How to Pronounce Haile Selassie

Meaning and Context

Haile Selassie I, born Tafari Makonnen (ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ), was the last Emperor of Ethiopia, reigning from 1930 until his deposition in 1974. His coronation in 1930, following the death of Empress Zewditu, marked the beginning of a transformative era aimed at modernizing the ancient kingdom through strategic Ethiopian modernization efforts, including the drafting of a constitution, the expansion of education reform, and the centralization of state power. Selassie’s defiant leadership during the Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1936) and his eloquent 1936 appeal for collective security before the League of Nations established him as a global symbol of African independence and anti-colonial resistance. This stature made him a foundational icon for Pan-Africanism, influencing figures across the African diaspora. Furthermore, Haile Selassie’s legacy is uniquely perpetuated within the Rastafari movement, where he is venerated as the returned messiah, fulfilling a biblical prophecy and embodying black liberation theology. His complex reign, which ended with the Derg coup in 1974, remains a pivotal chapter in 20th century African history.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The standard and correct spelling is Haile Selassie. Common variations and errors often stem from transliteration from the original Amharic script or simple phonetic misspellings. Frequent misspellings include "Hailie Selassie," "Hailee Selassie," or "Haili Selassie," which incorrectly add or alter vowels. Another common error is the omission of the second 's', resulting in "Haile Selasie." Some may combine the names as "Haileselassie" or hyphenate it as "Haile-Selassie," though the latter is sometimes used stylistically but is not standard. It is also important to note his full title and pre-regnal name: he is properly referred to as Haile Selassie I, and his birth name was Ras Tafari Makonnen, the source of the term "Rastafari." Confusion sometimes arises with the spelling of his Amharic name, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, which is romanized as Qädamawi Haylä Səllasé, meaning "Power of the Trinity."

Example Sentences

Scholars of Pan-Africanism often cite Haile Selassie's 1963 speech to the United Nations as a seminal moment in the discourse on global equality and sovereignty.

During his visit to Jamaica in 1966, thousands of Rastafari adherents gathered at the airport to greet Haile Selassie, an event that profoundly strengthened the movement's foundations.

The emperor's ambitious program of education reform included the founding of the University College of Addis Ababa in 1950, which later became Haile Selassie I University.

Despite his modernization efforts, Haile Selassie's long reign was ultimately ended by a Marxist-Leninist military junta known as the Derg.

Many historical analyses of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia focus on Haile Selassie's exile and his successful diplomatic campaign to regain his throne with Allied support during World War II.

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