A taste of Burma in East Otter Tail County

Nyunt W.
08/21/2009 6:27 AM

It is not true that the country's name has been changed to Myanmar by the junta. Historically, the country's names have been Bamah and Myanmar in the local language, with the latter taking the literary, formal and written form and the former (Bamah) colloquial form. When we write, we usually use Myanmar and when we speak, it's Bamah. When the British came to the country in the 18th century, they began to spell the country's name as "Burmah", then to Burma. Although we use both Myanmar and Bama in our language, we used to use only Burma in English. So for the Burmese, the name "Myanmar" is not new. The regime's change of name is technically right, but the problem is that they are a military junta and not legally accepted government. I think if the government formed by the MP's elected in the 1990 election did change Burma to Myanmar (for the English language), the rest of the world, including the US and UK, would have accepted too. Anyway, even the issue of Myanmar/Burma is still complicating and a subject to the question of whether Myanmar/Burma itself represents all the ethnic groups of the country. Honestly, we never had a name that represents all the ethnic peoples from the northernmost Hkakabo Razi to the southernmost town of Kawthaung; the name Bama (Burma) or Myanmar itself refers to the dominant group -- Bama (Burman). If the country becomes a federal union, the future government and scholars will decide on it. For now, don't dispute over the name. You can use whatever you like. Thank you!

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Nyunt W.
08/21/2009 6:27 AM

It is not true that the country's name has been changed to Myanmar by the junta. Historically, the country's names have been Bamah and Myanmar in the local language, with the latter taking the literary, formal and written form and the former (Bamah) colloquial form. When we write, we usually use Myanmar and when we speak, it's Bamah. When the British came to the country in the 18th century, they began to spell the country's name as "Burmah", then to Burma. Although we use both Myanmar and Bama in our language, we used to use only Burma in English. So for the Burmese, the name "Myanmar" is not new. The regime's change of name is technically right, but the problem is that they are a military junta and not legally accepted government. I think if the government formed by the MP's elected in the 1990 election did change Burma to Myanmar (for the English language), the rest of the world, including the US and UK, would have accepted too. Anyway, even the issue of Myanmar/Burma is still complicating and a subject to the question of whether Myanmar/Burma itself represents all the ethnic groups of the country. Honestly, we never had a name that represents all the ethnic peoples from the northernmost Hkakabo Razi to the southernmost town of Kawthaung; the name Bama (Burma) or Myanmar itself refers to the dominant group -- Bama (Burman). If the country becomes a federal union, the future government and scholars will decide on it. For now, don't dispute over the name. You can use whatever you like. Thank you!

Report a Violation