Ngaba (6)

This post contains the final section of Ngaba, chapter 1.  As in the previous section, the dialogue by the Chinese men at the store is written in Myanmar script as though with a Chinese accent.  I have not reproduced that device in the English version.  The text (p. 8) begins with the latter half of a sentence that began at the end of page 7 (see Ngaba (5)).

Myanmar language study resources

The following is a list of some useful early stage study aids for Myanmar language available online.

1.  Burmese By Ear or Essential Myanmar by John Okell (available in full online via the SOAS webpage)

2. Online versions of Saya Saw Tun's Myanmar language study texts (via Northern Illinois University)

3. The SOAS resource page for "Burmese Language Study Materials"

4. The Online Burma/Myanmar Library resource page for Myanmar language

Ngaba (5)

Here is the fifth installment of the Ngaba translation with accompanying vocabulary. Regarding the translation of the dialogue at the Chinese store, the original Myanmar text is written as though with a Chinese accent (rather than strictly according to correct spelling). As is evident, I have not replicated this in the English version. Also, the translated portion of the text ends at the red line at the bottom of the right column.

Maung Tha Noe on translating

The following is a copy of Maung Tha Noe's insightful article on translating between English and Myanmar. It is can also be downloaded here.

Losing gems as you translate

Some experiences of a Burmese translator

Maung Tha Noe

When I was an 8^th grader at high school I thought of translating a piece of Greek mythology into Burmese for the school magazine. The story I had in mind was from our English reading text and it tells of Ulysses returning from the Trojan War and being captured by Cyclops. Ulysses had told the Cyclops his name was No Man. One night he managed to blind the one-eyed giant with a burning log. When the monster screamed for help, the neighbors came to his cave door inquiring “Who is hurting you?” He answered “No Man is hurting me” and the neighbors cursed him and went home. It was the Cyclops’ answer that undid me. We have no equivalent in Burmese for the English word no, either for the opposite of yes or for phrases like no money, no food, no home, no man.

Iron Cross: Yawga

This post includes a video of Iron Cross performing the song Yawga (ရောဂါ) written by Iron Cross member Saw Bwe Hmu (စောဘွဲ့မှူး). To view the video, a transcription and translation of the lyrics, and a vocabulary list, click the read more link below.

Ngaba (4)

This post continues on with the Ngaba translation and covers the text following the red line at the bottom of column one and continues to the end of column two in the scanned page below. You can click on the image to view a larger version. Key vocabulary and a translation are listed below.

Myanmarised Pali

Those familiar with conventional Romanised Pali and Mon/Myanmar script Pali will have already noticed the difference in spelling/pronunciation between the two. There are a small set of standard conversions between these scripts, which can be quickly memorised. Eisel Mazard, who provides some very useful online resources for learning Pali, has prepared a helpful chart on "How the Burmese pronounce Pali", which I have pasted below for quick reference.



The letters on the left of each pointing hand are the standard Romanised Pali form. The letters to the right of each pointing hand represent the Myanmar pronunciation of the same letter. The Myanmar letter above each couplet is the letter used when writing in Mon/Myanmar script. However, I'm not entirely sure about Eisel Mazard's use of "sh" for the pronunciation of ဆ​, which I would think should be written out as "hs" instead. Also, for သ​, the pronunciation "th" (as in သီလာ = thila, morals/precepts) should be added.