[Assam] ALAXOT SANG POTA

Sat Jun 14 15:45:17 PDT 2008

I fully agree.Alaxot sang pota and Akhaxot sang pota :both could perhaps be
used interchangeably.
KJD

On 6/14/08, barua25 <barua25 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> I thnk Chandan is right.
> ALAX also means AIR, VOID, SKY.
> Thus 'alaxot sang pota'  will be a correct Assamese expression.
> "alaxor laru" means one who is raised in such affection and care as not to
> let him/her touch even the earth (mati).
> ALAX in both the expression means the same: AIR
> Rajen
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "kamal deka" <kjit.deka at gmail.com>
> To: "A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world" <
> assam at assamnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 10:34 PM
> Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.
>
>
> > Akakhot sang pota,the English equivalent of which will be : To build
> castle
> > in the air.
> >
> > Alaxor laru means: something very dear.
> >
> > I could be in error.
> >
> > KJD ( INGRAJIR BIXAROD )
> >
> > On 6/13/08, Alpana B. Sarangapani <absarangapani at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> I think Mukul-da is right.
> >>
> >> It is 'aakaaxot saang pota' (meaning 'xunyot'), not 'aalaaxot'.
> >>
> >> And you are right, Aalaax is used for 'Alaaxor Laaru', meaning
> >> 'oti-moromor' - very precious, apple of the eye, need I go on? :)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and
> >> humble like a blade of grass."
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:34:53 -0500> To: dilipdeka at yahoo.com;
> >> cmahanta at charter.net> From: cmahanta at charter.net> CC:
> assam at assamnet.org>
> >> Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> > At 7:28 PM -0700
> 6/13/08,
> >> Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:> >O'Mahanta,> >Same meaning - Imaginary Right?
> As
> >> in Imaginary Laaru.> > > **** I am guessing here now, but I think
> 'alaaxor
> >> laaru' does not > mean an imaginary dessert. I believe it means
> 'something
> >> absurdly > held to be 'aapurugiya', of great value.> > Can our
> Oxomiya-major
> >> friends tell us exactly what an 'alaaxor laaru is'?> > > >Hey, we didn't
> do
> >> too badly. Despite all conjectures :-), we do > >remember class X
> Assamese.>
> >> > *** We may be geezers, but we do remember a thing or two still :-).> >
> > >
> >> > > > > > > > > > > > >Hey, we didn't do too badly. Despite all
> conjectures
> >> :-), we do > >remember class X Assamese.> >O'Deka> >> >> >> >-----
> Original
> >> Message ----> >From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>> >To: Dilip
> and
> >> Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>; Chandan Mahanta > ><
> cmahanta at charter.net>>
> >> >Cc: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the >
> >world
> >> <assam at assamnet.org>> >Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:22:43 PM>
> >Subject:
> >> Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> >> >O'Deka:> >> >The other common
> >> usage of 'alaax' is in 'alaaxor laaru'> >> >O'm> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>
> >>
> >> >At 7:00 PM -0700 6/13/08, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:> >> >>O'Mahanta,>
> >>>
> >> >>You are correct.> >>> >>'Alaaxot Sang Pota' is what I remember from
> usage.
> >> In fact it was a > >>standard question in Assamese literature class
> >> (interpretation of > >>'Phokora-zozona') and I remember answering that
> Alaax
> >> must have > >>meant something intangible and imaginary, when a sang
> (bridge
> >> or > >>shelf) needs some tangible support.> >>> >>O'Deka> >>>
> >>
> >>===================================================================================================>
> >> >>> >>> >>> >>----- Original Message ----> >>From: Chan Mahanta <
> >> cmahanta at charter.net>> >>To: A Mailing list for people interested in
> Assam
> >> from around the > >>world <assam at assamnet.org>> >>Sent: Friday, June
> 13,
> >> 2008 7:50:29 PM> >>Subject: Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the Editor.> >>>
> >> >>>.You meant akaaxot> >>> >>> >>No, not really. I meant 'alaaxot'.
> 'alaaxot
> >> ssang-pota' is an> >>authentic Oxomiya phrase :-).> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>
> >>>
> >> >>> >>> >>At 6:01 AM +0530 6/14/08, mc mahant wrote:> >>><'Expectation
> is
> >> the mother of all disappointments'.( maybe also > >>>Unhappiness)>
> >>>And
> >> <'alaaxot saang-pota kotha'> ( daydreaming).You meant akaaxot> >>>mm>
> Date:
> >> Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:01:32 -0500> To: > >>><mailto:assam at assamnet.org>
> >> assam at assamnet.org>> >>>From: <mailto:cmahanta at charter.net>
> >> cmahanta at charter.net> Subject: > >>>Re: [Assam] Fw: Letter to the>
> >> >>>Editor.> > > I am also curious about the PREMISE of KJD's>
> >>>letter:> >
> >> > The Asomiya language in the USA has already been put to> >>>sleep by >
> >> >the Asomiyas themselves> > > *** First off, how can a> >>>language die
> in a
> >> particular locale, when it > did not even LIVE> >>>there?> > When did
> the
> >> Oxomiya language take root in US shores? It> >>>is a > preposterous
> >> proposition. Surely a minuscule number of> >>>immigrants > spread out
> over a
> >> continent three times the land mass> >>>of India, > speaking the
> language at
> >> home or friends with infrequent> >>>contact > could not possibly
> establish a
> >> language that could be even> >>>remotely > considered a living one.> > >
> ***
> >> KJD make some good> >>>points, like the amusing spectacle of >
> conducting a
> >> debate about> >>>the health of Oxomiya language in the USA > in English,
> or>
> >> >>>conducting an entire Oxomiya bor-xobaah in English. > But then again>
> >> >>>it only reaffirms the logistical challenges of > communicating in a>
> >> >>>language that has NOT even taken hold. A sizable > segment of the>
> >> >>>next generation of Oxomiya immigrants would not > understand what is>
> >> >>>going on, if conducted entirely in Oxomiya.> > One can therefore>
> >>>beat
> >> up on the parents who failed to teach their > progeny their>
> >>>ancestral
> >> language. But that is NOT going to change > anything,> >>>other than
> perhaps
> >> give some dubious satisfaction of > venting> >>>personal dislikes or
> >> assertion of self-righteousness.> > *** But I> >>>would not despair.
> There
> >> will always be those who are > interested> >>>and have the ability to
> learn
> >> the language of their > forebears. And> >> >they will keep the Oxomiya
> >> language in the USA, in > formaldehyde> >>>like a specimen in a museum,
> >> caught in a time-warp, > speaking a> >>>language that has been long
> forsaken
> >> by the Oxomiyas > themselves as> >>>they march on the highway of
> evolution.
> >> It has no > chance of being> >>>anything else. To expect otherwise will
> be
> >> 'alaaxot > saang-pota> >>>kotha' ( daydreaming).> > > *** Finally, KJD's
> >> disappointments in> >>>this matter is a result of > unrealistic
> >> expectations. As the sixth> >>>principle of happiness in the > MSBSP
> Book of
> >> Wisdoms says> >>>'Expectation is the mother of all > disappointments'.>
> > >
> >> Your> >>>What-Me-Worry Kharkhowa Compatriot,> > cm> > > > > > > > > > >
> >
> >> At> >>>12:48 AM -0500 6/13/08, Rajen & Ajanta Barua wrote:> > Dear KJD>
> >>
> >> >>>Thanks for the intellectual and timely article on Oxomiya> >>>Bhaxa >
> >> >(Assamese Language) published in the Sentinel. This is an> >>>important
> >
> >> >and sensitive subject and you have touched some truths.> >>>However I >
> >> >find that overall, the article has given a rather one> >>> >> >sided
> and >
> >> >distorted view of the Assamese in America, and people> >>>in Assam
> might >
> >> >get the impression that we Assamese in America> >>>donot speak Assamese
> >
> >> >at all. It is basically to correct this> >>>view, that I have decided
> to >
> >> >comment on your article.> >> > First> >>>I am glad that you are
> addressing
> >> the 'Assamese language> >>>in > >America' and not 'Assamese language in
> >> Assam'. These are> >>>two > >separate issues. Writing about the 'demise
> of
> >> Assamese> >>>language in > >America', you are hitting on the bull's eye
> and
> >> on a> >>>real problem. > >The same is however not true for the Assamese>
> >> >>>language in general as > >many of us like to imagine. The Assamese>
> >> >>>language in general will > >flow as long as the river luit will>
> >> >>>flow.> >> > As you have pointed out like many other languages, the>
> >> >>>'Assamese > >language in America' will eventually die out. If any>
> >>>one
> >> does the > >numerical analysis, this is inevitable, and frankly>
> >>>speaking
> >> there > >is no point in being emotional or critical about> >>>it. The
> Tie
> >> Ahoms > >lost their mother tongue in Assam the same way.> >>>The issue
> of >
> >> >inevitability is however not reflected your article.> >>>Rather you are
> >
> >> >showing as if it is a news for all of us and> >>>especially to the >
> >> >Assamese people back home.> >> > That being> >>>said, let us not bring
> >> death to the 'Assamese language > >in> >>>America' prematurely. The fact
> is
> >> the Assamese language> >>>in > >America is not dead yet. You wrote
> "....most
> >> of the> >>>Asomiyas, > >belonging to the in-between generation, if not
> all,
> >> do> >>>not speak > >their mother tongue at all." I am sure most Assamese
> in>
> >> >>>America > >would not agree with you. In fact, we still have most>
> >> >>>Assamese > >converse in Assamese when we meet together in Assamese>
> >> >>>parties and > >we have many Assamese children who speak fluent>
> >> >>>Assamese. Not only > >that, we have writers and poets in the country>
> >> >>>who writes in > >Assamese. Thus your statement, "The Asomiya>
> >>>language
> >> in the USA has > >already been put to sleep by the Asomiyas>
> >>>themselves,"
> >> is a bit > >exaggeration, highly controversial and> >>>frankly speaking
> not
> >> true.> >> > Leaving aside the above> >>>exaggeration, let us see the
> reasons
> >> cited > >by you for the> >>>eventual demise of the Assamese language in
> >> America. > >You wrote,> >>>"It is too facile of an argument, often made
> by
> >> the > >expatriate> >>>Asomiyas, that teaching children their native
> language
> >> > >interferes> >>>with the English language development." Frankly
> speaking,
> >> > >I find> >>>this absolutely a wrong assumption. I donot think there
> are >
> >> >any> >>>such unfortunate and ignorant Assamese in America (or>
> >> >>>elsewhere) > >who sincerely believe the above outdated theory and>
> >> >>>that is why they > >donot teach Assamese to their children. The>
> >> >>>actual reason why the > >parents donot teach Assamese to their>
> >> >>>children is plain and simple. > >We are too laid back, hobo diok and>
> >> >>>lazy. At the same time, there > >are many parents, like us, who>
> >>>speak
> >> to their children in Assamese. > >Now formal teaching of> >>>Assamese is
> a
> >> different matter altogether > >which must have to be a> >>>community
> effort.
> >> As communities we are > >small everywhere and> >>>where we can, frankly
> >> speaking we are lazy and > >take our usual> >> >'hoobo diok' attitude.
> It is
> >> not because we Assamese > >donot have> >>>pride in our culture and
> language,
> >> as we have said. On > >the other> >>>hand, I think we (the NRI Assamese)
> >> have too much pride in > >the> >>>Assamese language and culture. That is
> why
> >> we celebrate> >>>Bihu > >almost everywhere in the globe now a days. That
> is
> >> why we> >>>meet > >annually in two places at the same fourth of July
> every>
> >> >>>years in > >America.> >> > Coming to your concluding remark on>
> >> >>>teaching Assamese, "One would > >fall off the chair to learn that>
> >>>the
> >> entire affair is conducted in > >English! I am at a loss to>
> >>>understand
> >> as to how on earth one can > >pass one's culture and> >>>heritage on to
> >> their progeny by merely > >holding Bihu function once> >>>in a year
> without
> >> impressing upon their > >children the importance> >>>of learning their
> own
> >> language which is the > >essence of any> >>>culture." On this I am with
> you.
> >> I agree that it > >seems a bit> >>>hypocritical for the Assamese in
> Houston
> >> to debate in > >English> >>> >> >during the Bihu about the 'demise of
> the
> >> Assamese language > >in> >>>Assam'. I think it is not only hypocritical
> bu
> >> rather wastage> >>>of > >time. I would have rather spent the time
> teaching
> >> Assamese to> >>>our > >children, which in fact I had suggested strongly.
> >
> >> >> >> >>>Overall I think your article will play very well in Assam>
> >>>where
> >> > >people are ready to judge the NRIs on wrong assumptions> >>>like we
> the >
> >> >NRIs like to judge Assam often time on wrong> >>>assumptions. I hope we
> >
> >> >are learning.> >> > Incidentally some of> >>>us are trying to come up
> with
> >> a scheme to > >teach basic Assamese to> >>>the children. Please watch
> out
> >> for some good > >news.> >> > BTW I> >>>will send a verson of this
> writing to
> >> Sentinel so that > >people in> >>>Assam will not hold to the wrong
> >> impression that we donot > >speak> >>>in Assamese at all. etc> >> >
> Thanks>
> >> > Rajen> >>>Kokaideu> >> >> >> >> >> >> > ----- Original Message ----->
> >
> >> From:> >>>kamal deka> > To: Rajen & Ajanta Barua> > Sent: Sunday, June
> 08,>
> >> >>>2008 9:04 AM> > Subject: Letter to the> >>>Editor.> > > > > > > > > >
> > >
> >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > >>
> >> >> >>>The Demise of Asomiya Language in America> > Half of the world's>
> >> >>>6,000 languages, > >as estimated by the United Nations, will go the>
> >> >>>way of the dinosaurs > >in less than a century. In fact one falls>
> >>>out
> >> of use about every two > >weeks. Usually, the life of a language>
> >>>comes
> >> to an end when the > >speakers of the language stop speaking> >>>it for
> any
> >> reason. The > >Asomiya language in the USA has already> >>>been put to
> sleep
> >> by the > >Asomiyas themselves, which is the> >>>product of parental
> failure
> >> to > >inculcate a sense of pride in our> >>>ancient culture and
> language. >
> >> >After all, diet and dialect are> >>>perhaps the emblems of any society.
> >
> >> >The abdication of the Asomiya> >>>parents makes it easy for the Asomiya
> >
> >> >children here in America to> >>>follow the path of least resistance by
> >
> >> >imitating their American> >>>peers. The result : most of the Asomiyas,
> >
> >> >belonging to the> >>>in-between generation, if not all, do not speak >
> >> >their mother> >>>tongue at all.> > It is too facile of an argument, >
> >> >often made by> >>>the expatriate Asomiyas, that teaching children their
> >
> >> >native> >>>language interferes with the English language development.>
> >> >>>It > >would, therefore, be better to focus on English than teach>
> >>>a >
> >> >language that is going to be of limited use in this country.> >>>This >
> >> >line of reasoning, in my opinion, does not seem to have two> >>>legs to
> >
> >> >stand for a few simple reasons.> > First, research> >>>consistently
> points
> >> > >to the cognitive and academic advantages of> >>>being bilingual, no >
> >> >matter what the second language is. But the> >>>Asomiya parents are not
> >
> >> >dissuaded by multilingual pre-schoolers> >>>reading earlier and faster
> >
> >> >than their monolingual counterparts.> >>>The young child's alloplastic
> >
> >> >mind is fertile ground for a> >>>multitude of ideas. Far from stunting
> >
> >> >mastery in English,> >>>learning another language enhances a child's >
> >> >ability to learn> >>>English by expanding linguistic structure and >
> >> >syntax.> >>>Furthermore, most children passively acquire English>
> >> >>>through > >ubiquitous interactions with teachers and fellow> >>
> >> >schoolmates at > >school, television and on the street. Conversely,>
> >> >>>they imbibe their > >native language only at home.> > Secondly, when>
> >> >>>Americans themselves > >have begun to realize that this land is not>
> >>>a
> >> melting pot but rather > >a rich mosaic, it is ironic that many of>
> >>>us
> >> still cling to the > >archaic philosophy of Romans in Rome.>
> >>>Thankfully,
> >> the Asomiyas here > >in America do not live in such a> >>>rigid world
> where
> >> they have to > >choose between extremes.> >> >>>Thirdly, there is
> another
> >> powerful > >benefit that is relevant to> >>>our children growing up here
> and
> >> that is > >in helping them a strong> >>>sense of identity which can help
> >> lead to > >better self-esteem and> >>>self-confidence.> > The Asomiya
> >> diaspora of the USA > >insists and> >>>claims that the foremost reason
> of
> >> celebrating Bihu is > >to> >>>transmit - and preserve - our culture to
> the
> >> next generation.> >>>One > >would fall off the chair to learn that the
> >> entire affair> >>>is > >conducted in English! I am at a loss to
> understand
> >> as to how> >>> >> >on > >earth one can pass one's culture and heritage
> on to
> >> their> >>>progeny by > >merely holding Bihu function once in a year
> without>
> >> >>>impressing upon > >their children the importance of learning their>
> >> >>>own language which > >is the essence of any culture.> > Kamaljit>
> >> >>>Deka,> > Sugarland, Texas.> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> >> >>
> >> >>>The information contained in this e-mail is intended only > >for the>
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