Speak Your Roots

Tag: khasilanguage

  • Ka Por da Naomi C. Nonglait

    "La biang katto," ka ong ka por,

    Haba u briew la lut ka bor,

    Jingim la ïaid man la ka sngi,

    Mynta la poi te sha sepngi.

    Ani! To ap shuwa ko por,

    Balei pha sei ïa la ka bor?

    Jingim ban shim noh hi bran bran,

    Ngim pat sngewthuh kumno ban san.

    Bunsien ngi beh ïa la ka kam,

    Ngi klet ïa kiba ngi ieid tam,

    Ngi ai pynban ka por kordor,

    Sha kita kiba shet shukor.

    Ki thaba ha ki khmat jong ngi

    Ki pynthame man la ka sngi,

    Khmih ko samla ïa ka lynti

    Ïoh dier noh pat ka por jong phi!

    "Ka Por" (Time) is an original Khasi poem by @carey_lynz who is a teacher and scholar 🤗❤️ Khublei Shibun @carey_lynz ba phi la phah ïa ka poitri jong phi kaba long ka jingpynkynmaw ba kordor 🕯️🪞🕜

    @carey_lynz says about the poem: "Time is a gift and yet a curse to one who does not know how to use it. This poem expresses how time can run out when we are in the rat race of becoming, or achieving or doing things which may not matter. But, while we hanker after the things of this world, they may not be important in another time as we may have lost our focus. For instance, if it is family it is not that we have forgotten them, but it is acts of thoughtfulness like making a phone call or saying kind words that makes a difference. Sometimes we need to look at the bigger picture beyond misunderstandings which may ultimately cost regret and pain. The poem issues a warning of the choices made or the path taken."

    Dr. Naomi C. Nonglait is an Associate Professor in the Department of English,
    St. Mary's College, Shillong, Meghalaya.

  • “Ki kti wad jingsyaid…” da Daiarisa Rumnong (Haiku)

    Ki kti wad jingsyaid

    ïa ding saw kyrkhu arti,

    sla kyrthop ki hap.

    – Daiarisa

    Hands searching for warmth,

    bless a fire with joined hands,

    a ragged leaf falls.

    – Daiarisa

    Ka haiku ka dei ka rukom thoh poitri kaba na ka ri Japan. Katba ngi wad jingsyaid ha kane ka tlang, ngin pyni ïa ka jingieit jong ngi ïa ka mariang bad ka meiramew, katba ka dang khih dang syar ban thaw thymmai ïalade 🌄🏞️🍃🌨️

    A haiku is a Japanese verse form of three unrhymed lines, of five, seven and five syllables. A haiku often features an image, or a pair of images, meant to depict the essence of a specific moment in time.

    Haiku poems are primarily used to express feelings about Nature. Traditional poems dealt with themes like time, nature, emotions and so on. They are meant as words of enlightenment for the readers.

    Despite its many adaptions into multiple languages and styles, the haiku remains a powerful form due to its economic use of language to evoke a specific mood or instance. Most often occurring in the present tense, a haiku frequently depicts a moment by using pair of distinct images working in tandem.

    Haikus written by @daia.risa

  • Dukan kot Khasi

    😄😄 Ïathuh hok, bun na ngi ngim da tip bha naei ban ïoh ki kot Khasi 😆

    Ki kot Khasi ki bun, tangba dang duna ki nongpule. 📖✍️

    We need to develop and grow the reading culture in our indigenous language otherwise our language and literature will not stand the test of time. 🕐🕔 It's happening already. Many Khasi books are out of print. We applaud those who are trying to publish old editions again!👏👏👏

  • Sming Smong

    This is a satiric take on a Khasi colloquialism 😄

    "Sming Smong" is a dangerous disorder afflicting convent-educated/ foreign-returned/ YouTube fixated youths and grown-ups alike, who are often compelled to speak in English or Khalish when in the company of others and having a strong sense of one's own merit and a poor concept of the worth in others. The ailment mysteriously disappears when the individuals are not in a situation where they feel threatened or feel the need to show-off. Smings smongs are often at odds with the majority.

    Kane ka dei ka jingthoh biria mo 😄

    Ka "Sming Smong" ka dei ka jingshitom kaba ma kaba ju wan ha kiba leit skul konben, kiba wan phai na ri nongwei, ki samla kiba sahkut ha ka jylli ka YouTube bad kiba lah heh lah san ruh kumjuh; kibym lah khlem kren da ka phareng ne Khalish haba don bad kiwei bad kiba don bha kata ka jingsngew sarong ïa ka jinglah lajong bad ka kheiñ troiñ ïa ka bor jong kiwei. Kaba lyngngoh ka long ba kane ka jingpang ka jah rngai haba kine ki briew kim sngew donkam ban put turoi ïalade ne ban pyni ïa ka jinglong "riewshai" jong ki ha kiwei. Bunsien ki sming smong ki ju long beit kibym ïahap ne kiba marpyrshah ïa u babun balang.

    Over the years "Sming Smong" which is loaded with sarcasm, has become a colloquialism in Khasi conversation, referring to someone who has "perhaps" (air quotes please) lost his or her Khasi distinctness because of western conditioning 😁😂😅

    Ngi dei ki sming smong lut baroh, mano ba lah ban len 😅😁😂
    Kane ka jingthoh ka thew ïa ngi shuwa ïalade bad lada phi don kitei ki jinglong ba la kdew haneng, kata ka mut phi lah pang sming smong 😆🤡🤣

    Khublei Shikhohtyndaw ïa i Dr. Ellerine Diengdoh iba la phah ïa kane ka sming smong post. 😂😂🤓 Phi te phi lah nang palat!

    🟡 Khasi translation by @speakyourroots

  • Khasi accent

    Kren beit kumba dei ban kynnoh lada dei "gobaarmen" ne "Sketriat" ruh 😂😂

    If we can Anglicise then we should Khasinise too!

  • Ka Lashai da Dameshwa Rymbai

    Tang mar ia ioh ia ka sngi thymmai,

    Ka kam ngi buh ha khmat duh eh.

    Ha thwei pyrkhat ki lad kamai,

    Kat ha ha sla pyrthei ngi dang mareh.

    Ia shi snem lynter ngi la pynkhreh,

    Aiu lashai kan wanrah ngim tip.

    Sharak jingim mynta ka dang meh

    Ngim lah batai lano kan lip.

    Khuslai ngi kit ha ki thwei jingmut,

    Da kiei kiei kiba ngim pat tikna.

    Byrngut byrnget wat ia ka lashai,

    Ngim tip kaei ka ban wan jia.

    Ban ia pynkhreh ia jingim briew,

    Sharak jingkyrmen ban thang.

    Umphniang ba bha ne kaba sniew,

    Shwa ban phylliew, pyrkhat biang biang.

    "Ka Lashai" is an original Khasi poem by @damechwarymbai410 ✍️📖

    Khublei Shibun @damechwarymbai410 ba phi la ai ban post ïa ka poitri jong phi 😄🙏 Ka long ka jingthoh kaba ïar bad jylliew ka jingmut bad kaba ai mynsiem ruh ✨✨

    "Ka Lashai" which means "Tomorrow" is a beautiful poem about the journey of human life. It may be titled "Tomorrow" but it also stresses on how the present is what we should take care of. ☀️🌒☀️

  • Ka Khulpi/ Secret

    "Ka khulpi" ka dei ka jingshisha ba la buhrieh; ka dei kaei-kaei ka bym lah ban iohi. I Rev. Dr. Ïarington Kharkongor ha ka Dienshonhi jong i, i ai ïa ka ktien phareng "secret" hadien ka jingbatai ïa ka ktien "khulpi".

    Ka don ka jingong kaba ong: "Kren da thew ha la ka khulpi". Kane ka mut ban kren da kaba sumar ha khmat ki briew, ne haba duwai ha u Blei, ban antad bad ban thew ïa la ka ktien ha ka tarajur ka mynsiem bad ka dohnud, shuwa ban pynmih ïa ka shabar.

    Tharai ngi lah ban pyndonkam da kane ka kyntien ïa ka ktien "secret". Phi pyrkhat kumno?

    Ka khulpi is a truth that is hidden; it is something that cannot be seen. Rev. Dr. Ïarington Kharkongor in his dictionary adds the English word "secret" after the Khasi explanation of khulpi.

    There is also a Khasi phrase which says: Kren da thew ha la ka khulpi which means to speak with care and caution in front of people, or when in prayer to God, to assess and measure words in the scales of the soul and heart, before speaking the words.

    So perhaps we may use the word "khulpi" for the "secret". What do you think?

    Bun ki jingbatai ïa ka kyntien "secret" ki batai kum kaba buhrieh ne ka bym ïohi. Ka don pat ka jingkwah ban ïoh tang da kawei hi ka kyntien ban pynkylla sha ka Khasi. 🏞️🆎

    Ka kyntien "khulpi" ka sngew shongkhia shuh shuh ynda la pyrkhat shaphang ka jingong "Kren da thew ha la ka khulpi" ⚖️💌

    🟡 English translation by @speakyourroots

  • Thied Syad Yei Saja

    I oŋ "Thied syad yei saja" toh i kûntien pharchi wajōh sñau bha i na ki waheh, khamtam na ka Bei u Pa, hawa sneiñ wa krō ki ya ki khon. I mut yoŋ katai ka pharchi man i kamni ne, "Hawa leh iwon-iwon i wûm yahap wei rukom im, i wûm yōsuk ka yuŋ ka sem, i wûm bha, i wa bōh yei manbru ha i eh i khor, i wa datip chua, ne i wa yæ u wanrah yei ma hadien habōd".

    Kani ka kûntien, "Thied syad yei saja" hei sñauthōh yoŋ ŋa lailaŋ ko kam ka kûntein pharchi wa oŋ "Pan yei k'yoh, yoh dei hiaw" i wa mut hawa pan kwah, tæ daw wiar wei wa kwah. I jōh hi wa ka kûntien, "Thied syad yei saja" natlor wa da tip yei syad dor yoŋ i eh ne i saja wa yaŋ, katte leh chlur biej beit, khlem da pûrkhat chua u thied.

    Ban sngewthuh shuh shuh, Nga kwah ban batai da khasi, Haba Ong "Thied syad yei saja" ka mut ba "thied rem ïa ki jingjynjar". Balei ki rem ne syad, namar lah bun palat kita ki jingkynjar.

    Ka jingong "Thied syad yei saja" ka dei ka jingong Pnar kaba la pynkylla sha ka Khasi kum "Thied rem ïa ka saja" (ne ka jingjynjar). Kane ka jingong ka dei ka pharshi kaba mut kumne: Haba leh ïa kano kano ka bym sngew ïahap bad ka rukom im, ka bym sngewtynnat ha ïing ha sem, kaba pynpoi sha ka jingeh bad jingshitom, kaba la tip shuwa ba ka lah ban wanrah ïa ka jingma hadien habud.

    Ka "Thied rem ïa ka saja" ka long kum ka pharshi "Pan ïa ka jyrhoh, ïoh da ka sahiaw". Ka dei kumjuh ka jingmut ha kaba ka jingpankwah ka pynsohsat shisha ïa ngi. Ngi thied rem ïa ka jingjynjar nalor ba la tip ba kan eh ïa ngi ban shah ïa ka, tangba ka la ap lypa. Ngi long shlur beij khlem da pyrkhat ne thew ïa ka erïong erngit kaba la ap ïa ngi.

    The Pnar phrase "Thied syad yei saja" literally means "to buy expensive trouble". This phrase describes a situation where we do something that fits wrongly with our way of life, knowing that our family values go against it, knowing that it will lead to hardship and suffering in the future, but we readily do it.

    This is related to the word "pankwah" which is a combination of two words "pan" meaning ask and "kwah" meaning want. So we deliberately ask and want something that will bring pain and trouble. "Thied syad yei saja" implies a foolish courage that backfires. What the phrase may also be suggesting is a kind of self-sabotage that some of us may have experienced.

    The Pnar phrase "Thied syad yei saja" is loaded with deep meaning. It speaks of the complexity of human nature, riddled with strength and weakness. 💙❤️

    Khublei Chibōn @xdtnoahjupejackllthmanar for helping with this 😄🙏

    🟡 Khasi translation and English explication by @speakyourroots

  • Wan ïalam samla sha ïing

    Bun na ngi haba ïa kren bad ki Meiieit, Paieit ne ki tymmen ha ïing, ngin kut beit ha ka "Shisha seh?!" 😄 Kaba ong i Meiieit ne Paieit te lah dei beit 🧑‍🦳🧑‍🦳 Ki khana bad ki jingong jong kiba heh ki long kiba kordor bad katba ngi nang lah ban kynmaw, katta kan nang bha.

    Most of the sayings or phrases we know are spoken to us by our family or friends. Those spoken by our grandparents are especially important because they were a generation untouched by globalisation. 🏞️🌾

  • Ym don pyrthei shuh, Ym long briew shuh

    Ka jingong "Ym don pyrthei shuh" ka pynpaw ïa ka jingsngew kaba lah poi shaba palat u pud. Kane ka jingong ka thew ban pynsngew ïa kaba lah long "katta katta" ne "shibun". Kum haba ngi ong "Nga lah thait palat, ym sngew don pyrthei shuh."

    Kane ka rukom ong ka ïa syriem bad "ym long briew shuh" kaba mut ba kano kano ka kam kaba ngi leh ka la pynlong ba ngim lah shah shuh da ka bor briew, namar ka lah shon palat ym tang ïa ka bor met hynrei ïa ka bor pyrkhat ruh.

    The Khasi phrase "ym don pyrthei shuh" is literally translated as "there is no more world". But a literal translation such as this does not really explain what the phrase means.

    The phrase expresses a feeling or an emotion that has reached beyond a bearable limit. It aims at articulating a feeling that something has become too much to bear. As if "there is no more world" or to use the sense of the phrase in a sentence: "I have no more strength (or consciousness) to bear this".

    This phrase is similar in meaning to "ym long briew shuh" which also expresses the unbearable nature of something, to the extent that one does not have the physical strength nor the mental strength anymore to endure it.

    Haba ngi ong "Ani ngam sngew don pyrthei shuh!", kam long kaba suk ban pynkylla sha kiwei pat ki ktien. Ki jingong "ym don pyrthei shuh" bad "ym long briew shuh" ki long kum kita. Kine ki pyni ïa ka jingïar bad jingsngewtynnat jong ka ktien Khasi. 🅰️🆎🅱️

    Khublei Shibun @janicepariat ba phi la kren shaphang kane bad ba phi la pynsngew ruh ïa ka jingïar jong ka ktien Khasi 😄❤️🙏

    There are some words or phrases which escape being translated at all because they express a feeling that perhaps contains a particular worldview of a community. That's the beauty of language, it can never really be fully translated.

    🟡 Khasi and English explication by @speakyourroots