[Assam] About the Name Assam

Ram Sarangapani assamrs at gmail.com
Sun Mar 8 19:45:40 PDT 2009 

>Could it be that "Oxom" came from "Ohong", as in arrogant, proud,
conceited, vane or haughty? :-)
>Just a fleeting thought. :-) :-)

This is getting good, Dilip da. Can't wait for a rebuttal from the Ozarks.:)
 I'm enjoying the exchange.

--Ram
On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 9:34 PM, Dilip and Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>wrote:

> The omniscient is aware of that. He has some Ahom friends who pronounce
> "xo" as "ho".
> Then again, he also has other Ahom friends from Guwahati who wouldn't be
> caught dead with "ho" in their breath.
> Thus, your proof is not infallible. In fact it brings us closer to "Oxom"
> being from "Ahom". Now you tell me how the word  "Ahom" was formed and I'll
> call you an ace.
>
> Could it be that "Oxom" came from "Ohong", as in arrogant, proud,
> conceited, vane or haughty? :-)
> Just a fleeting thought. :-) :-)
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> 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: Sunday, March 8, 2009 10:10:59 PM
>  Subject: Re: [Assam] About the Name Assam
>
> >  whereas we know for sure the local people at that time as now
> >called the land "Oxom",
>
>
>
> ***  You do?
>
> So much for the certitude of the omniscient!!
>
> Did you know that the Ahom people, by and large, cannot pronounce the
> 'xo' sound and  pronounce it as 'ho' or 'kho'?
>
>
>
>
> ***************************************************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
> At 2:02 PM -0700 3/8/09, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:
> >".......an invention of an European, and thus not credible?" - I am
> >not suggesting that at all. I am not Europhobic. :-)
> >
> >Let's take the British days - the maps and the official records
> >meticulously prepared during that time called "Oxom" as "Assam"
> >whereas we know for sure the local people at that time as now called
> >the land "Oxom", the big difference being the sound of "x" versus
> >"s". What credibility would you give to the authenticity of the name
> >"Assam" used by the British?
> >In the same token, why would I accept "Asam" as written by a Dutch
> >in 17th century as an authentic name? The Dutch, just like the
> >British cannot pronounce "Oxom".
> >If you accept "Asam" as in Dutch map as the original name, when did
> >it change to today's "Oxom" and who changed it?
> >
> >I still say "Assam" is anglicized and "Asam" is Hollandized. Boy!
> >that sounds too much like Hollandaise sauce.
> >I am surprised there was no comment on the rest of my email.
> >Dilip
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >________________________________
> >From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
> >To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the
> >world <assam at assamnet.org>; adhazarika at yahoo.com
> >Sent: Sunday, March 8, 2009 4:25:08 PM
> >Subject: Re: [Assam] About the Name Assam
> >
> >
> >>  But I wouldn't use these books nor a book written in another
> >>European language (Dutch) to prove that >Assam is an indigenous word.
> >
> >
> >*** Why? Are you suggested the Dutch traveller who prepared the map where
> >Assam  is recorded as "Asam" was likely an invention of an European,
> >and thus not credible?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >At 12:50 PM -0700 3/8/09, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:
> >>Kamal,
> >>In today's parlance, you are absolutely correct. The local people
> >>call the land "Oxom" and, themselves "Oxomiya". When those words
> >>are written as "Assam" and "Assamese", it is an attempt to anglicize
> >>the locally used words.
> >>
> >>Now whether Oxom was derived from another word that was local to the
> >>area and non-Sanskrit in its origin is another issue.
> >>As we all know the region (at least the western part) was called
> >>Kamrupa in ancient literature. For the name Kamrupa to change to
> >>Oxom, it is almost impossible. There is no resemblance between the
> >>two words. So the natural assumption would be that the
> >>transformation to Oxom did not happen with the so called Hindu
> >>settlers of Assam from the west. It is more likely it happened with
> >  >the domination of Assam by the Ahoms, who for the first time in a
> >>long time brought the people of the region under one rule through
> >>political acumen.
> >>
> >>I have in my possession books written/compiled by British officers
> >>where the word Assam is used. But I wouldn't use these books nor a
> >>book written in another European language (Dutch) to prove that
> >>Assam is an indigenous word. There needs to be more research done by
> >>Xahitya Xobha, digging into the Buranjis of the Ahoms and whatever
> >>remains of the Ahom language.
> >>
> >>I am told by my Ahom friends that many Buranjis were burnt during
> >>the waning years of Ahom rule. I am also told many Buranjis are
> >>still available in the Ahom villages kept as family heirloom. Does
> >>anyone know how to read and decipher these tomes?
> >>Isn't there a scholar in all of Assam who could trace through the
> >>transformation of Ahom language from 1228 to the British days
> >>to see if the name Oxom was coined by the Ahoms to describe their
> kingdom?
> >>
> >>When I am on a roll, let me also ask how the Shans from Burma
> >>renamed themselves as Ahoms and when it happened.
> >>If all of this is known to some netter, please publish it, so that
> >  >some of us not exposed to recent findings in Assam can learn and
> >>stop arguing over a name.
> >>
> >>Dilip Deka
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>________________________________
> >>From: kamal deka <kjit.deka at gmail.com>
> >>To: adhazarika at yahoo.com; A Mailing list for people interested in
> >>Assam from around the world <assam at assamnet.org>
> >>Sent: Sunday, March 8, 2009 10:23:39 AM
> >>Subject: Re: [Assam] About the Name Assam
> >>
> >>In my humble view,the very word " Assam" is an Anglicised one.As an
> >>adjective," Assamese " pertains to the characteristic of the people of
> >>Assam and their culture..As  a noun,it means the native of Assam or the
> >>language of Assam.
> >>In view of the above fact.Assam Sahitya Sabha may not be in error.
> >>Kamal
> >>
> >>On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 9:47 PM, Ajoy Hazarika <adhazarika at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>>  Dear Oxom Xahityo Xobha:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>  I agree with Chandan Mahanta.  If you do not know anything about it,
> >>>  an article written by H. Borgohain.  I could not find the article,
> >>>  otherwise I could have forwarded to you.
> >>>
> >>>  Hi Chandan, Rajen, if you have that article please forward that to .
> Oxom
> >>>  Xahityo Xobha
> >>>  Oxom Xahityo Xobha.  It will also help if Oxom Xahityo Xobha study
> >>>  the Bodo language.  There are other historical facts.  Chandan and
> Rajen
> >>>  can help.
> >>>
> >>>  A. D. Hazarika
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>  --- On Mon, 3/2/09, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
> >>>  From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
> >>>  Subject: [Assam] About the Name Assam
> >>>  To: info at axomxahityaxobha.org
> >>>  Cc: assam at assamnet.org
> >>>  Date: Monday, March 2, 2009, 9:05 PM
> >>>
> >>>  Dear Oxom Xahityo Xobha:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>  >In 1917 the Asom Sahitya Sabha was formed as a
> >>>  >guardian of the Assamese society and the forum for the
> >>  > >development of Assamese language and literature.
> >>>  >The word Assamese is an English one, built on the same
> >>>  >principle as Cingalese, Canarese, etc. It is based on the
> >>>  >English word Assam by which the tract consisting of the
> >>>  >Brahmaputra valley is known.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>  *** It is pretty sad that you don't know the origins of the name
> >>>  Assam, that you claim is an English name.
> >>>
> >>>  It is such display of ignorance of our history and an absence of
> >>>  intellectual curiosity to know what it truly is, that makes the likes
> >>>  of Oxom Xahityo Xobha irrelevant to our cultural heritage
> >>>
> >>>  Sondon Mohonto
> >>>
> >>>  USA
> >>>  _______________________________________________
> >>>  assam mailing list
> >>>  assam at assamnet.org
> >>>  http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>  _______________________________________________
> >>>  assam mailing list
> >>>  assam at assamnet.org
> >>>  http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >>>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>assam mailing list
> >>assam at assamnet.org
> >>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet..org
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>assam mailing list
> >>assam at assamnet.org
> >>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> >assam at assamnet.org
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> >_______________________________________________
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>
>
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