Editor,
Apropos the letter, “Thomas Jones –Father of What?” by Dr. Glenn C. Kharkongor (ST, 25 June 2019), I would like to submit this rejoinder on certain points in the letter. While I agree that “we need not canonize” Thomas Jones or “exalt him on a pedestal that is higher than what he was,” I would humbly request for a more informed evaluation based upon actual historical evidence, explained in the context of 19th century missionary-colonial government relations. I also happen to have read the particular book that the letter-writer refers to, “The Languages of Meghalaya,” commissioned by PLSI. He describes the book as providing “a comprehensive description of the formations and linguistic complexities of the Khasi language.” Actually, the main thrust of Ganesh Devy’s and Esther Syiem’s project was to document the varieties (formerly called ‘dialects’) of language that exist today apart and distinct from the written, literary form. It is a monumental work that unearths the little known village varieties rather than explains the formation and development of a particular Khasi language.
Thomas Jones’ innovation was to reduce the Sohra variety into written form, by devising a modified Roman script and standardizing spelling, sentence structure and basic grammar. (Jones and subsequent missionaries incorporated many words from the War varieties into the Khasi Bible and other writings, while retaining the Sohra sentence structure and grammar. I happen to notice this linguistic assimilation because I have worked for ten years at Sohra where my wife’s family is from, and they still speak the ‘dialects’ of, the Ri-War Sohra region.) I join with many Khasi scholars, people actually qualified in linguistics, in maintaining that Jones’ great contribution was in pioneering the transformation of the Sohra variety from the vernacular of about a thousand speakers to the full-fledged language of over a million people. We can quibble about terms as to whether Jones was the ‘pioneer’ or ‘founder’ or ‘father,’ but we cannot belittle his seminal contribution to the development of Khasi language and literature.
It is true that the Khasis possessed a rich oral tradition long before Thomas Jones arrived in 1841. But unless expressed in writing, it would never qualify as a formal language. Besides, it is an unfortunate fact that many oral languages have disappeared because they never possessed an alphabet, never had written material, never experienced literary transmission. In this regard, Thomas Jones’ teaching in Khasi and using the Roman script went against the British colonial policy of using the Bengali language, for the sake of convenience, as the language of education and governance. In fact, the first Khasi New Testament was in the Bengali script, published by William Carey in 1824, which is a significant contribution of the Bengali language to the Khasi language. One may argue post factum that one script is as good as another. But the fact remains that it was the script and syntax that Thomas Jones devised and later missionaries developed, and not previous efforts, that survives to the present day and flourishes to the level of doctoral research.
In light of the above arguments, I would regard statements like “the Khasi language is not an illegitimate child in search of a father,” as sensational but not substantial. The Khasi tendency to give Westernized names and Jones’ second marriage after his first wife’s death hardly affect the legacy of Thomas Jones. Yes, the book ‘Through the Green Door’ (earlier published as ‘Gwalia in Khasia’), tells of distillation of alcohol for medicinal and surgical purposes, but apart from hearsay, I am still looking for footnotes beyond Nigel Jenkins’ book. Given that most of our churches officially advocate abstinence, proposing a rice beer named after Thomas Jones sadly trivializes the letter’s supposed reappraisal of the great man’s legacy. What is described as Thomas Jones getting “enmeshed in a business misadventure” is well explained by Rev. Dr. B.L. Nongbri in many of his writings (see Ka Pateng Khristan, June 2019) as actually his fight for justice, together with some Khasis, against the monopolistic trade practices and legal manipulation of that infamous colonialist, Harry Inglis. Finally, we do not celebrate Thomas Jones’ birthday as the letter says, but the date of his arrival at Sohra on 22 June, 1841.
Yours etc.,
Rev. Lyndan Syiem,
Shillong
PM’s Maan Ki Baat
Editor,
The Hon’ble PM’s flagship outreach radio broadcast programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is all set to start from this month, post a two month hiatus owing to elections. The popular outreach radio programme has uniquely set out a record of over 50 shows aired through national broadcasting network primarily through All India Radio.
As expected one is eagerly looking forward to hear more about policy matters, elections victory outcome, Post-election politics Continuity & change By Dr S Saraswathi Women’s Empowerment – Miles to Go By Rajdeep Pathak opinions, measures adopted by the government and importantly the programme now has a mandate to carry on with the nonstop monthly shows till the end of this term for next 5 years. The radio broadcast has a wider reach to the audience through the regional audio translations made in the evening of the same day of broadcast.
However the transcript of the radio programme should now be made available through leading national dailies in English and all the regional languages to be carried and published the next day. The communication strategy as suggested will have a wider impact on national and international readers through publishing of the transcript even through Press Information Bureau portal. The simultaneous broadcast aired even on television channels should carry detailed subtitles and text support in both English and other regional languages, as made in the original speech of the broadcast
Yours etc.,
Varun Dambal,
Bengaluru- 72