An Introductory Primer and Grammar of Ahom Tai ... - Khamkoo

e
ê
To this traditional group, may be added another couple, which J.N. Phukan transcribes in a
different way:
o
a
e a
aw
The transcription of the subscript o by 'a' is not felicitous, because of the possible confusion
with the unwritten vowel which is also transcribed 'a'. This is because in Indian scripts, two 'a'
are usually contrasted : one 'long a', or 'â', which is normally pronounced [a] and one 'short a'
which in Assamese is pronounced [ ], an open [o] ; consequently, it seems very normal for
Assamese trained scholars to write 'a' something which is pronounced [o]. Moreover, this
subscript small circle which is often found in scripts of Indian origin corresponds to a [w] or
[v] sound, and this is also the case in Ahom : see Lesson 10.
The second group is actually made of various diphthongs :
j ]
ai au
oj o]
oi ow
w E
ao
iw
iao
Here again the choice of transcribing E by 'o', for instance in mE[q 'mong' "country", is
not happy. It is obvious that Professor Phukan is worried here, since there is no indication
about E in the Lessons. Tai languages specialists currently think that this sign notes a central
vowel like [∝].
We will also often find a sign group Ew which is not commented upon in the Lessons.
Professor Terwiel suggested that the sign E is another writing of iu , but in Professor
Phukan's book, the two graphs seem distinct.
Modifications used in the lexicons at the end of this book
O
In order to provide an unambiguous transcription, slight modifications are used in the
appended lexicons :
E Ew Uiw
o ü üw iuw
o
iu
iu