The Kaddare alphabet is an alphabetic script created to transcribe Somali, a Cushitic language in the Afroasiatic language family.

History

The orthography was invented in 1952 by a Sufi Sheikh, named Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare. A phonetically robust writing system, the technical commissions that appraised the Kaddare alphabet concurred that it was the most accurate indigenous script and orthography for transcribing the Somali language.

Form

Kaddare uses both upper and lower case letters, with the lower case represented in cursive. Many characters are transcribed without having to lift the pen. Several of Kaddare's letters are similar to those in the Osmanya alphabet, while others bear a resemblance to Brahmi. As there are no dedicated characters for long vowels, a vowel is made long by simply writing it twice.