A Manual of the Pwo Karen Dialect Author: Charles Harry Duffin * A ...
A Manual of the Pwo Karen Dialect Author: Charles Harry Duffin * A ...
A Manual of the Pwo Karen Dialect Author: Charles Harry Duffin * A ...
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CONTENTS.<br />
Preface<br />
The Alphabet<br />
Inflections<br />
Rules concerning <strong>the</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dialect<br />
Idioms<br />
Colloquial Exercises.<br />
Sentences.<br />
Petitions.<br />
Vocabulary.<br />
PREFACE<br />
There are very few books printed in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pwo</strong> <strong>Karen</strong> dialect, and <strong>the</strong>se, being mostly <strong>of</strong> an advanced stage, are<br />
not at first <strong>of</strong> much use or help to <strong>the</strong> student; nei<strong>the</strong>r has any Grammar <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dialect been published, which<br />
is a great drawback. However, those who are already acquainted with <strong>the</strong> Sgau <strong>Karen</strong> dialect, will find <strong>the</strong> rules<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Grammar <strong>of</strong> that dialect very useful, The Grammar <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sgau <strong>Karen</strong> dialect written by <strong>the</strong> Rev. David<br />
Gilmore, M.A., will be found to apply, so far as general principles are concerned, to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pwo</strong> <strong>Karen</strong> dialect. I am<br />
much indebted to <strong>the</strong> Rev. David Gilmore for <strong>the</strong> help I have received from his Grammar <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sgau <strong>Karen</strong><br />
dialect. The student finds it hard to compile a vocabulary for himself, for <strong>the</strong>re are no printed vocabularies, as in<br />
<strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sgau <strong>Karen</strong> dialect. For <strong>the</strong>se reasons I venture to <strong>of</strong>fer this <strong>Manual</strong> to those desirous <strong>of</strong><br />
studying <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pwo</strong> <strong>Karen</strong> dialect, hoping that it will be <strong>of</strong> some use to <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
I must acknowledge, with thanks, <strong>the</strong> help I have received from some manuscript papers sent me by Mr.<br />
Shuttleworth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Burma Police, containing some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sentences and petitions. The preparation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
vocabulary has been long and tedious; it has been collated from <strong>the</strong> sentences, petitions, and <strong>the</strong> following<br />
publications, which can be obtained from <strong>the</strong> American Baptist Mission Press, Rangoon, and which I strongly<br />
recommend <strong>the</strong> student to read, namely,<br />
(1) "A Primer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pwo</strong> <strong>Karen</strong> dialect," by <strong>the</strong> Rev. D. L. Brayton;<br />
(2) "Scripture Catechism, No. 1";<br />
(3) "Spelling Book";<br />
(4) "The Teacher";<br />
(5) "A few facts about <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pwo</strong> <strong>Karen</strong> Mission," by <strong>the</strong> Rev. D.L. Brayton; and<br />
(6) a monthly publication called "Sunday School."<br />
The translations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sentences and petitions are given more or less literally in English for <strong>the</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong><br />
bringing out clearly <strong>the</strong> idioms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dialect, which would not be so apparent were <strong>the</strong> translations more free.<br />
It must be borne in mind that <strong>the</strong> dialect as spoken in Bassein and Moulmein differ both in pronunciation and<br />
spelling <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> inflections, though in all o<strong>the</strong>r respects <strong>the</strong>y are similar. These differences, however, can easily be<br />
ascertained and mastered in a short time. It should be remembered that in many instances words occuring more<br />
than once in this <strong>Manual</strong> are spelt with inflections as used both in Bassein and Moulmein.<br />
C. H. DUFFIN.<br />
Settlement Officer,<br />
No. 4. Party.<br />
MYAUNG MYA,<br />
_14th October, 1911._