Sam Martin Burr

UK citizens. Will you be punishing labour at the next election?

1 year ago | [YT] | 3

Sam Martin Burr

Look, I mean no offence at all to the young Brits in this video... But would anyone feel confident going into battle with the youth of Britain (or any Western nation for that matter)? Russians must be watching videos like this laughing their heads off...

1 year ago | [YT] | 0

Sam Martin Burr

Don't be Homer Simpson.

1 year ago | [YT] | 2

Sam Martin Burr

As-salaamualayum everyone!
Things are getting organised on my channels alhumdulilah so I just wanted to keep you in the loop!

Arabic Language stuff here: ‪@ArabicwithSam‬
Life in Somalia and Hijra stuff here: ‪@SamOfSomaliaTV‬

This channel will be used for anything that doesn't fit on the others. What do you think I should discuss here?

2 years ago | [YT] | 8

Sam Martin Burr

Do you have a weird auntie or uncle?

It seems like everyone I speak to has at least 1.

2 years ago | [YT] | 1

Sam Martin Burr

There are many vulgar and despicable slurs in English for human private parts. But this is by far the most wretched and insidious.

2 years ago | [YT] | 0

Sam Martin Burr

53% of people who took part have 1-3 real friends and 25% said none. So a total of 78% have 3 real friends or less....

We are becoming atomised and I am terrified for it's implications on our wellbeing, harmony in our communities and sense of belonging. Perhaps an even bigger worry is it's implications for our children's social lives and network of adult's to look up to.

I remember being taken to the pub with my dad when I was about 8 and knowing my dad had at least 20-30 friends who took an interest in his work, his family and checked on him regularly. In a recent conversation with my mum, she told me that when she married my dad, almost every single person they knew lived within a 20 minute drive away...

We can't change the fact that we are moving more for study, to get married and work. But we can make an effort to build a tribe of close brothers/ sisters who we genuinely love. Aim for 20. Speak to them at least every month, ask about their families, their work and listen to their problems. Take it seriously and make time for it.

2 years ago | [YT] | 1

Sam Martin Burr

Why is Rugby not popular in Muslim communities? 🤔 🏉

2 years ago | [YT] | 4

Sam Martin Burr

How many real friends do you have?

2 years ago | [YT] | 4

Sam Martin Burr

Can a new language replace your first?

Of course not in terms of chronology, but what about in terms of preference?

I believe it can. This belief challenges lots of things I've always believed but I've been exploring it lately and I might be wrong.

I've come to believe that we can, in fact replace our mother tongues should we wish to. Languages are a medium to project our ideas into the world. Just we can become used to other mediums for driving, (learning to drive an automatic or on the other side of the road) we can do the same with new languages. It's not that easy and the vast majority of people won't and frankly shouldn't. But it CAN be done.

My wife was raised in Saudi Arabia and Arabic is her first language - chronologically that is, and that will never change. However, she later developed deafness and moved to the UK, whereby she learned British Sign Language and was removed from her Arabic speaking environment.

Today we say that although Arabic was her first language, we always say that her best language is British Sign Language (BSL) - That is the language she chooses to consume content in, she is most relaxed using it and if she ever needs an interpreter, it is always INTO BSL. In fact, she speaks to herself in BSL - I've caught her a few times.

Have you experienced this in your life?

I personally find it very bizarre.

I've always loved my language (English) and believe that who I am, on a deep, intrinsic level is inseparably tied to the literature created through English and the ideas circulating inside it's socio-linguistic ecosystem. But am I wrong? Could BSL, Arabic, or indeed Somali become my preferred language?

2 years ago | [YT] | 10