Rongmei spelling made high standard and easy

Jimmy Pamei *

Rongmei kids at the 8th edition of Orange Festival on 16th & 17th December 2011

The 'need for a rule' in composing spelling for Rongmei language is very important. If the Rongmei language have attractive rule of spelling, the same may be used for Liangmai, Puimei and Zeme too. Many people are not interested to see rules and styles being used in any Rongmei literary piece. But there must be a rule. Those who really write literary pieces like history, documentary and sensitive book realise the need to have this rule. Those who do not care to bear with the rules have not written much in Rongmei, or are bogged down by the confusion and unusual letters inserted to his old spelling he knew.

After more than a decade of examining and devising spellings for Rongmei language, some practical formulas were arrived at to make Rongmei language reading easy, non-fussy, and one that is adapted for other tribal languages with slight modification (including Zeme, Liangmai, Puimei, Chin-Kuki) that have tones and pitches. Since there are no popular scripts as such of our own tribes, we have to use the English Alphabet for writing.

Further, as we are in the computer age, the best option is to devise spellings that can be typed in the computer keyboard without trying to use those signs or symbols as in café or ü, or to use the shift key less often. This will save time - if you have to type thousands of words. The following article is not a grammar, neither is this a dictionary.

It is Spelling System that must be written to differentiate words that may have same written form but is pronounced differently. For example, a non-literature conscious Rongmei person may write 'tan' for 'leg', or 'work' 'hard' or 'strong' or even to mean 'cease' (tan no). There are hundreds of words like these. Being a musical language the tone and pitch of a word renders different meanings in Rongmei. And as mentioned above it is imperative to comply to some rules if all these confusions are to be removed and make written words senses. However, too much rules (however scientific it may be) further confuses and threatens the reader.

Hence, an effort is being made here to produce a simple yet readable Spelling for the Rongmei language. The rule or technique can be applied according to the convenience of each region (example at Khoupum/Nungba area or Tamenglong area). However uniformity at the core needs to be maintained. Other areas where many Rongmei writers falter are at 'compound' words and suffixes. This is dealt with here with some examples. Given hereunder are some of the rules and techniques:

1. Use of 'H': This 'H' is used in words that have the sound as in
'Neih' (Sun),
'Ndeih' (Sweet)
'Ringhmei' (Alive)
'Mphuaih' (Grass)
'Nchu-njaenghmei' (Peace)
'Gwaih' (Cow)

Example: Gwaih tei neih tanh khou mphuaih tu bamme (The cow is eating grass under the hot sunlight).

2. Silent Letter B or P, D or T, K, Y: These Consonants and Semi-vowel (y) are used as 'Silent Letter' to indicate tone only. They are used or placed in such a way so as to create a sense of link with the nearest spelling. The following examples will make us clear as to how and where they are used:

PAMB (Embrace),
DAMB (Create),
THUAND (Thank),
JUAND (Sell),
ZINGK (Dark),
KHIANGK (Sour),
JAMP (Catch),
JOUY (Monkey),
HOUY (Steal)
PAAY (Read),
KHUAIY (Pick up).

See these interesting examples too: 'Kamei dui limb kei e' (He goes down the water) & 'Kamei nthakmei but khou limp tow e' (He scratches the itchy part). If the literature is developed to some reasonable extent, we may or can remove or simplify the use of some of these 'Silent Letters' too.

3. Double Letter: Double letters are used in the sound as in

KAGANN (Time),
NAMM (Village),
KATANGG (After),
KAGAANN (Husband),
HEE (Write),
NTEE (Teething Smile),
KAPEE (Head),
LUNNLUNG (State of life),
BUU (Month),
BOO (Moon),
ANIUU (We),
KANIUU (They),
NTHUU (Insect)

Suppose if this tone ends in vowel sound 'oU,' then use of 'W' instead will be more appropriate.
Example: 'How' (See, instead of 'Hou'), 'Now' (Wife, instead of Nou), 'Pow' (Debt, instead of Pou), etc.

4. Double AA: Some sections of Rongmei don't have the real 'O' sound in their words. Particularly most of the community in the Imphal valley, Khoupum-Nungba area folks pronounce 'Lad SAMEI' whereas most people at Tamenglong Headquarters area pronounce it as 'Lad SOMEI'.
Compromising the tunes of these two group, the use of 'AA' is the suggested. Examples are given hereunder:
LAD SOMEI/SAAMEI, CHANO/CHANAA (Brothers), KABOH/KABAAH(Its meaning), ANAAMEI (Near), KAGAANN (Husband, instead of Kagonn).
Compare also these words: Kaphaaii (its leg) and Kaphaai (horizontal position)

5. AE: This is also made for different section of Rongmei as mentioned in 4 above. But in this case 'A' is used for that sound with 'Aka' as in Manipuri/Bengali Script, whereas 'AE' is used for sound of 'EKA'.

Examples:
TINGSAENGJAENG not TINGSANGJANG (Eternal),
NJAENGMEI not NJANGMEI (Slow).

Compare
PAEKMEI (Flat) vs PAKMEI (Run),
Mrs. AJANG (Guijangliu) vs Mrs. AJAENG (Gaijaenghliu).
CHAENGDAI VILLAGE vs CHANGDAI VILLAGE
JANGGMEI (Drink) vs JAENGGMEI (Organise/Call a meet)
NJANGMEI (Shuffle) vs NJAENGMEI (Slow).

There are other tones or pitches in Rongmei words besides the ones mention here. But if the rules or methods mention above are applied, the other tones can be taken as 'Understood'.

Another aspect to note in written literature of Rongmei is to give attention to use of 'hyphen' or 'dashes' as there are so many compound words. Combining two same words may express degree of difference, and combination of two or three words can make another sense of the words.

Examples:
Khat-khatta jian karee bammo,
Siann-lann or sianndui-siannlann, Lad-lu,
Kakumm-kagann, katup-katuaih, nringh-nrih-nranh etc.
There are many instances of words that can be written as one spelling, and also words that are needed to be separated to make sense, Examples:
Observe this sentence:
Kamei ruai aniu ta njian lourei puijaeng ruai e.
Here it will be quite improper to write like this: Kameiruai aniuta njianlou rei pui jaeng ruai e.
Or
'Programkhou lou meitheilaina kamei pouruai lutei suanchui nasuan louthe'.
This sentence may make sense only when we really try very hard to make it sensible. A non-local who can speak but Rongmei will not grasp any sense from the above sentence.
But if it was written like this, it would have been so easy to grasp its meaning:
Program khou loumei thei laina kamei-pou ruai lu tei suanchuina suanlou the. (As is mentioned in the program he sang the song well).
Still another point to note is the use of double 'gg', 'nn', 'mm' etc. in the spelling of many proper nouns like name of persons, name of places or things. Let us see these examples:

Many person names should be written thus:
Dinggaanliu (not Dinganliu which may be pronounced as Di-nganliu), Kasinggai (not Kasingai, which may be pronounced mistakenly as Kasin-gai or Kasi-ngai);
Didinnang (not Didinang, which may be pronounced wrongly pronounced as Didi-nang), Huthummang (not Huthumang, as it may be wrongly pronounced as Huthu-mang).
Names of many places should be written thus: Thinggra (not Thingra), Thinggou (not Thingou which may be taken as Thi-ngou) etc.
With the use of 'H', 'Silent Letters', AE or AA, names of many places may be written thus: Kakhuhlong, Neihkanluang, Luangchumb, Chiuluanh, Khongsaeng,
Khoupumb, Taosaeng, Luangraengk, Namtiramb, etc.
Given below are some examples of common words:

Counting Numeral:
1. Akhat.
2. Kanei
3. Kathumh
4. Padeih
5. Panguh (Pa-nguh)
6. Charuk
7. Chanei
8. Tachat
9. Chakiu/Chaku
10. Ruh
11. Ruhna Akhat
12. Ruhna Kanei
13. Ruhna Kathumh
14. Ruhna Padeih
15. Ruhna Panguh
16. Ruhna Charuk
17. Ruhna Chanei
18. Ruhna Tachat
19. Ruhna Chakiu
20. Nchuih
30. Tammruy
40. Riakdei
50. Riakngu
60. Riak Charuk
70. Riak Chanei
80. Riak Tachat
90. Riak Chakiu
100. Phaikhat

Names of persons:

1. Meiyhiammpou
2. Ringhlaaliu
3. Njuannguangpou
4. Dindthaorei
6. Nammsureiyang
7. Dihjuanang
8. Thuandkulung
9. Raajianliu
10. Ringhchaengsuiyliu
11. Mrs Ajang (Duijangliu)
12. Mr Ajaeng (Kajaenggai)

Heavenly Bodies

1. Boo: Moon (but 'Buu' for month)
2. Neih: Sun
3. Gaanchuanknga: Star
4. Nthaa-kailiu: Great Bear
5. Muangh: Cloud

Resources

1. Ntawh/ntauh: Stone
2. Thing: Wood
3. Seeniang: Sand
4. Tawthink: Pebble
5. Nriank: Bamboo
6. Rui: Cane/rattan
7. Kachaek: Gold
8. Ntanh: Iron
9. Gumh: Agar

Fruits & Vegetables

1. Komla/Kamlo/Kamlaa: Orange
2. Champra/Champraa: Lemon
3. Ng-ngeina thai: Melon
4. Pungmaa: Pumpkin
6. Bi: Yam
7. Ganeng: Mustard
8. Ganamm: Garlic
9. Abaah-thai: Mango
10. Naah-huamm: Maize
11. Rooh: Tubrous food
12. Gooh (instead of guh): Ginger
13. Gwaih-noudui: Milk (of Cow)
14. Nkhuaih-dui: Honey

Animal

1. Gwaih: Cow
2. Ziuh: Goat
3. Shi: Dog
4. Gwak: Pig
5. Amiouna: Cat
6. Kamang: Tiger
7. Chagamh: Bear
8. Jouy: Monkey
9. Asanh: Deer
10. Khaa: Fish
11. Gaa: Crab
12. Nrui: Snake
13. Nthuu: Singing Insect
14. Mouy: Eagle
15. Akhuaipui-naa: Red leg eagle
16. Ntiangh-pariangh: Hoopoe
17. Nrwaii-na: Bird (Common)

Taste

1. Ndeihmei: Sweet
2. Khianghmei: Sour
3. Bumhmei: Salty
4. Nkhuymei: Bitter

Colours (Machuy)

1. Mphuannmei: White
2. Miuumei: Black
3. Haenghmei: Red
4. Nrimmei: Blue
5. Ndiakmei: Green
6. Nzinhmei: Yellow
7. Tarikmei: Spotted

Lunn-lung (state/condition)

1. Mbuaihmei: Soft
2. Tanhmei: Strong, hard
3. Ndeemei: Numb
4. Mphaaihmei: Horizontal(ly)
5. Ndaenghmei: Oblique(ly)
6. Ndaepmei: Hungry
7. Nduimei: Short
8. Saenghmei: Long
9. How-gaimei: Beautiful, nice to see
10. Ntakmei: Wise and fruitful
11. Ntaekmei : To stop, end
12. Agaemmei: Greedy
13. Pariuhmei: Generous
14. Ndeymei: Damn-care
15. Mbianghmei: Not in line; tilted

It is planned to publish books and articles, religious pamphlet etc. using this simple yet high standard spelling of Rongmei. Comments and suggestions are welcome.