A manual of the pwo karen dialect

CONTENTS.
Preface
The Alphabet
Inflections
Rules concerning the construction of the dialect
Idioms
Colloquial Exercises.
Sentences.
Petitions.
Vocabulary.
PREFACE
There are very few books printed in the Pwo Karen dialect, and these, being mostly of an advanced stage, are
not at first of much use or help to the student; neither has any Grammar of the dialect been published, which
is a great drawback. However, those who are already acquainted with the Sgau Karen dialect, will find the rules
in the Grammar of that dialect very useful, The Grammar of the Sgau Karen dialect written by the Rev. David
Gilmore, M.A., will be found to apply, so far as general principles are concerned, to the Pwo Karen dialect. I am
much indebted to the Rev. David Gilmore for the help I have received from his Grammar of the Sgau Karen
dialect. The student finds it hard to compile a vocabulary for himself, for there are no printed vocabularies, as in
the case of the Sgau Karen dialect. For these reasons I venture to offer this Manual to those desirous of
studying the Pwo Karen dialect, hoping that it will be of some use to them.
I must acknowledge, with thanks, the help I have received from some manuscript papers sent me by Mr.
Shuttleworth of the Burma Police, containing some of the sentences and petitions. The preparation of the
vocabulary has been long and tedious; it has been collated from the sentences, petitions, and the following
publications, which can be obtained from the American Baptist Mission Press, Rangoon, and which I strongly
recommend the student to read, namely,
(1) "A Primer of the Pwo Karen dialect," by the Rev. D. L. Brayton;
(2) "Scripture Catechism, No. 1";
(3) "Spelling Book";
(4) "The Teacher";
(5) "A few facts about the Pwo Karen Mission," by the Rev. D.L. Brayton; and
(6) a monthly publication called "Sunday School."
The translations of the sentences and petitions are given more or less literally in English for the purpose of
bringing out clearly the idioms of the dialect, which would not be so apparent were the translations more free.
It must be borne in mind that the dialect as spoken in Bassein and Moulmein differ both in pronunciation and
spelling of the inflections, though in all other respects they are similar. These differences, however, can easily be
ascertained and mastered in a short time. It should be remembered that in many instances words occuring more
than once in this Manual are spelt with inflections as used both in Bassein and Moulmein.
C. H. DUFFIN.
Settlement Officer,
No. 4. Party.
MYAUNG MYA,
_14th October, 1911._
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