly identifies Sufism with ascetical practice and the importance of manifesting spiritual poverty through material poverty. In fact, some of the earliest “Western” descriptions of individuals now widely associated with the larger phenomenon of Sufism identified them with the Arabic term faqīr, mendicant, or its most common Persian equivalent, darwīsh. Sufism, as presented here embraces a host of features including the ritual, institutional, psychological, hermeneutical, artistic, literary, ethical, and epistemological. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Sufism contains a chronology, an introduction, a glossary, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1,000 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, major historical figures and movements, practices, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Sufism.