Although change of pitch, as a device to differentiate words, is unfamiliar to speakers of English, after a period of sensitive listening and regular practice students find that tone is no longer a serious obstacle to mastering the language. For example, the word that sounds like taung means 'basket' if spoken with a high pitch and 'mountain' if spoken with a low pitch. Tone, for Burmese, means that a word pronounced on a high pitch means something quite different from the same word pronounced on a low pitch. Features that loom large for beginners are that it has its own script, and that it is a tone language.ДЄt first sight the script may look confusing, but systematically graded tuition enables students to read it without great difficulty after a few weeks. It is the language of education and the media, of business and administration, and of communication between ethnic groups.Д«urmese is related to Tibetan, and has a grammar and syntax quite unlike those of western languages. Other ethnic groups - Karen, Shan, Kachin, Chin, Mon, Wa and others - each have their own language or languages, but all recognize Burmese as the national language of the country. The present administration, though still military, is holding talks designed to pave the way for multiparty democracy and is actively encouraging foreign business and tourism.Д¬urrently Burma has a population of around 42 million, and Burmese is the language of the largest ethnic group (the 'Burmans') in this total. In 1962 the army took over the government and discouraged visits by foreigners, giving Burma a reputation for inaccessibility. The monarchy was followed by a period as a British colony, then, in 1948, by independence and a period of parliamentary democracy. Until 1885 it was ruled by kings who lived in great style and splendour, fervently supporting Buddhism and the arts, and from time to time pursuing wars against their neighbours. The country is perhaps best known today as the home of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent 02 under house arrest.Д«urma is bordered by India and Bangladesh on the west, and by China, Laos and Thailand on the east. Please Note: Not all courses and programmes are available every year Burmese (Myanmar) language and literatureД«urma was officially renamed Myanmar in 1989, but the change of name has not yet been universally adopted. Burmese By Ear or Essential Myanmar by John Okell.Degree Programmes with Language Options.MA Languages and Literatures of South East Asia.MA Comparative Literature (Africa/Asia).BA South East Asian Studies (Combined Honours).BA South East Asian Studies (including year abroad).If you would like to learn Burmese contact Dr Justin Watkins ( Department of the Languages and Cultures of South East Asia Degree Programmes More advanced students have access to a rich modern and traditional literature Learning Burmese guarantees a warm welcome in Burma, a country which captivates visitors despite its problems, and is an essential tool for anyone interested in understanding the country. Burmese grammar and syntax are quite unlike European languages, and the language is written using the beautiful and distinctive Burmese script. Burmese is related to Tibetan and very distantly related to Chinese. Other ethnic groups speak some 85 languages between them, but Burmese is the language of education and the media, of business and administration, and of communication between various ethnic groups. Burmese is the national language and the language of the ethnic Burmans who make up the majority of the population of over 50 million. South East Asia Section, School of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics Languages of South East Asia at SOAS: Burmese (Myanmar)Д«urma (Myanmar) sits at the crossroads between South-East, East and South Asia, bordering India and Bangladesh to the west, and China, Laos and Thailand to the east.

Beautiful in myanmar language