The Naga phonetics:Serenity in turbulence

 A layman's observation

One doesn’t have to be a professor in English (not even a graduate in fact) to notice the injustice that is being done to the language.  English is not our mother tongue and apparently, Nagas speak better English than more than 4 billion people on earth, but the variety in speech that is being offered is perhaps native to Nagaland.

“His pro-NOUN-ciation is so bad” A ‘well-educated’ Naga, with a touch of sarcasm, whispers to me. Self-control stopped me from screaming “ cme’n dude, at least learn to criticize others. You can’t be that dumb that you end up criticizing yourself in trying to gossip. That’s obsolete“. We pro-NOUNce, but his pro-NUN-ciation is bad, not his pro-NOUN-ciation.

It literally took me 19 years to realize the ‘tag’ that had been associated with me, being born and brought up in a Konyak influenced society. But being exposed to the diversity of languages made me sensitive to the same problem faced by fellow Nagas. Constructive criticism is never an aversion and more so because I belong to the same community, my critiques may be forgiven. My observation is based on deduction, rather than induction. 

More than 90% of the Konyaks still do not know that “WE” and “V” are phonetically different. While Zunheboto is proud of being the source of “h”, Mon is unhappy over being devoid of its share, because while it is “shorom” (shame) for the Zunhebotoeans, it is “worsip” (worship) for the Monites. We go to “college” Monites, not “collese” and “message” is preached, not “messase”. My “non-Konyak” friend had to come to my rescue seeing me struggling for words, after being asked “Do you know any music sop in kohima?”And while some eat “moomoo”, others wear “fascrack” sun glasses. If “sossess” identifies with Kohima, “pRRRRogRRRess” definitely is for wokha.

I think English has never been subjected to modifications of such a degree in any other part of the world, than in Nagaland. But we have always been excellent modifiers right? People come to conquer but whoever invaded Nagaland had been victimised always, if not physically, culturally.

But can the English speak any of the Naga dialects? NO!! They can never. Be proud fellas, we did what others could have never done.

We deserve a BARDY for that, I mean PARTY.