Language and script make one's identity distinct: Dhanakumar
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 20, 2013:
Chairman of Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM) P Dhanakumar has emphasized on the need to preserve one's own language and script.
Speaking as Chief Guest of the inaugural function of a three-day discussion programme on "Segregation of Amalgamated Words from Meeteilon" organized by Meetei Eyek Erol Loinasillon Apunba Lup (MEELAL) at GM Hall here today, Dhanakumar further said that the language and script are important assets which help in identifying one's own community and culture more distinctly.
MEELAL has been striving to promote Meeteilon and Meetei Mayek in the State.
The success of MEELAL could be seen clearly in 2015 when the students would appear the Manipuri language paper of HSLC Examination for the first time in Meetei Mayek instead of the Bengali script, the Chairman noted.
He maintained that the greatness of a language can be known when it is maintained in its original form rather than amalgamating it with other languages.
The discussion programme of MEELAL would surely help to sort out the amalgamated words from Meeteilon and keep the language in its original form.
However, it would be a difficult exercise as a language evolves and becomes extinct with the change of time.
The global language "English" even has only 40 percent of its original words in the present vocabulary.
Meeteilon should also try to incorporate new jargons of science and technology, Dhanakumar added.
Director of Manipur Language Planning and Implementation Kh Raghumani, who was also present and spoke on the occasion, said that the Language Directorate would take up all possible measures to develop and promote Meeteilon and other languages of the State.
The inaugural function was also attended by President of MEELAL Sadokpam Tomba Mangang and Chairman of Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur Dr Hamom Nabachandra.
A dictionary and a book on Meeteilon vocabulary published by MEELAL were also released during the function.