Writer And Academician Says Juba Arabic Should Be The Lingua Franca In S. Sudan

7 October 2011—(Juba) —Renowned South Sudanese writer and academic, Professor Taban Lo Liyong, says Juba Arabic should be the lingua franca in South Sudan, and Not Khartoum Arabic.

Professor Lo Liyong says Juba Arabic is an African language that is easy to learn and is a uniting cultural factor.

[Prof Taban Lo Liyong]: “It is graphic as well as being dramatic, so it can be used for creating laughter. Then what we need to do is to infuse and inject into it with philosophical words, serious terminologies, and serious technical words, technical concepts that is what we need.”

Prof Taban Said Juba Arabic already has a dictionary which is written using the Roman alphabet. He said it the responsibility of linguists to develop Juba Arabic grammar.

He also said that South Sudanese women should adopt the Shilluk Lou sheet wrapper as the national dress for South Sudan.