27 replies to this topic

[Dagvadorj]

I think the current writing system used in Inner Mongolia is not very suitable anymore. There are many different Mongol dialects and the official Chahar language is not suucessful to be adopted as many tribes in the east are now sinicized in language.

Would it be great if there had been or will be a common writing system (Roman) suitable for the sounds of the Mongolic languages? Let's discuss.

[大学语文12345]

Xin ji lin Sainn Baii nuu!!!!!
Many Tashar borthers blame Al Halh Mongol brothers for abandoning tradtional Mongolian words. On the other hand, Halh brothers look down upon Tashar bother's strange accent!
I personally think that Cyrillic alphabet is simple and convinent to write and print, but we can't forget our traditional words!
As to accent, Mongolian government should send more teacher to eastern part of southern Mongolia!

Edited by 大学语文12345, 12 February 2008 - 08:32 AM.

[Chanpuru]

I think the traditional Mongolian script is beautiful.. but between Roman and Cyrillic.. why not just go for Cyrillic for commonality with the script used in Mongolia? It'll also save some time on re-writing books too since they already have books in cyrillic.

[大泽升龙]

I think the current writing system used in Inner Mongolia is not very suitable anymore. There are many different Mongol dialects and the official Chahar language is not suucessful to be adopted as many tribes in the east are now sinicized in language.

Would it be great if there had been or will be a common writing system (Roman) suitable for the sounds of the Mongolic languages? Let's discuss.

NO. The writing as a culture should be preserved, what happened in Outer Mongolia was really negative.

[fireball]

I also love the beautiful traditional Mongolian language and believe it should be preserved and used. I think what USSR had done in modern day Outer Mongolia was horrible!!! Besides, I would much rather learn the traditional Mongolian script than the Roman or Cyrillic scripts. I think I could probably accept Cyrillic scripts for the commonality (and maybe ease of use and no need to translate all those books). However, I think I just couldn't stomach the Roman scripts!!!

Edited by fireball, 12 February 2008 - 01:44 PM.

[Zorigo]

As Mongolian from Northern Mongolia, I will not say adaptation of Cyrillic script was such a negative action. Like yin and yang, Mongolian Cyrillic script ( adapted from Soviets) has 2 sides pro and cons just like Traditional Mongolian Script ( adapted from Naimans/Uigurs)

[Danny.T]

Is it not that Mongolia has started teaching traditional script in junior schools in addition to the Cyrillic script ?
The Mongolian government (and people) respects the traditional scripts too ?

And which script the traditional or the Cyrillic is the most suitable to pronounce the Mongolian language ?
That may be one aspect to decide on suitability. Also I read from somewhere that the traditional script can also be used in computer entry about a year ago. A software has been developed for that purpose.

Edited by Danny.T, 08 March 2008 - 11:13 PM.

[Danny.T]

To the non-Mongols like me, the traditional Mongolian script seems to be one of the icons of the Mongolian culture.

Many Mongolian historical artifiacts are inscribed with the traditional scripts.

[Chanpuru]

Is it not that Mongolia has started teaching traditional script in junior schools in addition to the Cyrillic script ?
The Mongolian government (and people) respects the traditional scripts too ?

And which script the traditional or the Cyrillic is the most suitable to pronounce the Mongolian language ?
That may be one aspect to decide on suitability. Also I read from somewhere that the traditional script can also be used in computer entry about a year ago. A software has been developed for that purpose.

Several years ago on the news, some one was interviewing Mongolian school children over the script, many preferred cyrillic because they felt it was easier (but of course they're also used to it). There's a few Mongolian students here in Japan and most of them seem to prefer cyrillic.
I also saw a bible in both scripts and it seems that the one in cyrillic is considerably thinner. I would guess that traditional script also is more space consuming.

[fireball]

Several years ago on the news, some one was interviewing Mongolian school children over the script, many preferred cyrillic because they felt it was easier (but of course they're also used to it). There's a few Mongolian students here in Japan and most of them seem to prefer cyrillic.
I also saw a bible in both scripts and it seems that the one in cyrillic is considerably thinner. I would guess that traditional script also is more space consuming.

It's a bit sad about that. Usually, the writings that are beautiful are also more complex and harder to learn. I consider the traditional Mongolian script beautiful. However, I think I would learn it because I want to read the ancient Mongolian historical documents and words carved on old Mongolian artifacts, but I also dreaded to learn it because they look a bit dauting! I could easily understand why Mongolian children prefer Cyrillic. If I were facing the task to learn my mother tongue with either the traditional Mongolian script or Cyrillic, I would choose Cyrillic as well!!! However, I think I will try to learn the traditional Mongolian scripts as much as possible just for fun or culture. I am learning a bit of the very ancient Chinese scripts like the Oracle bone scripts now for fun and culture (and to impress my friends ).

[yan]

The cyrillic script is much closer to [Outer] Mongolian pronounciation. But then it was developed with current pronounciation in mind, while the traditional script is 800 years old. try reading 800 year old english, and you get an idea what's so difficult about it. But one can actually learn to read it - some practice from time to time, and you get a feeling for what it should read like. In Outer Mongolia, he script is usually just used as an ornament or when "mongolness" is to be emphasized: some book (or newspaper) titles might be in the traditional script, but the content is usually written in cyrillic script.

The traditional script is now supported by Windows Vista, I don' know if there are other systems who can easily display it properly, too.

[Danny.T]

I have this link on pros and cons of the Mongolian scripts ( traditional and modern )in more details :




http://mongolia.neweurasia.net/?p=22

Enjoy it folks !

Edited by Danny.T, 06 July 2008 - 12:40 PM.

[Caidanbi]

I think the traditional Mongolian script is beautiful and it should definitely be preserved! I guess if they had to choose another script, I think Cyrillic would be ok. But personally, I hope they won't change it. I think it's a shame that so many beautiful languages and scripts are being lost...

[qrasy]

I think the current writing system used in Inner Mongolia is not very suitable anymore. There are many different Mongol dialects and the official Chahar language is not suucessful to be adopted as many tribes in the east are now sinicized in language.

Would it be great if there had been or will be a common writing system (Roman) suitable for the sounds of the Mongolic languages? Let's discuss.

Actually, the Cyrillic and Roman scripts are alphabetic (just like the Mongolian traditional script) and therefore differences in dialect will also have much effect to the writing.

[Yizheng]

I don't know Mongolian language or script, but it would be sad, I think, if the Mongolian script fell out of use completely. I noticed there are comments that it is difficult to learn, including because letters are written different ways depending on their position in the word. But I think people often exagerate difficulties. Arabic alphabet has the same system of writing letters different ways depending on where they are in the word, and I know Arabic alphabet (farsi variety of it), and I do not think it is difficult. If you learn it in school, you would just get used to it fast, I think.

Keeping old language alive is a hard thing, and especially because languages inevitably change over time, and this is natural, but there are examples of 'old language' being made to fit modern life. As far as I understand, the Jews revived Hebrew writing and language only about 100 years ago, to have a language for Israel, and it has become a modern living language now.

But I also see no reason not to teach both Mongolian script and cyrillic. I would say cyrillic, because outer Mongolia uses it, and so do all of the surrounding peoples in southern Siberia etc, so this creates a common writing that goes beyond Mongolia itself, and I think this is a good thing. I do not know how well Cyrillic is adapted to Mongolian language, but I suppose people have become used to it by now. If the two writing systems could coexist, that would be good.