Somali Diaspora

Since we're talking a lot about the Somali Diaspora in Minneapolis, here's a small but interesting quote from the very very interesting article "What Will Globalization Do to Languages? A Freakonomics Quorum"


"It’s obvious that globalization will tend to wipe out smaller languages and cultures — but if you search the web for “soomaaliya” or “gabay ka,” you’ll find more text from the world-wide Somali diaspora than was ever produced in the horn of Africa. It’s obvious that globalized communications and popular culture will tend to homogenize local language varieties — but some varieties of English seem to be diverging more rapidly than ever."

Interesting to consider that they seem to be speaking directly to an audience of other diaspora, rather than to Somalis still in Somalia. (at least this is my understanding.)