Greetings in the name of the Lord our God from Ebenezer Media, Yangon, Myanmar. Let me introduce about my work to you all. I am Mang Tungg Thang, an Executive staff of BARS Program at Myanmar Institute of Theology (MIT), Yangon. I graduated from Mandalay University in 1995 with the degree B.Sc.(Q) and from MIT with M.Div. degree in 2000 respectively.
Since the year 2002, I have a burning desire to uplift and develop the Tedim Literature, especially its morphology and its orthography basing on the great missionary Revd. J.H. Cope's work. I based and traced the pace of Phonological steps. I understood Cope's work as "English based Tedim Dialect" (Maang Tuallai), and it is very common that it cannot give specific meanings in most of its vocabularies, and nowadays no body is satisfied with Cope's Orthography and they create their own spellings and the spellings are different from one person to another and the quality of Tedim Literature becomes an un-quality literatured situation. Moreover, as it was named "Seven-day Literature" (Ni Sagih Lai), it can be easily written after learning just one week of study. Here, I don't mean to abandon Cope's work but rather mean to develop basing on his work. Besides, even the Zomi Christian Literature Society (ZCLS) weren't able to control the spelling of Tedim Orthography, even though its work is to keep it and develop it.
Therefore, I began my work as analyzing the Tedim literature to be a Standard Literature without any authority vested upon me. I realized that God (not man) gave authority upon me; this is the crucial important point that I work such a great deal. It is a voluntary work for the welfare of the whole Tedim people. Then, I thought, in order to do this great project I need to pursue a certificate in Linguistics, so I attended Linguistics seminar in May 2004 and it helps me thoroughly to trace the uniqueness of Tedim Literature. My goal is to introduce and create a Tedim contextual literature (Zo Tuallai). And it will not be possible to write or read within "Seven days" as before, but it will take more time to be able to write or read because it is now shifting to a Standard Literature. This work copes with the whole literature of Tedim language, not just for an article or a book.
This work came out as the result of aspiration I had been dreaming to produce a Tedim Dictionary and I realized that it is impossible to use Cope's work of Tedim Orthography. Firstly, I wish I could consult the linguistics to develop the spelling of Tedim Literature. But finally, I have realized that if I consult the linguistics, they will introduce like the circumflex and the umlauts as in German and French. So, I don't want to consult any linguistics anymore because I have some facts to find and create new spellings. The old Tedim orthography is no longer effective in this New Century (21 st Century) and it needs to develop with a new form of idea. When I dreamed to establish a Tedim Literature Ministry, it is the main cause that encouraged me to identify the Tedim spelling clearly. The main idea is to use only the English alphabets (A to z), but not the umlauts, and circumflex etc.
Amidst many adversities and hardships, I finished with my work of "Analytical Study of Tedim Language" in March 2006, a four-year survey. I praised God for having given me such a great success. I named my work as "Philology of Tedim Literature and Its Morphology," it basically emphasized on one syllable ¨C that is a mistakable spelling, I mean two syllables are understandable. This kind of work never appear so far. To uplift our Literature needs to do the morphological words of the whole Language. Without doing such work the literature will not stand firm and take root among the Tedim people. If we don't uplift or develop our literature, someday it will really extinct. The phonology and the morphology are the basic roots to maintain a literature for long.
I would like to invite your participation in this project, it is not for my own affair but all of the Tedim Language speakers like you. I need your help to distribute that handbook to every Tedim Language speakers. So, it will need some financial assistance to reach out even to the rural areas and the border-areas, even to Tedim people all over the world. Your generous contribution is highly welcomed and will be appreciated to carry out this work.
The Steps Based in this Philology:
Accurately Analyzed: This philological work is thoroughly analyzed again and again, and it took over four years. Throughout this study the idea is not changed but the written forms are changed from one year after another.
Methodology: The Linguistics' approach: Phonological steps.
Goal: The Tedim Language be a "Standard Literature" and it will be a learnable language systematically as other languages do. Tedim Literature will become a "Life-Long Learning Literature" rather than "Seven-day Literature."
Orthography Shift: From this study, formerly the spelling of "Zolai" shifted to "Zolaay".
The Rules: To use English alphabets (A to Z)- umlaut & circumflex, etc. are denied; shortest spellings are preferred; one word must identify one meaning- to differentiate from common words.
Expected Outcomes: By doing this morphological study, the Tedim Language speakers will be convinced in a new way that it has broad vocabularies and great value in their Language and it will help them improve to love their Language and their literature more than ever before.
Note: The author used Language instead of Dialect because he discovered that when he has been studied Tedim Language accurately, it is qualified to name Language instead of Dialect. His book will be published in November and hope that will be available in December 2006.
For instance, Study this name: Mang Tungg Thang (formerly written as Mang Tung Thang)
Explanation: Mang ¨Cmeans 'obedience' (not Maang-lord), Tungg ¨Cmeans 'on' (not Tung-put upright).
Let me introduce the basic tone of Tedim Language:
Tone 1: natural (¡ú ) tone 2: low (¡ü) tone 3: rising ( ¨M) tone 4: high ( ¡ý)
1. taa (act) t'a (contain) ta (son/daughter) tanu (daughter)
2. cii (suffix) cy (salt)/chi(say) ci (physical) cithag (scabies)
3. bual (swim) bwal (lake) buall- (adv) -
4. taau (wristlets) tao (platform) tau (moan) -
5. zawl (joist) yawl (best friend) zaul (oblong) -
6. hawm (distribute) howm (share) haum (empty) -
7. suang (rely on) swang (protrude) suanq (stone) -
8. teek (senile) teexteex tek (teklwi) teq (each)
9. tel (cause) tehl (lop sided) tell (convince) -
10. taak (drop) t'ak(dropping) /tag(right) tak (smart) taqqeh(exclamation for encouragement)
11. khaa (soul) xa (moon) kha (bitter) khateh(crumb fall from mouth)
12. zaa (wide) ya (hundred) za (hear) zalyan (high rank)
13. lei (tongue) ley (bridge) leii (buy) -
14. taang(Mr)/tang( fast ) t'ang(move)/ tangh(solid) taanq(instead) /tanq(seed) tang (tree)
15. ciang (basket) cyang (vale, gorge) cianq (stick) ciang (when)
16. naa (pain) nha (thing) na- na (you/your)
The Primary Sources of the soon coming publication are:
(1) "Language," "Grimm's Law," s.v. Encarta Encyclopedia (CD-Rom), 1999 Edition
(2) "Philology," and "Phonology," s.v. Encarta Encyclopedia (CD-Rom), 2005 Deluxe Edition.
(3) Vul Za Thang & J. Gin Za Twang, Chin-English Dictionary (Tiddim Chin) , (Tiddim: 1953/ 1974)
(4) ST Hau Go, Tedim Labu (Yangon: 198)
(5) "Phonetics, Phonology, Orthography" in Linguistics Introduction For Translation (LIFT), Student Handbook (WNC, 2001).
(6) Dr. Yam Kho Pau, "Hinkko Thusim Theihpehna," Tedim Zomi Christiante AD 2000 Kum Siangtho Thunget Khopna (Yangon: 2005).
(7) Chinzam Tawmbing, English Paite Dictionary (Bungmual: 1993)
(8) Nitasakorn Shiwaruangrote, "A Phonological Study of Yangon Burmese" (MA, Linguistics Thesis, Bangkok: Mahidol University , 2000).
(9) Eugenie J A. Henderson, Tiddim Chin: A Descriptive Analysis of Two Texts (London: Oxford University Press, 1965).
(10) Pau Cin Hau Lai.
In a corner of God's Vineyard,
Mang Tungg Thang
Ebenezer Media and Ministries
520-B, Hyde Park Lane (2), Taungthugone Ward, Insein, Yangon
P.O. BOX ¨C 241, Yangon
Union of Myanmar
Email: tungg.thang@ gmail.com
www.zogam.com
Since the year 2002, I have a burning desire to uplift and develop the Tedim Literature, especially its morphology and its orthography basing on the great missionary Revd. J.H. Cope's work. I based and traced the pace of Phonological steps. I understood Cope's work as "English based Tedim Dialect" (Maang Tuallai), and it is very common that it cannot give specific meanings in most of its vocabularies, and nowadays no body is satisfied with Cope's Orthography and they create their own spellings and the spellings are different from one person to another and the quality of Tedim Literature becomes an un-quality literatured situation. Moreover, as it was named "Seven-day Literature" (Ni Sagih Lai), it can be easily written after learning just one week of study. Here, I don't mean to abandon Cope's work but rather mean to develop basing on his work. Besides, even the Zomi Christian Literature Society (ZCLS) weren't able to control the spelling of Tedim Orthography, even though its work is to keep it and develop it.
Therefore, I began my work as analyzing the Tedim literature to be a Standard Literature without any authority vested upon me. I realized that God (not man) gave authority upon me; this is the crucial important point that I work such a great deal. It is a voluntary work for the welfare of the whole Tedim people. Then, I thought, in order to do this great project I need to pursue a certificate in Linguistics, so I attended Linguistics seminar in May 2004 and it helps me thoroughly to trace the uniqueness of Tedim Literature. My goal is to introduce and create a Tedim contextual literature (Zo Tuallai). And it will not be possible to write or read within "Seven days" as before, but it will take more time to be able to write or read because it is now shifting to a Standard Literature. This work copes with the whole literature of Tedim language, not just for an article or a book.
This work came out as the result of aspiration I had been dreaming to produce a Tedim Dictionary and I realized that it is impossible to use Cope's work of Tedim Orthography. Firstly, I wish I could consult the linguistics to develop the spelling of Tedim Literature. But finally, I have realized that if I consult the linguistics, they will introduce like the circumflex and the umlauts as in German and French. So, I don't want to consult any linguistics anymore because I have some facts to find and create new spellings. The old Tedim orthography is no longer effective in this New Century (21 st Century) and it needs to develop with a new form of idea. When I dreamed to establish a Tedim Literature Ministry, it is the main cause that encouraged me to identify the Tedim spelling clearly. The main idea is to use only the English alphabets (A to z), but not the umlauts, and circumflex etc.
Amidst many adversities and hardships, I finished with my work of "Analytical Study of Tedim Language" in March 2006, a four-year survey. I praised God for having given me such a great success. I named my work as "Philology of Tedim Literature and Its Morphology," it basically emphasized on one syllable ¨C that is a mistakable spelling, I mean two syllables are understandable. This kind of work never appear so far. To uplift our Literature needs to do the morphological words of the whole Language. Without doing such work the literature will not stand firm and take root among the Tedim people. If we don't uplift or develop our literature, someday it will really extinct. The phonology and the morphology are the basic roots to maintain a literature for long.
I would like to invite your participation in this project, it is not for my own affair but all of the Tedim Language speakers like you. I need your help to distribute that handbook to every Tedim Language speakers. So, it will need some financial assistance to reach out even to the rural areas and the border-areas, even to Tedim people all over the world. Your generous contribution is highly welcomed and will be appreciated to carry out this work.
The Steps Based in this Philology:
Accurately Analyzed: This philological work is thoroughly analyzed again and again, and it took over four years. Throughout this study the idea is not changed but the written forms are changed from one year after another.
Methodology: The Linguistics' approach: Phonological steps.
Goal: The Tedim Language be a "Standard Literature" and it will be a learnable language systematically as other languages do. Tedim Literature will become a "Life-Long Learning Literature" rather than "Seven-day Literature."
Orthography Shift: From this study, formerly the spelling of "Zolai" shifted to "Zolaay".
The Rules: To use English alphabets (A to Z)- umlaut & circumflex, etc. are denied; shortest spellings are preferred; one word must identify one meaning- to differentiate from common words.
Expected Outcomes: By doing this morphological study, the Tedim Language speakers will be convinced in a new way that it has broad vocabularies and great value in their Language and it will help them improve to love their Language and their literature more than ever before.
Note: The author used Language instead of Dialect because he discovered that when he has been studied Tedim Language accurately, it is qualified to name Language instead of Dialect. His book will be published in November and hope that will be available in December 2006.
For instance, Study this name: Mang Tungg Thang (formerly written as Mang Tung Thang)
Explanation: Mang ¨Cmeans 'obedience' (not Maang-lord), Tungg ¨Cmeans 'on' (not Tung-put upright).
Let me introduce the basic tone of Tedim Language:
Tone 1: natural (¡ú ) tone 2: low (¡ü) tone 3: rising ( ¨M) tone 4: high ( ¡ý)
1. taa (act) t'a (contain) ta (son/daughter) tanu (daughter)
2. cii (suffix) cy (salt)/chi(say) ci (physical) cithag (scabies)
3. bual (swim) bwal (lake) buall- (adv) -
4. taau (wristlets) tao (platform) tau (moan) -
5. zawl (joist) yawl (best friend) zaul (oblong) -
6. hawm (distribute) howm (share) haum (empty) -
7. suang (rely on) swang (protrude) suanq (stone) -
8. teek (senile) teexteex tek (teklwi) teq (each)
9. tel (cause) tehl (lop sided) tell (convince) -
10. taak (drop) t'ak(dropping) /tag(right) tak (smart) taqqeh(exclamation for encouragement)
11. khaa (soul) xa (moon) kha (bitter) khateh(crumb fall from mouth)
12. zaa (wide) ya (hundred) za (hear) zalyan (high rank)
13. lei (tongue) ley (bridge) leii (buy) -
14. taang(Mr)/tang( fast ) t'ang(move)/ tangh(solid) taanq(instead) /tanq(seed) tang (tree)
15. ciang (basket) cyang (vale, gorge) cianq (stick) ciang (when)
16. naa (pain) nha (thing) na- na (you/your)
The Primary Sources of the soon coming publication are:
(1) "Language," "Grimm's Law," s.v. Encarta Encyclopedia (CD-Rom), 1999 Edition
(2) "Philology," and "Phonology," s.v. Encarta Encyclopedia (CD-Rom), 2005 Deluxe Edition.
(3) Vul Za Thang & J. Gin Za Twang, Chin-English Dictionary (Tiddim Chin) , (Tiddim: 1953/ 1974)
(4) ST Hau Go, Tedim Labu (Yangon: 198)
(5) "Phonetics, Phonology, Orthography" in Linguistics Introduction For Translation (LIFT), Student Handbook (WNC, 2001).
(6) Dr. Yam Kho Pau, "Hinkko Thusim Theihpehna," Tedim Zomi Christiante AD 2000 Kum Siangtho Thunget Khopna (Yangon: 2005).
(7) Chinzam Tawmbing, English Paite Dictionary (Bungmual: 1993)
(8) Nitasakorn Shiwaruangrote, "A Phonological Study of Yangon Burmese" (MA, Linguistics Thesis, Bangkok: Mahidol University , 2000).
(9) Eugenie J A. Henderson, Tiddim Chin: A Descriptive Analysis of Two Texts (London: Oxford University Press, 1965).
(10) Pau Cin Hau Lai.
In a corner of God's Vineyard,
Mang Tungg Thang
Ebenezer Media and Ministries
520-B, Hyde Park Lane (2), Taungthugone Ward, Insein, Yangon
P.O. BOX ¨C 241, Yangon
Union of Myanmar
Email: tungg.thang@ gmail.com
www.zogam.com
