As we all know the whole
controversy is being created by Mr Chandra Prasad Saikia and GOA. The battle is
far from over, and this is only the beginning, it seems. As it stands
now, they are trying to get rid of the Tai-Ahom name ASSAM (originally
written as ACHAM) and want to install the ASOM (OXOM) which is an Assamese Aryan
word. By doing this they are splitting the whole community into Aryan and
Mongoloid groups. The papers show that Tai-Ahoms are vehemently opposing this
change, and GOA is silent due to the Elections. Unless those in control take the
right step right away, this may lead to a bigger fight due to reasons you
cited.
On the other hand nobody will
pronounce ASOM as OXOM as proposed. Just ask Mr Chandra Prasad Saikia how he
thinks Ms. Sonia Gandhi will pronounce the name ASOM in meetings. Will she say
ESOM or OXOM?
We are really surprised that
GOA is dragging Assam into this for nothing , and lot of dumb people are
supporting without knowing what they are supporting.
People should have some sense and
learn to see the writings on the wall, and should stop this change for the
benefit of all.
If they want to change, it should
be acceptable to the Tai-Ahom community who ruled Assam for 600 years. Don't you
think so?
I think both ASSAM, or ASAM or even
original ACHAM will be acceptable to them and all.
With the last spelling, we can even
pronounce it as AXAM since CH is pronounced as X in many language, and have both
the worlds.
Regarding the pronunciation of O
and A, I think in Assam, we should start writing Onil, Orpon, Onjona, Otul,
Boruah, etc in Assam in keeping with Assamese phonetics. The letter A is
actually used all over rest of India to represent the short vowel sound U
as in But in keeping with Sanskrit and Hindi phonetics.
Think about this, and discuss among
the literary groups in Assam.
Rajen
Barua.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 3:13
AM
Subject: Re: Submission of Memorandum
Required
Thats nice. Even we
the Baruas pronounce ourselves as Borua in Asamese. So, also "Asam" will be
"Osom" for us. There is no point in retaing "A" and changing to "O"
in the later part. Thats bcoz its pronounced as "O" in the "A" of "Asom".
So, lets ask this literary figure to consider the better, more
reasonable and more practical option "ASAM".
[
Also, its better not to use the word Mongolian while terming the name of
our state. That would stir a controversy among the Mongoloids and
the Caucasoids (or the Alpines and the Aryans). After all, our mode of
pronunciation is all the same when speaking in this indegenous language of the
North-East India. Isn't it ? Lets take pride of being a Mixed Race.
Lets think in terms of Asamese. Alpines are not welcome in Scandinavia nor are
the Aryans in Germany nor are the Mongols in Mongolia (just bcoz of the
racial factor). We have made a transition from the concept of Races to that of
a Unified Nation. However, we shall be aware of our ancestry
in ceremonies. Thats the only way we can make our Uniqueness felt in the
world and surge ahead socially as well as economically.]
With sincere regards,
Praantik
Rajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
Thanks. First we have to make
Mr Chandra Prasad Saikia (correct Assamese phonetic spelling: Sondro Proxad
Xoikia), the prime mover of the proposal see his mistake and agree that ASOM
(people will pronounce A as in 'act', S as in Sun, etc ) is really a
'bhusung-pohu' spelling and does not make any sense ate all. That spelling
will destroy two things: The Assamese X sound in OXOM (we already lost the X
sound in Saikia, Sarma etc) and the Assamese-Mongolian name ASAM). We
should convince him that he has done a great damage to the Assamese people.
He should therfore now write another editiorial in his Garaiyashi (correct
spelling Assamese phonetic spelling 'Gorioxi') stating that if there is any
need for change of the name at all, it should to ASAM and not ASOM. If he
does that, GOA will automatically pull out from ASOM and go for
ASAM.
Rajen Barua
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 1:16
PM
Subject: Submission of Memorandum
Required
I wrote to
the Tribune and The Sentinel today. But, some more voices
would be required to bring the matter into notice. Hope u and many others
to send mails appealing for "ASAM".
Infact, both NRAs and RAs ought to submit a memorandum to the Govt of
Asom/ Assam (?), as well as to the Govt of India demanding the change to
be "ASAM" and not "ASOM". That would be the best way to make public
opinion heard to the otherwise deaf Govt out here.
Regards,
Praantik
Rajen Barua
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
If there should be any change at all, then it
ought to be "ASAM" and not "ASOM".
I will agree with you on this point.
This way we donot have any controversy at all.
People will pronounce the way it is written ASAM.(ie both
As as in Father and S as in Sun)
No problem.
Would you now write a letter to the Editor in any newspaper to that
effect?
That will be one correct voice in midst of so many noises going on
with wrong voices.
Rajen Barua
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006
12:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Fwd: Enough
of this Controversy !
Personally, I am in favour of the word
"ASAM". "ASSAM" is in accordance with the pronunciation
of the British traders of the erstwhile East India Co. No native
stresses on the second 'S' in "Assam". Also, in the pre-British
era, it was inscribed as "ASAM" in the documents and not
"ASSAM". If there should be any change at all, then it ought to
be "ASAM" and not "ASOM". That also helps in retaining the brand
name. I hope you and many would agree to this
point.
Look, the legal formalities which must be completed before using the
new name "Asom" has not yet been done. As such, we can garner public
opinion in favour of the word "ASAM" instead of
"ASOM".
With all best wishes,
Praantik
Rajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
Regarding the name
Assam, I think this is what happened.
The British listened to
the local pronunciation, and found that the /S/ phoneme which
resembles the sound most is the /SS/ as used in their words such as
'issue', 'tissue' etc. Please note that /SS/ phoneme has the sound like /sh/.
Anyhow that is how we got the double SS I think.
Aren't you happy that
we have SS in the word Assam instead of a single S?
I am sure many like me
would like the present spelling Assam which has now been established
as an International brand name known all over the world either for
Assam Tea, Assam Silk, Assam Oil, or for (Dinjan and
Chabua) Assam etc.
Let us keep
it.
We have much more
important things to worry about.
Like the Assam;s
economy as revealed in the report per the following
link.
Rajen
Barua
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, March 22,
2006 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Fwd:
Enough of this Controversy !
"Asam" might
be ours. But "Assam" is definitely the one of the
British colonial masters of yore.
Best wishes,
Praantik
Frankly speaking,
even is others call us OkSOM instead
of OXOM, I don't see what is the problem.
Let others
pronounce it wrong. We mispronounce mexico all the
time.
They will
mispronounce it with ASOM anyway and will say
ESOM or USOM.
My million dollar
question is why we are worrying for people saying
OkSOM and not worrying if they call us
ESOM or USOM?.
And why we want to
change the beautiful Mongoloid International name
ASSAM anyway. That is our Mongolian name, and
people are pronouncing it right.
What is our
problem?
Amar ki ukohe
khaise?
It bits
me.
RB
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, March 21,
2006 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Fwd:
Enough of this Controversy !
I agree to ur points.
But just see the way people pronounce the words like Xavier
(with reference to St. Xavier), X-mas, Excuse
etc.
Well, I believe that when the State surges ahead economically,
the whole world would try to pronounce the way we do. It
wouldn't matter even if it is written as Asom, Asam, Osom,
Oxom et al. However the bright side of the change is
the dropping of the second 'S' from "Assam". Now, we have to
prove that our state is "Asam" not "Assam" and we
the people are not "Ass-amese" but "Asamese" /
"Asamiya". Isn't it ?
Regards,
Praantik
Rajen Barua
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> A layman who has no idea about the
symbol 'X' according to the codes of the IPA (International
Phonetics Association), can hardly pronounce >AXOM / OXOM
properly.
If you don't
mind let me ask you the question back. How a layman has the
idea what sound to pronounce for X for the following
English words?
xenophobia / xylophone /
axiom /examination /excise /
exit
Or Chinese
name : Xingjiang
Or Spanish name
: Mexico
Or Russian :
Xruschev, Chexov
Or Greek:
Xarish
The answer to
all these is that we will have to learn the correct
pronounciation of X in all these words in different
language. Even in English we cannot take it for granted that
it will be pronounced as X in Box all the
time. Similarly people will have to learn the correct
pronunciation of X in Oxom, Xongkordev, Xotriya, Xukanguri
etc in Assamese.
And how do we
teach people?
Very simple, we
simply tell that the X in Assamese is pronounced
like
X = kh,
a guttural sound pronounced as 'ch' as in the
Scottich word 'Loch' or german word 'Bach', or Zurich
etc
Now against the
above, what we have on the table:
ASOM
:(Ppronounced ESOM)
How do
we teach people to pronounce S in ASOM?
S as in Sun or
S as in kh =?
I wil write
leter why the first vowel need to be O and not A for
OXOM.
RB
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, March
21, 2006 5:59 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam]
Fwd: Enough of this Controversy !
Thats
very true.
A layman who has no idea about the symbol 'X' according to
the codes of the IPA (International Phonetics
Association), can hardly pronounce AXOM / OXOM properly.
But at least the Sahitya Sabha Stalwarts ought to be aware
of the significance of 'X' and re-christen the "ASS" as
Asom Xahitya Xabha (AXX). I am leaving out the word "Asom"
(for as I said, a lot of controversy surrounds
it).
Anyways, thanx for ur mail.
Regards,
Praantik
all the
time.
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