An interesting flyer appeared through our post box recently, titled "Spruce It Up!" and announcing a local event "Celebrating environmental achievements". Although the activities didn't interest me so much (plant potting, bird boxes, lantern making, ecological crafts, face-painting and badge making), the multiple languages did. The flyer contained text not only in Turkish ("TEMİZ GÖRÜNÜŞ", with no exclamation point) but also a mystery language ("Isku dubba rid!").

I was especially curious about this mystery language; not only was it unfamiliar (and had an awful lot of double letters, e.g. "U dabbaaldegga horumarinta bii'adda Ee mandaqadda NDC") but also I failed to think of any immigrant community that might speak this language (although we've only been living there two weeks). Although I had my own Rosetta Stone in the form of the English translations, it didn't get me very far;

Sabtida = Saturday
Waalidiinta/Daryeelayaasha = Parents/Carers
Cunto iyo cabbitaan lacag la;'aan ah = Free food and refreshments

I tried to put off the temptation to use Google but eventually I gave in.  The word "XUSUUSNOW" ("Note", I think) did the trick (do it yourself if you'd like the answer). And as it turns out, by remarkable coincidence, the same language provided the basis for an audio Language Quiz 2 over at the Language Log.

So now I know some more about the ethnic composition of our neighborhood (as it turns out, also fairly prevalent in our old neighborhood, although you don't see many _________ restaurants or ___________ shops).