Mela Olalu

This is a translation of one of the best grammars to come out of the CIIL, viz. Mao Naga Grammar written by Dr. P.P. Giridhar. This rendering into the language of which it is a grammar makes it immediately accessible to Mao Naga native speakers, which is a welcome move.

We use the word ‘grammar’ in two senses: one in the sense of the entity that is internalized as part of the native speaker and the other in the sense of the grammarian’s reconstruction or externalization of this internalized entity. This externalization is done in their own language makes it doubly heartening as the native speaker could see whether the externalization is indeed a mirror of this internalised construct, thus deepening his sense of Grammar.

This also is an example of knowledge-translation.

I am sure this would prove a welcome addition to the growing literature on Mao Naga and to the literature of Tibeto-Burman languages in general which has always been the prime concern of CIIL .

I thank both Dr. P.P. Giridhar and Mr. Adaphro Mathibo, a native speaker herself for making this translation possible, possibly the first of its kind in India.

**Contents and Sample Pages**