Preserve the Word: Anglo-Phom Dictionary released in Kohima

August 26, 2022 48 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | August 26

In a first time effort to document the language of the Phom community from a linguistic perspective, Anglo-Phom Dictionary, a cumulative work of scholars, language experts and the Department of Art and Culture, Government of Nagaland, was formally released today by M Shayung Phom, Additional Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Home Department at the Conference Hall of the Directorate of Art & Culture, Kohima.

“In the beginning, there was word,” the Additional Secretary, M Shayung Phom quoted from the Bible while also citing further reference which says that “there was word first.” In this context, the Additional Secretary, who is also a member of Phom Literature Board emphasized on the need to “preserve the word” and to make proper use of it.

He said the Phom tribe under Longleng district is very fortunate to have 4 dialects and commended the research scholars and all those involved in bringing up the dictionary. As a first time effort, he said, “there will always be some corrections or shortcomings in whatever we do”, but he hoped that there would be no blaming each other but through such efforts, they would try to improve various dialects not only the Phom dialect but other dialects in Nagaland.

Nagas, he further lamented do not want to use our own dialects but “we all want to speak Nagamese, which is not a dialect at all, which is not a language at all.” In this regard, he impressed upon that if we want to survive and give an identity for ourselves, “let us give and devote our time and teach our children our own dialect so that we can move one more step ahead.”

In her introductory remark, Athel O Lotha, IAS, Secretary, Art & Culture Department said that the Anglo-Phom Dictionary is an outcome of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India program “Support to Tribal Research Institutes”, implemented by the Department of Art & Culture.

Highlighting the main aim of the project, she said, “it was to document the current status of the language with the firm belief that having such a database of words in the Phom language will be a rich boost to the tribe and enable people as well as scholars who are interested in learning the language, gain an entry point into the language acquisition process.”

She further informed that the editors and research consultants of the project were Yanbeni Yanthan and Dr Imlienla Imchen, who, she added, “have taken much care to ensure that the words in the dictionary have been carefully studied and systematically organised. Much care has been taken to ensure that the words in the dictionary are closest and truest to their English equivalent.”

The dictionary is the first of its kind reflected in the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet, she also added while stating belief that it will be greatly helpful to the native speakers, non-native speakers of the Phom language as well as students and scholars.

Director of Art & Culture, Adela Moa informed that the dictionary is priced at Rs 500 and will be available at the Department’s Book Shop. She also proposed the vote of thanks. Earlier, a folk song was presented by the Kohima Phom Union and the programme was chaired by Lampha Konyak, Deputy Director of Art & Culture.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/preserve-the-word-anglo-phom-dictionary-released-in-kohima