Qubee Script & Orthographic Conventions
Since 1991, Oromo uses the Qubee Latin script with specific conventions like doubled vowels for long sounds (aa, ee, ii, oo, uu) and the glottal stop marker. Older documents may use Ge'ez script, requiring translators familiar with both writing systems.
Bilingual Document Formats
Ethiopian government documents are often bilingual in Amharic and Oromo, with different fields in each language. Translators must reconcile both language sections to produce an accurate English translation, noting any discrepancies between the two.
Ethiopian Calendar Conversion
All Ethiopian official documents use the Ge'ez calendar, which is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar and has 13 months. Precise date conversion is critical for immigration cases where dates must align with USCIS records.
Regional Administrative Terminology
Oromia regional documents use specific administrative terms — ganda (village), aanaa (district), godina (zone) — that must be correctly translated and contextualized, as they refer to Ethiopia's unique federal administrative structure.