Mr. Barada Sarma raised an important question "Why should we waste our time and 
energy with completely unproductive issue like english spelling of Assam. "

That question should be answered.

Himendra Barthakur

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rajen & Ajanta Barua 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 10:41 PM
  Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours


  That is exactly one main point. 
  However in this case the suggestion to change the name ASSAM to ASOM was 
initiated not by politicians but by late Chandra Prasad Saikia ex President of 
AXX and the Editor of an Assamese literary magazine 'Gariyashi'.  Politicians 
simply are following the so called Assamese intellectuals.
  In my opinion, the Assamese civilization is at such a low point in history 
today, that there was hardly any strong protests against this move neither by 
any News Paper Editorials (Assamese or English) nor by any Assamese 
intellectuals (if there is any of this species left in Assam). Even the 
educated Assamese and the so called intellectuals are taking a typical Assamese 
'Hobo Diok' attitude, ( since it was proposed by CPS the ex President of ASS, 
let it be, Hobo Diok) and everybody are trying to burry their heads in sand and 
hoping that by writing ASOM instead of ASSAM, outsiders will pronounce the word 
as we pronounce it in Assamese word OXOM. (Assamese logic!!)

  Historically also there is objection to change the name ASSAM to ASOM. The 
Assam pronunciation had been in vogue since the advent of the Tai Ahoms to 
Assam who were called at time by the local people (The Sutias, Kasaris etc) by 
the name Ashyam. (This is again is derived from the Sanskrit word Shyam as we 
call Thailand, Shyam dex. There were several Hindu colonies in many of the 
South  East Asian countries in the past when Thailand derived the Sanskrit name 
Shyam-dex.)  Anyhow, later the Moghols used that name Ashyam for our land, and 
eventually the Kamrup was replaced by Ashyam. The British simply changed the 
spelling to Assam keeping the same pronunciation. These are recorded history.  
Thus the Assam pronunciation had an eight hundred old years history.

  With due respect, I must say that late CPS is an Assamese literary figure, 
but he is neither an historian nor a linguist, and he should not have poked his 
nose on such sensitive subject 

  Sensible Assamese should protest this move to change the name of Assam 
strongly as otherwise our democracy itself is at stake with our 'Hobo Diok' 
attitude.

  Regards
  Rajen Barua

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Barada Sarma 
    To: [email protected] 
    Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 10:35 PM
    Subject: Re: [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours



    I have not been able to rationalize what difference would be made by 
spelling the name of the state with different English letters which cannot 
reproduce the Assamese sound anyway. 

    What is important as far as the future is concerned is the historical name 
recognition of unique product like Assam tea. Why should we waste our time and 
energy with completely unproductive issue like english spelling of Assam. 
Useless politicians love such useless endevors. 

    Barada sarma

    Matiur Rahman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: 

      I did not quite understand why we need to change the name of our birth 
state Assam to Asom. It is already there since its inception, in Assamese 
language we write Asom always and in international language we write Assam. 
Note that Assam is an internationally recognized trade name. (Assam Tea, 
Assam's one horn Rino etc.). 

      In Assam: We are Asomiya, `Asom Bani' (Assamese News Weekly) 
      Internationally: We are known as Assamese. `The Assam Tribune'. (The 
English Language daily Newspaper). It exists for more than a century. 

      These words are already used since the last many years. 

      Matiur Rahman 
      ====================== 
      Re: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/message/2839 



    __._,_.___ 
    Messages in this topic (46) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic 
    Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Calendar 
     
    Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) 
    Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format 
to Traditional 
    Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity
      a..  24New Members
      b..  1New Links
      c..  1New Files
    Visit Your Group 
    SPONSORED LINKS
      a.. High res 
      b.. High res photos 
      c.. Assam 
      d.. Assam tea 
      e.. Bodum assam 
    Yahoo! Mail
    Get it all!

    With the all-new

    Yahoo! Mail Beta

    Y! Messenger
    Instant hello

    Chat over IM with

    group members.

    Yahoo! Photos
    Upload & Share

    Delight friends

    and family
    . 
    __,_._,___ 
_______________________________________________
assam mailing list
[email protected]
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org

Reply via email to