Khyndiat ki jingpuson shaphang ka jingpynkylla ktien:
Ka dei kaei kaei kaba sngewtynnat bad kaba phylla ba ka riti ka dustur kaba la ai na kawei ka pateng sha kawei pat da ka ktien kan nym iehnoh ïa ngi da lei lei ruh. Kane kam long tang shaphang ki khanaparom ne ki khanatang jong ngi, hynrei ka jia ha ka jungim kaba man la ka sngi ruh. Kum haba ngi ong ba lah "thoh shun ki blei"' ne haba ngi ong "Kamai ïa ka hok". Ngi ngeit bad ngi bud ïa kata kaba la ïathuh pateng ha ngi. Kano kano kaba la kren ka don ka bor bad ka jingshisha. Kane ka dei ka bor jong ki riti dustur kiba la ai pateng ha ngi.
Namar ba ki tynrai ba jylliew bad ka jingkordor kaba dang ïai bteng jong ki riti dustur ba la ai da ka ktien ha ka jymbriew Khasi, ka ktien kaba kren ka don ka jingialeh bad ka ktien kaba thoh. Tanga lyngba ka jingpynkylla ktien ka wan ka jingïamir ha ka jaka jong ka jingïaleh hapdeng ka ktien ba kren bad ka ktien ba thoh. Khamtam haba pynkylla na ka Khasi sha ka English ka don ka jingpyrshang ban kem ïa ki bun syrtap jong ka ktien kaba kren kiba tuid hin hin. Ngi kyrmen ba ngim pat duh noh ïa ki 'sai kordor jong ka ktien kaba kren. Ka jingpynkylla ktien ka lah ban pyrshang ban ïoh ksoh ïa kine tangba kan nym lah hi baroh. Ka mynsiem jong ka ktien kaba sawa kan man pher hi na ka sia jong ka ktien kaba thoh.
Some thoughts about translation:
It is something beautiful and remarkable that the oral tradition will never leave us. This is not only concerning our folktales but our day to day life. For instance, when we say "thoh shun ki blei", being marked for good fortune by the gods or "kamai ia ka hok", earn righteousness and integrity. We believe it and we adhere to what has been passed down to us. Anything that is said, anything that is spoken holds validity and power. This is the power of the oral tradition.
Because of the deep roots and continuing relevance of orality in Khasi culture, the spoken word will have its conflict with the written word. Yet through translation, there is perhaps a reconciliation rather than a tussle between the spoken word and the written word. Especially when translating from Khasi to English, the attempt is to capture the multi-layered quality of the spoken word which is itself so fluid. We hope we have not lost the nuances and beauty of the spoken word. Translation should try to capture that, though this is not 100% guaranteed. The spirit of the spoken word will always be different from the ink of the written word.
Namar ba kawei na ki thong jong ka page ka dei ban pynkylla sha ka ktien English ïa kiba lah sah dak ha ka page, khnang ba kito ki bym sngewthuh ïa ka ktien Khasi bad Pnar kin ïoh ka lad ban sngewthuh bad ïoh ka jingbatai kaba dei shaphang ka histori, ka ktien bad ka jymbriew Khasi-Pnar. Kane ka jingpynkylla ktien kan ïarap ïa kiwei ba kin ïohi ïa ngi ha ka rukom kaba dei bad kaba shai. 🆎🅰️🅱️ The way in which a community and culture is represented to the world is of critical importance. In this regard, translation serves a relevant role. Has anyone thought of taking up translation as a profession? ✍️🆎🅰️🅱️