How to Spell Gaddafi’s Name, as Explained by a Letter-by-Letter Flowchart

The many, many, many spellings of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi are regular grist for late-night comedians — ABC has counted at least 112 — thanks to the lack of standardization in Arabic translation. This handy chart from Wikipedia uses a bracket notation to break down every possibility.

However, not all are possible, as some alternatives are most probably combined with others, or even impossible with others (for example, simplification of geminated [m:] usually implies simplification of [a:]).

(I Love Charts via Atlantic Tumblr)

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Robert Quigley