along with the "x" for assamese in roman, maybe there are a few other things axx can help with.
unicode: most of the world will soon conform to the unicode standard, which will define a single uniform codeset for all the languages in the world. http://www.unicode.org presently assamese is present as a part of the bengali codeset, which seems okay. but is it sufficient? would it cover all the conjuncts that assamese is so rich in? maybe axx can take this matter up. http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0980.pdf it is not possible, perhaps, for unicode to replace all codesets very shortly. many of the assamese fonts that are available today follow their own codesets. as a result, none of the assamese fonts are compatible with each other -- luit, ratne, geetanjali, durga, kamakhya etc, etc. maybe axx can help with something like a standardized encoding system, and ask all commercial and other font developers to conform to it. like the tamil are doing: http://www.tamil.net/tscii/tscii.html axx should probably take all these allied matters -- roman representation, encoding, etc -- together. saurav gagon hazarika said on AssamNet: + Raiz, Assamese is a fully developed language like English having its own grammar. +Every alphabet occupies its unique position as it should do. Talobya 'Xo' - +thirtieth letter, Mudhanya 'Xo' - thirtyfirst letter and Dontiya 'Xo'- thirty +second letter of the Assamese consonant have its own defined usages. Eliminating one +alphabet, I believe, will require re writing the grammar which as most of you agree +will be a very difficult task. Adding a new word is nothing new - in English +language several new words are being added every year; Assamese is no exception. + + The debate is what English alphabet is to be used to represent a particular +Assamese alphabet while writing in Roman script. Using 'X' for 'Xo' etc. is very +recent and confusing. What I believe we need is an universally accepted norm +representing the correct pronunciation. People other than Assamese who are not +familiar with Assamese language tend to say / pronounce an Assamese word whichever +way they can - 'Assami' to say Assamese language like Bengali, Hindi, Marathi etc +unless you clarify it to them that we call 'Assamiya' - the question is what will +you say in Roman script - Axomiya or Asomiya (as written by Asomiya Pratidin), +etc.? I remember at the time of Assamese State Language campaign in 1962 one of my +friend while travelling in UP became very angry when a fellow traveller said - you +speak Assami - accused. + + I think an universally acceptable norm in respect of equivalent alphabet of for +writing in Roman script could only be agreed by the authorities in Assam - who I +believe is not only ASS but also the Universities where research is being carried out +in phonetics in conjunction with the State Government. + + Therefore may I suggest we raise the matter with ASS first to seek their guidance. + If you agree, can some one take the initiative please to circulate a draft letter, +which could be addressed to the President Elect Dr Biren Dutta ASS at Silpukhuri +Guwahati who is also involved presently in compiling the Assamese Encyclopaedia. +Regards Gagon Hazarika ASSUK -- saurav
