Now, I run an internet blog ( http://robbiefal.blogspot.com/ ), and I publicily thought one thing, Is it Usama or Osama?
In America, it’s Osama.
In England, it’s Usama.
It seems that the Arabic and English languages have a poor record with translation.
Which way of spelling is preferred?
It’s to confuse his enemies: how is anyone going to know which name to look for in the phone book in order to track him down?!
It’s basically up to whoever is doing the transliteration. Arabic letters don’t have exactly corresponding English counterparts, and as far as I know there is no Official Guide to Arabic-English Transliteration (follow it or be visited by serious men in dark suits).
I was writing a paper on Genghis Khan and found that one book credited an event called The Long Ride to one Chepe, whereas another credited it to one Jebe. I was pretty confused before I realised they were the same guy, transliterated differently.
To-may-to To-mah-to Po-tay-to Po-tah-to
Let’s call the whole thing off!!!
Elijah Elisha Epistles Apostles
Let’s call the whole thing off!!!
FOX News spells him Usama.
I spell him UBL.
I’m not sure if that should be pronounced Oo-bull (and thus the same as OBL) or UBL (Ubble).
Just asked Arabic colleague and he says it should be Osama.