Usama or Osama?

[Belle0101]

I've seen it both ways on the TV today. I first thought it was a misspelling but I've seen it so frequently that now I'm wondering, why the discrepancy?

 

[Geoff_M]

Because it's a phonetic translation of the Arabic name. Often times there can be a couple "right" ways in such cases. In the 1980's I remember the names of several major Chinese political figures getting new spellings in the press due to a new accepted way of translating the names.

 

[NaLisa]

I've seen it both ways on the TV today. I first thought it was a misspelling but I've seen it so frequently that now I'm wondering, why the discrepancy?

Apparently, intelligence documents and the U.S. government most-wanted list use "Usama," and some news agencies have started spelling it that way too. I've also seen several different spellings of Al Qaeda.

 

[princessmom29]

both are acceptable English translations

 

[scrapquitler]

I've seen it both ways on the TV today. I first thought it was a misspelling but I've seen it so frequently that now I'm wondering, why the discrepancy?

Various ways of translating. The same reason why you see Khadaffi/Quadafi spelled so many ways.

 

[LuvOrlando]

The spin Dr's are hard at work, all this time it's been one way, why, all of a sudden the change unless it's intentional

 

[FireDancer]

I prefer Fish Food.

 

[kimmar067]

...since the "Do You Want to/Not Want to See bin Laden's Body" thread was closed, I thought I could post this here...































WARNING:

....newest [gory] pic of Usama bin Laden straight from the Internet:

....okay, well, it COULD have been gory....

 

[Belle0101]

I hadn't thought about the translation, duh on my part. I appreciate the explanations.

Kimmar and Firedancer -

 

[TLSnell1981]

The spin Dr's are hard at work, all this time it's been one way, why, all of a sudden the change unless it's intentional

No spin, various organizations/agencies have been spelling it differently for a few years.

 

[Rora]

Like PPs have said, both are correct. I haven't seen it spelled Usama in awhile though. Most times I've seen it spelled with the "O".

 

[FlightlessDuck]

The spin Dr's are hard at work, all this time it's been one way, why, all of a sudden the change unless it's intentional

FBI Ten Most Wanted Terrorist list has had it spelled with a "U" for 10 years. I first saw it spelled with a few a few days after 9/11. In fact, somewhere in the media they even talked about the "O" vs. "U" a long time ago.

 

[Rora]

I prefer Fish Food.

I wish we were friends in real life.

 

[NaLisa]

Maybe someone should ask him which spelling he prefers.

Oops...too late.

 

[mill4023]

Because it's a phonetic translation of the Arabic name. Often times there can be a couple "right" ways in such cases. In the 1980's I remember the names of several major Chinese political figures getting new spellings in the press due to a new accepted way of translating the names.

This is the correct answer. The name is from a different language with a different alphabet. So there is not one "correct" English spelling.