Mispronounced Words in Modern Rohingya Language

ABOUT ROHINGYA
The plight or conditions of Rohingya cannot be changed if we do not try hard to change by ourselves. And we cannot change without education, knowledge or freedom. Ethnic Rohingya and Rohingya language, traditions and culture are almost to be disappeared. Rohingya was once a big nation with an independent country called Arakan (now Rakhine state) which Burma/Myanmar occupied in 1784 A.D. massacring over 7 million people with greed of the land to which has many natural resources and in hope of building bigger Burmese nation of Buddhist faith, also for religious and racial differences.

ABOUT THE LANGUAGE
Rohingya language is formed from a variety of languages including Sanskrit, Pali, Arabic, Persian (Farsi, Avestan, Afghani and Turkish), Hindustani, West Bengali, Dutch, Portuguese, Burmese, Kashmiri, Assamese and Nepali. It is also the language of the ethnic Chakma or Thetkama and Daingnet of the officially recognized as one of the indigenous races of Arakan, Burma (Myanmar).

The difference between Rohingya and Thetkama or Chakma language is that they are followers of Buddhism since centuries back, and Rohingyas have become followers of Islam. Therefore Rohingyas study in Arabic, Farsi and Urdu languages in religious schools which effected influence into Rohingya language and words from these languages entered into Rohingya. Thetkama or Chakma is actually a dialect of the majority Rohingya group. Rohingya language has 6 or 7 dialects spoken in different districts and townships in Arakan, Burma/Myanmar.

The earliest language spoken and written in Arakan was the ancient Sanskrit language which was inscribed on the Ananda Chandra Stone Pillar erected in 7th century A.D.
Today, there are a few people among Rohingyas who are working to restore the dying language and disappearing costums, traditions and culture of ethnic Rohingya people for the future generations.

ROHINGYA ORIGIN
The early inhabitants of Arakan, forefathers of Rohingya nation were people of Indo-Aryan descent and Hindus and Mahayana buddhists by faith. And Sanskrit was their spoken and written language in Arakan, which is still spoken by Rohingyas. But many among Rohingyas are still unaware of the being destroyed language of ours by the illiterate people among us.

THE FACTS
Majority people of Rohingya are illiterates and they do not speak the language correctly. Dozens or even hundreds of words are changed in their pronunciation due to lack of attentiveness to clearly understand and recognize sounds of the spoken words.

Some people cannot pronounce words
with NG, CH, KH, KW, KHW, KY, KHY, PY, PW, PH, PHY, PHW TH, THY, THW, NY, NGY, HY, RY, RWA SY, SW etc. letter sounds with vowels after them. These are some of the key sounds in Rohingya language which make the language distinct from other languages outside Burma (Myanmar).

Now Rohingya language has words from many languages mentioned above. After Sanskrit, Arabic language came to influence into Rohingya language since 8th century AD. with Islam religion introduced in Arakan by Arabs. Persian language was the official language of Arakan during the Mrauk-U kingdom, and since then Farsi and other languages of Persia influenced into Rohangya. During the British colony in India, Arakan became a division of India and taught Hindi-Urdu/Hindustani language in Arakanese schools. Since then Rohingyas study in Arabic, Farsi and Urdu languages in religious schools and Burmese, Magha (Rakhine), and English languages in government schools.

Here are some of the incorrectly pronounced or corrupted words in the modern Rohingya language with their formal form, spoken by people in the eastern parts of Arakan in towns near the ancient kingdoms Dhanyawadi, Wetharli and Mrauk-U with their origins where these words came from. 

__ Rashid Ahmad (from Kaladan Valley /Dhanyawadi)

Smartphone users swipe to left to see the corrupted words and their meanings.

LanguagesOriginsFormalCorruptedMeanings
Sanskrit मानुष/maanucamanúcmoñócman
Sanskrit अङ्गुल/anggulang’uloñolfinger
Hindustaniकौआ/kauvákawahawwacrow
Bengaliকাহার/kahárkarharwhose?
Sanskrit धूमक/dhūmakdúmadhwáñsmoke
Sanskrit काला/kaalakalahalablack
Sanskrit पक्ष/pakcpakfakwing
Sanskrit पानी/paanípanífaníwater
Sanskrit शाक/caákhákákleafy greens
Arabicخبر/xäbårkhäbårhóbornews
Arabic خاص/xáaskháasháasparticular
Arabicخالي/xáalikháliháliempty
Arabicيقين/yaqinyåkinekincertainty
Hindustaniखर्चा/kharčákhärsahóssaexpenses
Hindustani कचरा/kåčårákåsarahoñcoçajunk, trash
Sanskrit कोमल/kōmälkumålhoñoldelicate
Sanskrit खान/kháankhänhóoneating
Hindustsniकबूतर/kåbutärkōitårhoitorpigeon
Hindustaniकिसने?/kisné?kåne?hone?who?
Sanskrit वानर/vaanärbannårbañdormonkey
Sanskrit पुराण/puráanpuranfuranold
Sanskrit कल्य/kalyakalyahaillayesterday
Farsiپردہ/pårdáhpårdaforodacurtain
Farsiخون/xúunkhúnkúnblood
Farsiپیشاب/pēcáabpecápfecáfurine
Farsiپیاز/pyaázpyañsfiyañsonion
Avestahásiyaháñsaáñsatruth
Avestaånyaånÿooinnoother
Avestajimažēmzaiyum(I) shall go
Portuguese armárioarmaliemmalicupboard
Portuguese tanque/tankitangkithangkitank
Sanskrit कच्छप/kåččhäpkåssäphossóftortoise
Hindustani मौज़ा/mauzámoōzamouzasock
Sanskrit पत्र/patrapatafataleaf
Sanskrit पद्र/padraparafaravillage
Sanskrit पाद/paadapalafalapillar
Sanskrit पेचक/pecakapeñsafeñsaowl
Farsiپیاله/pyaalahpialafiyalacup
Arabicاخلاص/ēxlaasexélasekélassincerity
Arabicختم/xåtämkhätåmhótomconclusion
Arabicخطره/xåtrahkhätårahótoradanger
Bengaliপচা/počapoñsafoñsarotten
Farsiدرخواست/
dårxuaast
dårxäasdorhásrequest
Sanskrit पांच/pančpañsfañsfive
Bengaliকাপড়/kaporkabårhoorcloth
Burmese စောင့်/såungsångsoñiawait
Maghaဖရား/pharáaphärafóragod
Farsiبنه/ bunahbundabuñdabundle
Farsiخاندان/khaandankhándanhándanfamily, dynasty
Farsiخوشى/khushikhúñchikúcihappiness
Hindustani खंड/khandkhándahándasegment, piece
Farsiجوان/jawáanjuanzuanadult, young
Bengaliচাউল/čaulsaulsouil(uncooked) rice
Hindustani पता/patáapattafattaaddress
Farsiخوراک/khuraakkhúrakkúraknourishment
Hindustani खाट/khaatkháñtháñtcot, bedstead
Hindustaniफूल/phuúlphúlfúlflower
Sanskrit प्राण/praánpåranforansoul, life
Sanskrit अन्य/anyaånÿooinnoother
Portuguese câmarakamárahamáraroom, chamber