prefc.htm
by U Kyaw Tun (UKT), Tun Institute of Learning,
http://www.tuninst.net
From Burmese Grammar and Grammatical Analysis
by A. W. Lonsdale, Education Department, Burma, British Burma Press, Rangoon,
1899. Copied by UKT and staff of TIL . Start: 2008 Aug.
Noteworthy passages selected by UKT
Preface
Table of Content (of the original book
indicating original pages)
• The Burmese language is constructed on scientific principles, and there is no reason why its grammar should not be dealt with also from a scientific standpoint. But it may be safely said that Burmese grammar as a science has not received that attention it deserves.
• With regard to the grammatical treatises by native writers, it is no exaggeration to say that there is not one which can be properly called a Burmese grammar. These writers, not content with merely borrowing the grammatical nomenclature of the Pali language, also attempted to assimilate the grammatical principles of the uninflected Burmese to those of the inflected Pali; so that they produced, not Burmese grammars, but modified Pali grammars in Burmese dress. The servile veneration in which they held Pali, the language they had adopted as the classic, is, no doubt, directly responsible for the composition of such works. In their endeavour to conform strictly to Pali methods, they often introduced unnecessary terms and misapplied them, ignoring those grammatical points in Burmese for which they could find no parallel in Pali. How futile their attempts were may be judged by the numerous difficulties and anomalies they created, from some of which even now teachers of the language have not quite extricated themselves - take, for instance, the case-inflexions.
Contents of this page
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ALTHOUGH there are several grammars of the Burmese language already published in English, no apology is needed for issuing another. The study of a language to be of any educational value should be conducted on scientific lines; and a treatise in which this fact is not usually recognised can hardly be said to be of practical utility to the student who aims at gaining something more than a merely superficial knowledge of the subject. The Burmese language is constructed on scientific principles, and there is no reason why its grammar should not be dealt with also from a scientific standpoint. But it may be safely said that Burmese grammar as a science has not received that attention it deserves. In the present work an attempt is made to deal with it on the lines indicated. The practice usually followed in the grammatical treatment of the language is to give only certain facts which can be easily disposed of, and to pass over those which occasion difficulty. This would be well enough so far as an elementary work is concerned; but the facts presented are often so imperfectly classified and explained that the student is given the impression that the distinctions and rules of the language are purely arbitrary, and that it has, therefore, no grammar worthy of the name. It may be possibly due to this that some have even asserted that the language is but an incoherent medley of affixes and a few notional words. That Burmese is not devoid of a properly constructed grammar which admits of scientific treatment, the following pages, it is hoped, will show.
With regard to the grammatical treatises by native writers, it is no exaggeration to say that there is not one which can be properly called a Burmese grammar. These writers, not content with merely borrowing the gramma- [p.roman03 end] tical nomenclature of the Pali language, also attempted to assimilate the grammatical principles of the uninflected Burmese to those of the inflected Pali; so that they produced, not Burmese grammars, but modified Pali grammars in Burmese dress. The servile veneration in which they held Pali, the language they had adopted as the classic, is, no doubt, directly responsible for the composition of such works. In their endeavour to conform strictly to Pali methods, they often introduced unnecessary terms and misapplied them, ignoring those grammatical points in Burmese for which they could find no parallel in Pali. How futile their attempts were may be judged by the numerous difficulties and anomalies the created, from some of which even now teachers of the language have not quite extricated themselves - take, for instance, the case-inflexions.
To a very great extent this work is a first attempt to reduce to a system the grammatical principles of the language- an undertaking which has involved much patients labour. The author is fully conscious that it is not free from imperfections. Compelled, as he has been, to be original in dealing with the many difficult points which confronted him, and which previous writers had no touched upon, he has, no doubt, occasionally gone astray. Experience in using the work will probably disclose defects, and suggest some possible improvements.
In the preparation of the work, the author has generally followed the plan of English grammar, since it is one with which the class of students for whom the book is designed would be most familiar. He has not, however dealt with 'Syntax' in a separate section for the reason given on page 36. It will be noticed that in the English renderings of many of the Burmese examples given, idiom has been sacrificed to literal accuracy. The author has deemed it advisable, even at the risk of writing bad English, to adopt this course so as to bring out clearly, in every case, the precise meaning and idiomatic use of words [p.roman04 end] and phrases as well as the construction of sentences in Burmese. A section on 'Analysis of Burmese Sentences' a subject never attempted before - has been added. A careful study of this will, the author trusts, materially help the student to a better understanding of the structure a Burmese sentence. As the typical Burmese sentence the one in which the subordinate clauses are very much involved, the author has, in Chapter VIII of Part II , dealt very fully with the connective words which are used to mark these clauses.
The author begs to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. J. VanSomeren Pope, M.A., Director of Public Instruction, Burma, not only for the interest he has taken in the work, but also for the kind help he has given him. His hints and suggestions have been of very great service.
The author's cordial thanks are also due to Mr. W . Wedderspoon, M.A., B.L., Senior Inspector of Schools, central Circle, Burma, whose criticisms have frequently had the author to modify and even to re-cast various portions of his grammar. Being a student of the language himself, Mr. Wedderspoon took the keenest interest in the preparation of the work, and was ever ready and willing render help.
In the course of preparation, the author has had occasion to consult the works of various writers on English grammar. Wherever these have been cited acknowledgments have been made.
The acknowledgments of the author are also due to the proprietors of the 'British Burma Press' for their courtesy in affording him every facility for the successful printing of this work.
A. W. L.
RANGOON,
March, 1899.
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Contents of this page
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Introduction - p001
PART I ORTHOËPY AND ORTHOGRAPHY
Chapter 01. The Alphabet - p004
Chapter 02. Classification of the Consonants
according to the Vocal organs - p007
Chapter 03. The sounds of the Letters - p010
Chapter 04. Formation of Words
Combinations of vowels with consonants - p016
Combinations of consonants with consonants - p018
Chapter 05. Phonetic changes in Consonantal sounds - p030
Chapter 06. Tones and abbreviations - p033
PART II ACCIDENCE AND SYNTAX
Chapter 01. The Parts of Speech - p036
Chapter 02. Nouns
Definition - p039
Classes of Nouns
Proper - p039
Common - p040
Collective - p040
Material - p040
Abstract - p040
Inflexion of Nouns
Number - p043
Gender - p045
Case - p052
The cases explained - p054
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Nouns in Apposition - p066
Substitutes for nouns - p067
End of TIL file