O'Mahanta, You are correct. 'Alaaxot Sang Pota' is what I remember from usage. In fact it was a standard question in Assamese literature class (interpretation of 'Phokora-zozona') and I remember answering that Alaax must have meant something intangible and imaginary, when a sang (bridge or shelf) needs some tangible support. O'Deka ===================================================================================================
----- Original Message ---- From: Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world <assam@assamnet.org> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 7:50:29 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor. >.You meant akaaxot No, not really. I meant 'alaaxot'. 'alaaxot ssang-pota' is an authentic Oxomiya phrase :-). At 6:01 AM +0530 6/14/08, mc mahant wrote: ><'Expectation is the mother of all disappointments'.( maybe also Unhappiness) >And <'alaaxot saang-pota kotha'> ( daydreaming).You meant akaaxot >mm> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:01:32 -0500> To: assam@assamnet.org> >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the >Editor.> > > I am also curious about the PREMISE of KJD's >letter:> > > The Asomiya language in the USA has already been put to >sleep by > >the Asomiyas themselves> > > *** First off, how can a >language die in a particular locale, when it > did not even LIVE >there?> > When did the Oxomiya language take root in US shores? It >is a > preposterous proposition. Surely a minuscule number of >immigrants > spread out over a continent three times the land mass >of India, > speaking the language at home or friends with infrequent >contact > could not possibly establish a language that could be even >remotely > considered a living one.> > > *** KJD make some good >points, like the amusing spectacle of > conducting a debate about >the health of Oxomiya language in the USA > in English, or >conducting an entire Oxomiya bor-xobaah in English. > But then again >it only reaffirms the logistical challenges of > communicating in a >language that has NOT even taken hold. A sizable > segment of the >next generation of Oxomiya immigrants would not > understand what is >going on, if conducted entirely in Oxomiya.> > One can therefore >beat up on the parents who failed to teach their > progeny their >ancestral language. But that is NOT going to change > anything, >other than perhaps give some dubious satisfaction of > venting >personal dislikes or assertion of self-righteousness.> > *** But I >would not despair. There will always be those who are > interested >and have the ability to learn the language of their > forebears. And >they will keep the Oxomiya language in the USA, in > formaldehyde >like a specimen in a museum, caught in a time-warp, > speaking a >language that has been long forsaken by the Oxomiyas > themselves as >they march on the highway of evolution. It has no > chance of being >anything else. To expect otherwise will be 'alaaxot > saang-pota >kotha' ( daydreaming).> > > *** Finally, KJD's disappointments in >this matter is a result of > unrealistic expectations. As the sixth >principle of happiness in the > MSBSP Book of Wisdoms says >'Expectation is the mother of all > disappointments'.> > > Your >What-Me-Worry Kharkhowa Compatriot,> > cm> > > > > > > > > > > > At >12:48 AM -0500 6/13/08, Rajen & Ajanta Barua wrote:> > Dear KJD> > >Thanks for the intellectual and timely article on Oxomiya >Bhaxa > >(Assamese Language) published in the Sentinel. This is an >important > >and sensitive subject and you have touched some truths. >However I > >find that overall, the article has given a rather one >sided and > >distorted view of the Assamese in America, and people >in Assam might > >get the impression that we Assamese in America >donot speak Assamese > >at all. It is basically to correct this >view, that I have decided to > >comment on your article.> >> > First >I am glad that you are addressing the 'Assamese language >in > >America' and not 'Assamese language in Assam'. These are >two > >separate issues. Writing about the 'demise of Assamese >language in > >America', you are hitting on the bull's eye and on a >real problem. > >The same is however not true for the Assamese >language in general as > >many of us like to imagine. The Assamese >language in general will > >flow as long as the river luit will >flow.> >> > As you have pointed out like many other languages, the >'Assamese > >language in America' will eventually die out. If any >one does the > >numerical analysis, this is inevitable, and frankly >speaking there > >is no point in being emotional or critical about >it. The Tie Ahoms > >lost their mother tongue in Assam the same way. >The issue of > >inevitability is however not reflected your article. >Rather you are > >showing as if it is a news for all of us and >especially to the > >Assamese people back home.> >> > That being >said, let us not bring death to the 'Assamese language > >in >America' prematurely. The fact is the Assamese language >in > >America is not dead yet. You wrote "....most of the >Asomiyas, > >belonging to the in-between generation, if not all, do >not speak > >their mother tongue at all." I am sure most Assamese in >America > >would not agree with you. In fact, we still have most >Assamese > >converse in Assamese when we meet together in Assamese >parties and > >we have many Assamese children who speak fluent >Assamese. Not only > >that, we have writers and poets in the country >who writes in > >Assamese. Thus your statement, "The Asomiya >language in the USA has > >already been put to sleep by the Asomiyas >themselves," is a bit > >exaggeration, highly controversial and >frankly speaking not true.> >> > Leaving aside the above >exaggeration, let us see the reasons cited > >by you for the >eventual demise of the Assamese language in America. > >You wrote, >"It is too facile of an argument, often made by the > >expatriate >Asomiyas, that teaching children their native language > >interferes >with the English language development." Frankly speaking, > >I find >this absolutely a wrong assumption. I donot think there are > >any >such unfortunate and ignorant Assamese in America (or >elsewhere) > >who sincerely believe the above outdated theory and >that is why they > >donot teach Assamese to their children. The >actual reason why the > >parents donot teach Assamese to their >children is plain and simple. > >We are too laid back, hobo diok and >lazy. At the same time, there > >are many parents, like us, who >speak to their children in Assamese. > >Now formal teaching of >Assamese is a different matter altogether > >which must have to be a >community effort. As communities we are > >small everywhere and >where we can, frankly speaking we are lazy and > >take our usual >'hoobo diok' attitude. It is not because we Assamese > >donot have >pride in our culture and language, as we have said. On > >the other >hand, I think we (the NRI Assamese) have too much pride in > >the >Assamese language and culture. That is why we celebrate >Bihu > >almost everywhere in the globe now a days. That is why we >meet > >annually in two places at the same fourth of July every >years in > >America.> >> > Coming to your concluding remark on >teaching Assamese, "One would > >fall off the chair to learn that >the entire affair is conducted in > >English! I am at a loss to >understand as to how on earth one can > >pass one's culture and >heritage on to their progeny by merely > >holding Bihu function once >in a year without impressing upon their > >children the importance >of learning their own language which is the > >essence of any >culture." On this I am with you. I agree that it > >seems a bit >hypocritical for the Assamese in Houston to debate in > >English >during the Bihu about the 'demise of the Assamese language > >in >Assam'. I think it is not only hypocritical bu rather wastage >of > >time. I would have rather spent the time teaching Assamese to >our > >children, which in fact I had suggested strongly. > >> > >Overall I think your article will play very well in Assam >where > >people are ready to judge the NRIs on wrong assumptions >like we the > >NRIs like to judge Assam often time on wrong >assumptions. I hope we > >are learning.> >> > Incidentally some of >us are trying to come up with a scheme to > >teach basic Assamese to >the children. Please watch out for some good > >news.> >> > BTW I >will send a verson of this writing to Sentinel so that > >people in >Assam will not hold to the wrong impression that we donot > >speak >in Assamese at all. etc> >> > Thanks> > Rajen >Kokaideu> >> >> >> >> >> >> > ----- Original Message -----> > From: >kamal deka> > To: Rajen & Ajanta Barua> > Sent: Sunday, June 08, >2008 9:04 AM> > Subject: Letter to the >Editor.> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> > >The Demise of Asomiya Language in America> > Half of the world's >6,000 languages, > >as estimated by the United Nations, will go the >way of the dinosaurs > >in less than a century. In fact one falls >out of use about every two > >weeks. Usually, the life of a language >comes to an end when the > >speakers of the language stop speaking >it for any reason. The > >Asomiya language in the USA has already >been put to sleep by the > >Asomiyas themselves, which is the >product of parental failure to > >inculcate a sense of pride in our >ancient culture and language. > >After all, diet and dialect are >perhaps the emblems of any society. > >The abdication of the Asomiya >parents makes it easy for the Asomiya > >children here in America to >follow the path of least resistance by > >imitating their American >peers. The result : most of the Asomiyas, > >belonging to the >in-between generation, if not all, do not speak > >their mother >tongue at all.> > It is too facile of an argument, > >often made by >the expatriate Asomiyas, that teaching children their > >native >language interferes with the English language development. >It > >would, therefore, be better to focus on English than teach >a > >language that is going to be of limited use in this country. >This > >line of reasoning, in my opinion, does not seem to have two >legs to > >stand for a few simple reasons.> > First, research >consistently points > >to the cognitive and academic advantages of >being bilingual, no > >matter what the second language is. But the >Asomiya parents are not > >dissuaded by multilingual pre-schoolers >reading earlier and faster > >than their monolingual counterparts. >The young child's alloplastic > >mind is fertile ground for a >multitude of ideas. Far from stunting > >mastery in English, >learning another language enhances a child's > >ability to learn >English by expanding linguistic structure and > >syntax. >Furthermore, most children passively acquire English >through > >ubiquitous interactions with teachers and fellow >schoolmates at > >school, television and on the street. Conversely, >they imbibe their > >native language only at home.> > Secondly, when >Americans themselves > >have begun to realize that this land is not >a melting pot but rather > >a rich mosaic, it is ironic that many of >us still cling to the > >archaic philosophy of Romans in Rome. >Thankfully, the Asomiyas here > >in America do not live in such a >rigid world where they have to > >choose between extremes.> > >Thirdly, there is another powerful > >benefit that is relevant to >our children growing up here and that is > >in helping them a strong >sense of identity which can help lead to > >better self-esteem and >self-confidence.> > The Asomiya diaspora of the USA > >insists and >claims that the foremost reason of celebrating Bihu is > >to >transmit - and preserve - our culture to the next generation. >One > >would fall off the chair to learn that the entire affair >is > >conducted in English! I am at a loss to understand as to how >on > >earth one can pass one's culture and heritage on to their >progeny by > >merely holding Bihu function once in a year without >impressing upon > >their children the importance of learning their >own language which > >is the essence of any culture.> > Kamaljit >Deka,> > Sugarland, Texas.> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> >> > >The information contained in this e-mail is intended only > >for the >individual or entity to whom it is addressed.> > Its contents >(including any attachments) may contain > >confidential and/or >privileged information.> > If you are not an intended recipient you >must not use, > >disclose, disseminate, copy or print its >contents.> > If you receive this e-mail in error, please notify >the > >sender by reply e-mail and delete and destroy the >message.> > > >> >_______________________________________________> >assam >mailing >list> >assam@assamnet.org> >>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org> > > >_______________________________________________> assam mailing list> >assam@assamnet.org> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >_________________________________________________________________ >Catch the latest fashion shows, get beauty tips and learn more on >fashion and lifestyle. >http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-in >_______________________________________________ >assam mailing list >assam@assamnet.org >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
