Shillong, June 22: The Khasis love their language which is demonstrated by the number of speakers of Khasi matching with that of the population. This is the opinion of Prof. Awadesh K. Mishra, Professor and Head, Linguistics Department, EFL University, Shillong who also states that although relatively young as a written language, the Khasi language is highly developed and has good grammar.

Speaking at the webinar on the theme “180 years of the Arrival of Thomas Jones” organised by the Khasi Department, St. Edmund’s College in collaboration with the IQAC of the College on Tuesday, Prof. Mishra shared that if the Khasi languages has to grow further it needs to take into account the different varieties that are available around it.

A linguist who has spent more than 20 years in Shillong, Prof. Mishra shared that as a member of the experts panel to look into the recognition of languages, he was able to bring down the earlier criteria of 50 lacs population to more than 5 lacs and also to have a written tradition of 150 years and to be taught in schools and higher education for different subjects.

However, the Khasi language which is part of a very ancient family of Austro-Asiatic in the Monkhmer Family is in some danger currently. He feels that the danger to the Khasi language is the way young generations are moving away from Khasi as a subject and the Government is not making efforts to have textbooks in the language.

He gave examples that the replacement of kinship terminology will be harmful to the language and culture and it is important to note that language and culture go hand in hand. Regarding the demand for the inclusion of Khasi he said that it is a legitimate demand, however, lots of preparation and documentations are required.

He also mentioned that Dr. Sylvanus Lamare, Chairman of the webinar, was solely responsible for removing Khasi from the list of endangered languages. As a scholar who studies and works on the Khasi language, he found it to be a beautiful language.

Earlier in the programme, Dr. Sylvanus Lamare introduced the theme on the importance of remembering Thomas Jones as we move forward in the present century.

Dr. Rosa M Mawlong spoke of Thomas Jones who was born on January 24, 1810, a son of a carpenter from Berriew (Aberriw), Montgomeryshire, Wales. She highlighted the way Thomas Jones prepared himself by acquiring different skills to be a missionary.

She also spoke on the hardships he encountered while sailing to India and also on arrival in India. She clearly mentions the route he took from Sylhet to reach Cherrapunji on June 22, 1841 and also the difficulties he encountered while in Cherrapunji.

Prof Streamlet Dkhar, Dean, Humanities, NEHU spoke on Thomas Jones after June 1841 till he passed away. She mentioned the three schools he established in Sohra, Mawsmai and Mawmluh. She mentioned that his skill in preaching to the local people in their own language, with such fluency, got him many admirers from the local people.

She highlighted his contribution in translation such as Rhodd Mam, into Khasi and the translation of the Gospel of Matthew in Khasi. He was a missionary who was misunderstood because his idea of a missionary did not comply with the times. Prof Streamlet informed that he died in Calcutta on September 16, 1849 and was buried in a Scottish Cemetery and it was Prof David R Syiemlieh who discovered the grave of Thomas Jones.

Dr. Sylvanus Lamare in his concluding remarks said that in the celebration of the “180 years of the Arrival of Thomas Jones” the past and the present have been highlighted and we need to move forward.