I think Mukul-da is right. It is 'aakaaxot saang pota' (meaning 'xunyot'), not 'aalaaxot'. And you are right, Aalaax is used for 'Alaaxor Laaru', meaning 'oti-moromor' - very precious, apple of the eye, need I go on? :)
“In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass.” > Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:34:53 -0500> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL > PROTECTED]> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> CC: assam@assamnet.org> Subject: Re: > [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> > At 7:28 PM -0700 6/13/08, Dilip and Dil > Deka wrote:> >O'Mahanta,> >Same meaning - Imaginary Right? As in Imaginary > Laaru.> > > **** I am guessing here now, but I think 'alaaxor laaru' does > not > mean an imaginary dessert. I believe it means 'something absurdly > > held to be 'aapurugiya', of great value.> > Can our Oxomiya-major friends > tell us exactly what an 'alaaxor laaru is'?> > > >Hey, we didn't do too > badly. Despite all conjectures :-), we do > >remember class X Assamese.> > > *** We may be geezers, but we do remember a thing or two still :-).> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Hey, we didn't do too badly. Despite all conjectures > :-), we do > >remember class X Assamese.> >O'Deka> >> >> >> >----- Original > Message ----> >From: Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> >To: Dilip and Dil > Deka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Chandan Mahanta > ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> >Cc: A > Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the > >world > <assam@assamnet.org>> >Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:22:43 PM> >Subject: Re: > [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> >> >O'Deka:> >> >The other common usage > of 'alaax' is in 'alaaxor laaru'> >> >O'm> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >At > 7:00 PM -0700 6/13/08, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:> >> >>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: > > >>><mailto:assam@assamnet.org>assam@assamnet.org>> >>>From: <mailto:[EMAIL > PROTECTED]>[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> ><mailto:assam@assamnet.org>assam@assamnet.org> > ><http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org> > > >> >>>_______________________________________________> assam mailing > list>> >>><mailto:assam@assamnet.org>assam@assamnet.org>> > >>><http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/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>http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-in> > >>>_______________________________________________> >>>assam mailing list> > >>><mailto:assam@assamnet.org>assam@assamnet.org> > >>><http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org> > >>> >>> >>_______________________________________________> >>assam mailing > list> >><mailto:assam@assamnet.org>assam@assamnet.org> > >><http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/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 _________________________________________________________________ Enjoy 5 GB of free, password-protected online storage. http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_062008 _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
