LITMIR.BIZ

      A NOTE ON NAMES AND SPELLING IN BURMESE

      Names in Burmese, as in many other Southeast Asian languages, present something of a problem in English translation. The use of honorifics such as “U,” for example is difficult to understand for speakers of a language in which such formalities are dispensed with and everyone is generally called by their first name, or as “you.” Also the fact that the type of honorific used may depend on the relative social positions of the speaker, the person being spoken to, and even persons present (Ko Nay U and Maung Nay U) is confusing to English speakers accustomed to individuals retaining the same name in all occasions. In this translation we have decided to modify somewhat the Burmese system, using “I” and “you” when the flow of the text seemed to demand it, but not to Anglicize entirely. We think that approach, though not consistent, allows us to retain a Burmese flavor without getting in the way of the sense or the pace of the work.

      The spelling of Burmese in English has not been standardized and there are several systems in use. Here too we have adopted an eclectic approach designed for the general reader rather than the linguist or the Burma specialist. That is, in the case of well-known names of places, objects, or individuals, we have retained the most common Anglicized spelling; for the rest, we have opted for renditions which are likely to be acceptable to the eye and ear of the average English speaker or reader, regardless of whether the rules of any one system are followed consistently. Well-eductaed Burmese frequently do the same. We have also eliminated hyphens. The result will undoubtedly not please some Burma experts, but seems to be less of a distraction to others attempting to appreciate this work.

      Finally, although the official name of the nation of Burma was changed in 1989 to Myanmar, and Rangoon to Yangon, we have retained the older terms because they are familiar to the general reader and the subject is colonial Burma.

      M. A-T. and W. H. F.

      CONTRIBUTORS

      Ma Ma Lay, the author of the novel translated here, was one of Burma’s most prominent literary figures. She died in 1982. For more information on Ma Ma Lay, see the Introduction, below.

      Margaret Aung-Thwin grew up in British Burma, finishing her college education after World War II. She taught high school English in Rangoon and received a Fulbright grant to visit the United States. Dissatisfied with her country’s educational system, she left Burma, lived for a time in India, and later settled in the United States with her children. She has taught Burmese at Cornell University, and later basic adult education skills to native Americans. Now retired and living in New York City, she teaches adult illiterates and translates Burmese literature.

      Anna Allott teaches Burmese at the University of London’s School for Oriental and African Studies. She is widely recognized as an authority on Burmese literature, especially of the modern period, and is the author of a number of articles and book chapters on the subject.

      Robert E. Vore recently completed his master’s degree in Southeast Asian Studies at Ohio University. A returned Peace Corps volunteer from the Philippines, he is presently a student in the doctoral program of English and American literature at Washington State University.

      William H. Frederick is associate professor of history at Ohio University. A specialist in modern Indonesia, he has long had an interest in bringing translations of modern Southeast Asian literature to the English-speaking public.

      TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE

       Margaret Aung-Thwin

      The idea of translating Monywei Mahu (Not Out of Hate) began with hearing Mrs. Anna Allott’s paper on the

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