After the extinction of the Bo language, another language finds itself on the verge of disappearance. Ahom - the oldest of the five Tai languages spoken in India’s North Eastern state of Assam.
Though born a Tai Ahom, Dipima Buragohain remembers speaking only Assamese with her family and in school as she grew up.
“As a community we are more than 8 million, but we do not speak Ahom at home. We speak the Assamese language in our daily lives.”
There are just about 450 Ahom speakers left. They too belong to the elderly priestly class or the ‘Tai Purohits’; who use the Ahom language only to say their prayers, perform rituals, and conduct religious and wedding ceremonies. That means according to Ethnologue census, the Ahom language is already considered extinct.
So how come a community numbering over 8 million has only a few hundred speakers left?
According to Dipma it’s because Assamese is the dominant language in the state. She says that The Tai Ahoms ruled Assam for over 600 years. In fact, Ahom was once the royal language and even the history of the state of Assam was recorded in Ahom. But the birth of the Assamese language in the 16th century, replaced Ahom in the royal court and over the years Assamese became the majority language spoken in the state. That led to a total language shift in Assam and to the disappearance of Ahom. Today it is found only in ancient manuscripts and rituals.
When Dipima realised that in a few years time there may not be even a single Ahom speaker left, she decided to try to revive it. She is now doing her PhD in Linguistics from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and studying Ahom. And ironically, it was only while researching Ahom that she learnt to say her first word in her mother tongue - ‘Khrup Tang’ which means hello.
“Along with researching its descriptive grammar, I am also learning my language now.”
Even though she belongs to the community, researching the Ahom Language hasn’t been easy for Dipima.
“I found a lot of information on the history of Ahoms and our culture. But there is not much on our language. I managed the fieldwork only because I personally knew most people from the priestly class due to my father’s close association with them. I strongly feel that the priestly class is the only significant source for making in-depth research in Tai Ahom, both the community and its language.”
But Dipima is happy that finally there is an effort to revive her mother tongue.
“The Institute of Tai Studies and Research is now established in Assam. It teaches the Ahom language, publishes academic journals and preserves the old Ahom manuscripts.”
After completing her doctorate, Dipima plans to continue her research and learn more about her language.
“Being a member from the community, I believe it’s my responsibility to conduct meaningful research on the language as well as the cultural practices of the community. That’s my little contribution to the revival of Ahom.”
on Apr 19th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Nice article. It reminds me a lot of the death of Sanskrit and Latin though.
Classical languages that died when the language of the masses took over. Nice to see someone attempting a revival of sorts.
on May 25th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Thanks Shweta. Language extinction is a serious concern. In India itself, languages are dying fast or at least on the verge of extinction. Public awareness is really significant in this issue along with the responsible documentation of linguists.
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 9:44 am
Hi Dipima,
Its quite impressive me what you are trying to do. Language is such a essential part to learn about our culture. I am a reporte from Harmony magazine, Mumbai. I am doing a story on dynig languages of Inda. Can i get a quote from you on why you are learning this language? What prompted you and what do you see in futre for this language? Is it also important to learn a dying language for preventing its extinction. It will be great if you can mail me your answers. thanks.
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 11:51 am
@Shweta: What makes you think that Sanskrit is a dead language!!!!!!!!!
It is taught here in many schools, in India……….
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Jasmin, I agree with Shweta when she says Sanskrit is a dead language Yes. It is taught in many schools- agreed. But have you met anyone speaking in sanskrit in day to day life? Children study it as their second or third language in schools. Its use is mostly limited to books, Hindu Slokas and Scholars who study the language for research purpose. That way the Tai Ahom language too is being studied at JNU. The question remains: Is it being spoken in day to day life? NO
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
We have Sanskrit news bulletins, and I am sure they are for living people. All the havans in Hindu religious and social ceremonies are conducted in Sanskrit.
The Sanskrit pupils converse in Sanskrit during the class. Many schools here especially the DAV schools have a regular Sanskrit subject. There is a village Keerthana, then how can you call it dead, it is not even in coma…It is alive..in whatever manner. ….Do not pronounce it dead just because it is less active. Thank God, you people aren’t doctors…Keerthana, Sanskrit is one of the 22 official languages of India.”The 1991 and 2001, census of India recorded 49,736 and 14,135 persons, respectively, with Sanskrit as their mother tongue. Since the 1990s, efforts to revive spoken Sanskrit have been increasing. Many organizations like the Samskrta Bharati are conducting Speak Sanskrit workshops to popularize the language. The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) in India has made Sanskrit a third language (though it is an option for the school to adopt it or not, the other choice being the state’s own official language) in the schools it governs. In such schools, learning Sanskrit is an option for grades 5 to 8 (Classes V to VIII). This is true of most schools affiliated to the ICSE board too, especially in those states where the official language is Hindi. Sudharma, the only daily newspaper in Sanskrit has been published out of Mysore in India since the year 1970. Since 1974, there has been a short daily news broadcast on All India Radio.
In these Indian villages, inhabitants of all castes speak Sanskrit natively since childhood:
1.Mattur in Karnataka,
2.Jhiri, District: Rajgadh, Madhya Pradesh,
3.Ganoda, District: Banswada, Rajasthan,
4.Bawali, District: Bagapat, Uttar Pradesh
5.Mohad, District: Narasinhpur, Madhya Pradesh”
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Keerthana, please visit these links for Sanskrit. Thank you.
1. http://ta-in.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&viewas=0&gid=2356320171
2. http://www.hvk.org/articles/0203/35.html
3. http://connect.krishna.com/node/7769
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
@ Jasmin: Thanks for all the details that you have provided. You have elaborated on all that I mentioned in short
If you haven’t read I will mention it again here: “Children study it as their second or third language in schools. Its use is mostly limited to books, Hindu Slokas and Scholars who study the language for research purpose.” I am a tamil brahmin- for your information- all the rituals and the prayers that we say is in Sanskrit. But my only point was how many of us speak the language in day to day lives? The number is far less.
The majority of the subscribers of the newspaper Sudharma are Sanskrit scholars and students. and u say efforts are being made to REVIVE spoken Sanskrit. Why make efforts to revive it if the language is living? yes I didn’t know that five villages speak this language. thanks for the info.
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Visit this too
http://help.berberber.com/forum100/114377-sanskrit-not-dead-language.html
It has a video too, and you can hear people converse in Sanskrit, in day to day life.
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
If you know your medical terminology, only people who have some life get revived. Dead cannot be revived.If Sanskrit is spoken by people, then it is not dead at all. It has to be made a popular language as it is the mother of all languages. We are too much into English, thanks to the British Raj! I am a Brahmin too-a Kashmiri Brahmin..
Nice meeting you!
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
And Keerthana, it would be nice of you to research and write a story about these 5 villages and the wonderful people who are using Sanskrit in day to day life.
on Jun 16th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Will work on it Jasmin. thanks
on Jul 5th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
hi dipima,thanks for doing something for our existing language. I think we should awaken our people about our existing language. We can efford them to learn & speak it.
on Aug 30th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
actually i am also belong to ahom community but i do not know the original tai ahom language which our ancestors used to spoke centuries ago. it will be helpful for me if you send me any information about this tai-ahom language. preferable if possible teach me this language by sending email to my email id.
thanking you.
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 12:18 am
Hi Dipima,
Heartiest congratulation and god bless you.Once day, ur mother tongue was a royal language of Assam,but now its condition is too bad to die.Really,why ur people disrespect ! If language is died,culture is dead,if culture is dead,nation is dead.If do you know,in Japan,there were only 7 speakers named Iono language,
but now due to Japan govt. initiative,there are lot of speakers now,i.e. got alive or revived.As an educated member of the community,you should proceed to revive and improve ur language.That’s my request.
on Oct 23rd, 2010 at 10:16 am
Great to hear that you are putting effort to revive Tai Ahom Language. I am from Thailand. I am so interesting in Tai Ahom’ history. Tai Ahom is so wonderful.
All the best to you and your family.
Pinyo Rattanaphan
on Dec 19th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Hi Dipima,
I am doing research on Ethnic Identity and the Ahom as the area of case study. I have to incorporate a little about language in my work. Thank you for your feelings and some of these will find a place in my thesis. Any problem from/for you? I need some other informations from you if you are disposed to divulge,
H.K.Nath
on Apr 8th, 2011 at 11:24 am
how can i get magazine published by INSTITUTE OF TAI STUDIES AND REASHER?