MICROSOFT AMHARIC LANGUAGE PACK: AN EVALUATION OF WINDOWS INTEGRATED KEYBOARD AND USER EXPERIENCE
Publication Date : 29/03/2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63469/jaal1414
Author(s) :
Girma A. Demeke.
Volume/Issue :
Volume 14
,
Issue 1
(03 - 2025)
Abstract :
This paper focused on Microsoft language interface pack for Amharic. It
has examined Windows integrated keyboard and collation for Amharic.
It involved a thorough analysis of Amharic characters and punctuation
marks, culminating in the suggestion of a standardized solution. The
paper has identified various challenges encountered when using the
Windows integrated keyboard, particularly with the utilization of
repeated and sequence of keys to encode a single character and the
unreliability of the current sorting order, which often fails to adhere to
its own guidelines. Furthermore, the analysis has delved into
shortcomings within the Microsoft-prepared Style Guide for Amharic,
including instances of misinformation, typos, and grammatical errors.
Based on these findings, the paper has suggested ways to revise the style
guide and the keyboard assignment.
Keywords: Microsoft Language Pack, Amharic Characters, Windows 10,
Windows 11, Amharic Keyboard, Sorting Order
No. of Downloads :
0
A BOOK REVIEW ON “MY MEMORIES”
Publication Date : 02/03/2025
Author(s) :
Daniel Kassahun Waktola.
Volume/Issue :
Volume 14
,
Issue 1
(03 - 2025)
Abstract :
ዓለምአንተ ገብረሥላሴ የልጅነትና የዩኒቨርሲቲ ትውስታውን፣ የመሬት ይዞታ ጥናትና እና
የመሬት ላራሹ አዋጅ ተሳትፎውን፣ በትግራይና በበጌምድር የነበረውን የትጥቅ ትግሉን፣
በሱዳን እና በፈረንሳይ ያሳለፈውን የስደት ዘመኑን፣ በአሜሪካ የኖረበትን አካዳሚያዊና
ፖለቲካዊ ሕይወቱን፣ ወዘተ በ“ትውስታዎቼ” መጽሐፉ አካቷል። ሆኖም በጥልቀትና
በስፋት የተዳሰሰው ጉዳይ የመሬት ይዞታ ጥናትና እና የመሬት ላራሹ አዋጅ ተሳትፎውን
በመሆኑ የዚህ የመጽሐፍ ዳሰሳ በመሬት ጉዳዮች ላይ ያተኩራል።
የዓለምአንተ ትውስታዎቼ ከተለመዱ ግለ ታሪኮች ለየት ይላል። በሥር ነቀሉ የገጠር
መሬት አዋጅ መረቀቅና መተግበር ላይ የነበረውን የግል እና የቡድን ተሳትፎውን ተመርኩዞ፤
በአዋጁ ዙሪያ ሲቀርቡ ከቆዩ የተሳሳቱ ትችቶችና ትርክቶች መክቷል። አከራካሪ ሆነው የቆዩ
ጉዳዮችን ደግሞ በጊዜ ሂደት ነጥረው በወጡ ፖለቲካዊ እና የኢኮኖሚያዊ ዕይታዎች አንፃር
ቃኝቶ ለአንባቢ አቅርቧል። ስለሆነም መጽሐፉ እንደሚከተለው ጠለቅ እና ሰፋ ያለ ዳሰሳን
ጋብዟል።
No. of Downloads :
0
INTEGRATION BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AND CONVENTIONAL MEDICINES IN ETHIOPIA: UNRESOLVED HISTORICAL CONUNDRUM
Publication Date : 02/03/2025
Author(s) :
Assefa Balcha .
Volume/Issue :
Volume 14
,
Issue 1
(03 - 2025)
Abstract :
Since the late 1970s the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the integration
of traditional medicine’ practitioners into primary health care systems in Africa and elsewhere.
Numerous studies have examined the integration efforts that followed this recommendation,
and by the 1980s, it had become evident that integration faced significant challenges. Besides
using oral data gathered from more than twenty indigenous medical practitioners over an
extended period and a limited amount of secondary source materials, this historically-informed
and analytical study looks at the pluralistic Ethiopia’s medical landscape staring from the
early 20th century, when Menilik II made a modest attempt to utilize indigenous therapeutics
alongside modern western medical services, to the 1990s, focusing in particular on the efforts
made and the major challenges that obstructed cooperation and/or collaboration, let alone
integration, between indigenous and western allopathic medicines. Despite the absence of
archival materials in the dossiers of government offices and the existence of a handful of
workshop proceedings and ethnological/ anthropological studies on the alleged importance of
integration, no historical study has been conducted to look into the underlying reasons why the
insurmountable challenges facing integration was not given due consideration in the
social/medical history of Ethiopia. This historical research work tries to answer why
integration attempts had been sidelined or totally abandoned. Finally, some important remarks
are proposed on how to approach and tackle this vital, largely neglected and hitherto unsettled
historical question.
No. of Downloads :
2
INTEGRATING INDIGENOUS AND SCIENTIFIC METHODS OF WEATHER PRACTICES IN ETHIOPIA
Publication Date : 02/03/2025
Author(s) :
Daniel Kassahun Waktola.
Volume/Issue :
Volume 14
,
Issue 1
(03 - 2025)
Abstract :
Ethiopia’s rain-fed agriculture system is highly vulnerable to climate variability.
Weather forecasting, derived from both indigenous and modern sources, plays a critical
role for Ethiopian farmers, with each method having its own strengths and limitations.
This study bridges the gap between indigenous knowledge and scientific methodologies
by focusing on rain prediction and rainmaking practices in Ethiopia. By examining
ecological indicators, ethnobotanical knowledge, and the role of smoke in cloud
formation from a meteorological lens, the study identifies potential synergies between
indigenous and modern meteorological techniques. The research highlights the
significance of indigenous knowledge in sharpening the coarse resolution of satellite
based data and suggests strategies for integrating these practices into modern
meteorological systems. These strategies include detailed surveys of flora and fauna,
controlled experiments, and incorporation of ethno-meteorology into the educational
curriculum and operations of the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute. This study
enhances the development of effective, sustainable weather forecasting and climate
adaptation strategies, fostering dialogue between indigenous and scientific knowledge in
Ethiopia.
No. of Downloads :
9
BRIDGING GENERATIONS: SOME POINTS ON THE CAREER OF ŠÄYKH LÄGAS ADÄM AS INDIGENOUS MEDICAL EXPERT IN GONDAR CITY
Publication Date : 02/03/2025
Author(s) :
Ebrahim Damtäw1 and Omär Endris.
Volume/Issue :
Volume 14
,
Issue 1
(03 - 2025)
Abstract :
With few exceptions the study of social history has largely been overlooked in both
Africa and Ethiopia. Based on primary and secondary sources, this article has
attempted to provide insights on certain aspects of the career of Šäykh Lägas Adäm,
a prolific Islamic scholar, wali, herbalist and court figure. In doing so, the paper
specifically examined the role he played in society as an herbalist and how community
of Gondar responded to his career. In addition to healthcare, this study has examined
his social role in the community as a role model for promoting unity, humility, charity,
and friendship across religious and ethnic boundaries. This study aimed to illuminate
and address gaps in the social and cultural history of Gondar City and its surrounding
area. The research highlights Šäykh Lägas Adäm's exemplary career in fostering
coexistence and cooperation across community boundaries. The researchers hope that
the study of this iconic figure will benefit future generations by providing insights into
the lived experiences of esteemed scholars and traditional healers like Šäykh Lägas
Adäm.
Key words: Šäykh Lägas, Wali, Herbalist, coexistence, Christians, Muslims,
Ethiopia,Gondar
No. of Downloads :
3
LOCATION ENCODING ROLE OF SPATIAL PRONOUNS AND NOUNS IN SIDAAMA
Publication Date : 16/11/2024
Author(s) :
Anbessa Teferra.
Volume/Issue :
Volume 13
,
Issue 2
(11 - 2024)
Abstract :
This paper deals with the location encoding function of spatial pronouns and nouns
in Sidaama, a Highland East Cushitic (henceforth HEC) language spoken in
south-central Ethiopia. Spatial relations in Sidaama are encoded by spatial
pronouns and spatial nouns, among other grammatical elements. Spatial pronouns
are subdivided into free and bound forms. Both free and bound spatial pronouns
have four-way gradations of distance (proximal, medial, mesiodistal, and distal) and
do not exhibit gender and number distinctions. However, bound spatial pronouns
(unlike their free counterpart) are inflected for case. Bound spatial pronouns can
mark movement, location, and direction by encliticizing various formatives. In
addition, they can also function as sentential connectors. Although spatial pronouns
are categorically nominals, functionally, they are adverbs.
The other grammatical device Sidaama employs to mark spatial relations (in
particular projective spatial relations) is through spatial (locative) nouns that denote
the Figure's location in relation to a Ground. The sources of many spatial nouns are
body parts such as ʔalba ʻfaceʼ, ʔumo ʻheadʼ, baɗɗe ʻbackʼ, etc. whereby a source
meaning is extended to a locative use. A body part functions as a locative only after
it is grammaticalized by the suffixation of -ra ʻLOCʼ or -nni ʻABL/INSTR and the directional marker -iidi. Although spatial nouns function as locatives,
categorically, they are nominals. For instance, similarly to nominals, they are
marked for case. However, spatial nouns cannot be pluralized like regular nouns.
Spatial nouns can express location, goal, or source of action by suffixing the locatives
-nni or -ra.
No. of Downloads :
3
