History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Shan people and their culture 10
27. Southern Thai (Pak Thai) (Thailand)
28. Tai Thanh (Vietnam)
29. Tày Sa Pa (Vietnam)
30. Tai Long (Laos)
31. Tai Hongjin (China)
32. Yong (Thailand)
Other Tai Languages
Kuan (Laos)
Rien (Laos)
Tay Khang (Laos)
Tai Pao (Laos)
Tai Do (Vietnam)
Shan language is a tonal language and written in a circular script called Shan script. Every
variation in the voice and tone such as low tone, high tone, medium tone, short tone, long tone,
intermediate tone makes differences in meaning. Altogether there are six basic tones; some have three
variations according to whether the mouth is wide opened, closed or partially closed. Apart from what
Rev. J. N. Cushing calls opened, closed and intermediate tones, there are eight distinct inflexions of the
voice in pronouncing words in the Lao dialect, seven in the Khamti, and six in the Shan of Burma. The
language, in all its known dialects, is rich and abounding in synonyms.
Literature
Shan have their own literature. King AbiYaZa of DaKong (later renamed YanGon) (wMu.if@)
created Shan script from Sanskrit in AD 483. In the beginning there were 54 letters. Tai Ahom in India
are still using this script today. It’s called “Leik To Ngok.”
In AD 723-748 the King of Nan Chao said that the character was not beautiful and he changed it into
more square character and also abandoned some letter that were not commonly used. Dai in China are
still using this script today.
In AD 1283 the king of Sukotai (Thai), King Rama Kamhaeng, created new script by mixing up the
round script which was created by King AbiYaZa and the square script which was created by King Nan
Chao. It is still used in Thailand and Laos today.
In AD 1416, the King of HsenWi, Sao Kham Kai Hpa, changed the letter of Shan to another new
rounded script. It is now called “Old Shan script” in Burma. Most of the Shan books were written with
this script. The old writing system of the Shan has problem in reading, pronouncing and understanding.
One of the Shan Christian missionaries wrote the story of the prodigal son in Shan; “Father, I have
sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of
thy hired servants.” But the Shan boy read the story as; “Father, I have sinned against heaven and
before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy baby elephants.” The
words “hired servant” (vkufqif) and “baby elephant” (vkufqif) have the same writing in old Shan writing,
but can be read in different tone and get different meaning. It should be correctly read as “zann” (qmifj)
with normal and long tone instead of “zan” (qmifh) with short and high tone. Another writing
(,ModefeHcHawn0foifr.if) “What to use to prick out the thorn?” the boy read; “Nun from NamKham will
marry San Maung” (,M@odeferfhcrf;awn0fomifbr.ifb). Because of the tone of the word, “thorn” becomes
“Nun” and “what to use to prick out” becomes “will marry San Maung.” What a difference! The two
words “wife” and “mother” are also written in the same word (ar) in old writing. One has high tone and
other has normal tone. If one read with the wrong tone, “wife” will become “mother” or “mother” will
become “wife.” Another example; the word (cM) (Ka) can give seven meanings such as; leg (cM), or