Classical Meitei language

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Classical Meitei (ꯊꯥꯛ ꯑꯋꯥꯡꯄ ꯃꯩꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ) or Classical Manipuri (ꯊꯥꯛ ꯑꯋꯥꯡꯄ ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯂꯣꯜ) is the standardized literary form of the Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language in India), in which the holy Puyas, the religious and philosophical texts of Sanamahism, the traditional Meitei religion, were written. Similar to Latin, it serves as the liturgucal language of Sanamahism and is not spoken as a native language by any significant sector of the population. Nevertheless, Classical Meitei is still used in religious ceremonies, rites and rituals, while chanting hymns and singing prayers to the deities. The most popular usage of the Classical Meitei language is during the annual Lai Haraoba festival of Sanamahism across Manipur and other Meitei populated areas of the South Asian world. It is the representation of the development of the rich literary sources of the modern day Meitei literature (Manipuri literature).

Since Meitei is the only Indian language from Sino-Tibetan family (a greater branch of the Tibeto-Burman family) whose literature grew up under the royal patronage since ancient times, Classical Meitei is the only standardised literary form of all the Sino-Tibetan languages of the Indian subcontinent (South Asia). It is the purest of all the forms of Meitei language, for having no mixing with any foreign words from other languages. Classical Meitei is still used with modernised pronunciations in present day times. It is different from Medieval Meitei (Middle Meitei) though it was still used in medieval times too. It is distinct from every other forms of Meitei language.

Today, Classical Meitei is still taught at high schools in Manipur as a subject extension of Modern Meitei (Modern Manipuri) and Elementary Meitei (Elementary Manipuri).

Basic terms

Open: ꯍꯥꯡꯄ
Closed: ꯊꯤꯡꯄ
Entrance: ꯆꯪꯄ
Exit: ꯊꯣꯛꯄ
Push: ꯏꯟꯄ
Pull: ꯆꯤꯡꯄ
Toilet: ꯑꯃꯥꯡꯁꯪ
Men: ꯅꯨꯄꯥ
Women: ꯅꯨꯄꯤ
Forbidden: ꯃꯤꯂꯥꯢꯄ

Greetings

Hello.: ꯈꯨꯂꯨꯝꯆꯂꯤ ꯫ (Khoo-loom-cha-lee)
How are you?: ꯀꯝꯇꯧꯄꯤꯂꯤ? (Kam-tou-pee-lee?)
Fine, thank you.: ꯐꯂꯦ, ꯊꯥꯀꯠꯆꯂꯤ ꯫(Pha-ley, Thaa-kat-cha-lee)
What is your name?: ꯑꯇꯣꯝꯀꯤ ꯀꯣꯂꯣꯢ ꯃꯤꯡꯂꯦꯟ ꯀꯂꯤ ꯀꯧꯄꯤꯄꯀꯦ? (A-tom-kee Ko-loy Ming-len Ka-lee Kou-pee-pa-ke?)
My name is ______ .: ꯑꯩꯍꯥꯛꯀꯤ ꯀꯣꯂꯣꯢ ꯃꯤꯡꯂꯦꯟ ______ ꯀꯧꯏ ꯫ ( _____ .)
Nice to meet you.: ꯑꯇꯣꯝꯀ ꯎꯅꯄ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯢꯂꯦ ꯫ ( )
Please.: ꯆꯥꯟꯄꯤꯇꯨꯅ ꯫ ( )
Thank you.: ꯊꯥꯀꯠꯆꯂꯤ ꯫ ( )
You're welcome.: ꯅꯍꯥꯛꯄꯨ ꯇꯂꯥꯝꯅ ꯑꯣꯛꯆꯂꯤ ꯫ ( )
Yes.: ꯃꯥꯟꯅꯤ (Maan-nee)
No.: ꯅꯠꯇꯦ (Nat-tey)
Excuse me. (getting attention): Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)
Excuse me. (begging pardon): Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)
I'm sorry.: I'm sorry. (IGHM SAW-ree)
Goodbye: Goodbye. (GUHD-bigh.)
Goodbye (informal): Bye. (BIGH)
Good morning.: Good morning. (guhd MOAN-ing)
Good evening.: Good evening. (guhd EEV-ning)
Good night.: Good night. (guhd NIGHT)
Good night (to sleep): Good night. (good NIGHT)

Numbers

1 (꯱): ꯑꯃ (A-ma)
2 (꯲): ꯑꯅꯤ (A-nee)
3 (꯳): ꯑꯍꯨꯝ (A-hoom)
4 (꯴): ꯃꯂꯤ (Ma-lee)
5 (꯵): ꯃꯉꯥ (Ma-ngaa)
6 (꯶): ꯇꯂꯨꯛ (Ta-look)
7 (꯷): ꯇꯂꯦꯠ (Ta-let)
8 (꯸): ꯅꯤꯄꯥꯜ (Nee-paal) or ꯅꯤꯄꯥꯟ (Nee-paan)
9 (꯹): ꯃꯥꯄꯜ (Maa-pal) or ꯃꯥꯄꯟ (Maa-pan)
10 (꯱꯰): ꯇꯂꯥ (Ta-laa)
11 (꯱꯱): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯃꯥꯊꯣꯢ (Ta-laa Maa-thoi)
12 (꯱꯲): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯅꯤꯊꯣꯢ (Ta-laa Nee-thoi)
13 (꯱꯳): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯍꯨꯝꯇꯣꯢ (Ta-laa Hoom-toi)
14 (꯱꯴): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯃꯂꯤ (Ta-laa Ma-lee)
15 (꯱꯵): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯃꯉꯥ (Ta-laa Ma-ngaa)
16 (꯱꯶): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯇꯂꯨꯛ (Taaa Ta-look)
17 (꯱꯷): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯇꯂꯦꯠ (Ta-laa Ta-let)
18 (꯱꯸): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯅꯤꯄꯥꯜ (Ta-laa Nee-paal) or ꯇꯂꯥ ꯅꯤꯄꯥꯟ (Ta-laa Nee-paan)
19 (꯱꯹): ꯇꯂꯥ ꯃꯥꯄꯜ (Ta-laa Maa-pal) or ꯇꯂꯥ ꯃꯥꯄꯟ (Ta-laa Maa-pan)
20 (꯲꯰): ꯀꯨꯜ (Kool) or ꯀꯨꯟ (Koon)
21 (꯲꯱): ꯀꯨꯟ ꯃꯥꯊꯣꯢ (Koon Maa-thoi)
22 (꯲꯲): ꯀꯨꯟ ꯅꯤꯊꯣꯢ (Koon Nee-thoi)
23 (꯲꯳): ꯀꯨꯟ ꯍꯨꯝꯇꯣꯢ (Koon Hoom-doi)
30 (꯳꯰): ꯀꯨꯟꯊꯂꯥ (Koon-tha-laa)
40 (꯴꯰): ꯅꯤꯝꯐꯨ (Neem-phoo)
50 (꯵꯰): ꯌꯥꯡꯈꯩ (Yaang-khei)
60 (꯶꯰): ꯍꯨꯝꯐꯨ (Hoom-phoo)
70 (꯷꯰): ꯍꯨꯝꯇꯂꯥ (Hoom-ta-laa)
80 (꯸꯰): ꯃꯂꯤꯐꯨ (Ma-lee-phoo)
90 (꯹꯰): ꯃꯧꯇꯂꯥ (Mou-ta-laa) Or ꯃꯂꯤꯐꯨꯇꯂꯥ (Ma-lee-phoo-ta-laa)
100 (꯱꯰꯰): ꯆꯥ ꯑꯃ (Chaa A-ma)
200 (꯲꯰꯰): ꯆꯥ ꯑꯅꯤ (Chaa A-nee)
300 (꯳꯰꯰): ꯆꯥ ꯑꯍꯨꯝ (Chaa A-hoom)
1000 (꯱꯰꯰꯰): ꯂꯤꯁꯤꯡ ꯑꯃ (Lee-sheeng A-ma)
2000 (꯲꯰꯰꯰): ꯂꯤꯁꯤꯡ ꯑꯅꯤ (Lee-sheeng A-nee)
1,000,000 (꯱,꯰꯰,꯰꯰꯰): one million (...)
1,000,000,000 (꯱,꯰꯰꯰,꯰꯰꯰,꯰꯰꯰)
1,000,000,000,000 (꯱,꯰꯰꯰,꯰꯰꯰,꯰꯰꯰,꯰꯰꯰)
number _____ (train, bus, etc.): number _____ (...)
half: half (...)
less: less (...)
more: more (...)

Time

now: now (...)
later: later (...)
before: before (...)
morning: morning (...)
afternoon: afternoon (...)
evening: evening (...)
night: night (...)
midnight: midnight (...)

today: today (...)
yesterday: yesterday (...)
tomorrow: tomorrow (...)
this week: this week (...)
last week: last week (...)
next week: next week (...)

Sunday: Sunday (...)
Monday: Monday (...)
Tuesday: Tuesday (...)
Wednesday: Wednesday (...)
Thursday: Thursday (...)
Friday: Friday (...)
Saturday: Saturday (...)

Sample texts

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.: (Ancient) ꯃꯤꯑꯣꯏꯄ ꯈꯨꯇꯤꯡꯃꯛ ꯅꯤꯡꯇꯝꯅ ꯄꯣꯛꯏ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯏꯀꯥꯏ ꯈꯨꯝꯅꯄ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯐꯪꯐꯝ ꯊꯣꯛꯄꯁꯤꯡ ꯆꯞ ꯃꯥꯟꯅꯩ ꯫; (Modernised) ꯃꯤꯑꯣꯏꯕ ꯈꯨꯗꯤꯡꯃꯛ ꯅꯤꯡꯇꯝꯅ ꯄꯣꯛꯏ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯏꯀꯥꯏ ꯈꯨꯝꯅꯕ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯐꯪꯐꯝ ꯊꯣꯛꯄꯁꯤꯡ ꯆꯞ ꯃꯥꯟꯅꯩ ꯫

They possess conscience and reason.: (Ancient) ꯃꯈꯣꯏꯇ ꯋꯥꯈꯜ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯃꯂꯝ ꯂꯩ ꯫; (Modernised) ꯃꯈꯣꯏꯗ ꯋꯥꯈꯜ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯃꯔꯝ ꯂꯩ ꯫

Therefore, everyone should act in a spirit of brotherhood towards each other.: (Ancient) ꯃꯂꯝ ꯑꯇꯨꯅ ꯃꯤꯄꯨꯝ ꯈꯨꯇꯤꯡꯃꯛꯅ ꯑꯃꯅ ꯑꯃꯀꯤ ꯃꯐꯝꯇ ꯃꯂꯨꯞ-ꯃꯄꯥꯡ ꯑꯣꯏꯄꯀꯤ ꯋꯥꯈꯜꯂꯣꯟꯀ ꯂꯣꯏꯅꯅ ꯊꯄꯛ ꯇꯧꯀꯇꯄꯅꯤ ꯫; (Modernised) ꯃꯔꯝ ꯑꯗꯨꯅ ꯃꯤꯄꯨꯝ ꯈꯨꯗꯤꯡꯃꯛꯅ ꯑꯃꯅ ꯑꯃꯒꯤ ꯃꯐꯝꯗ ꯃꯔꯨꯞ-ꯃꯄꯥꯡ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯒꯤ ꯋꯥꯈꯜꯂꯣꯟꯒ ꯂꯣꯏꯅꯅ ꯊꯕꯛ ꯇꯧꯒꯗꯕꯅꯤ ꯫

Useful external resources

Classical Meitei at English Wikibooks
Classical Meitei at Simple English Wikipedia
Classical Meitei at English Wiktionary
Classical Meitei at Simple English Wiktionary

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