Mizo honorifics

Mizo honorifics are a function of the Mizo language. As Mizo is a classifier language, it has honorifics for gender and numerals.[1]

Pa is a honorific referring to father or male.[2] Pa is used to denote masculinity. For example Zirtirtu-pa refers to a male teacher. Nu is the honorific for mother or femininity. For example Zirtirtu-nu refers to a female teacher.[1] Pa would also be used as a hypocorism, for taking on their child's name. In which case, the parent would gain an honorific. A famous example is Vana Pa (Father of Vana).[3]

Pu is a Mizo honorific for men. The honorific for women is known as Pi.[4] The compounded phrase pi leh pu itself refers to ancestors.[5] The honorific can be used in variety of contexts. For example it can be appended as a form of respect towards elders or respected persons.[6] The exception of this honorific is Pi Hmuaki, a poet whose name is synonymous with her honorific rather than Hmuaki.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Kumar et al., p. 4.
  2. ^ "Mizo Structure: Structure of the language". Central Institute of Indian Languages. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  3. ^ Vungliana, Mordekai V. (22 June 2017). "Vanapa hun hnuhnung leh than bihchianna" [Critical study of Vanapa's last days and tomb]. Vanglaini (in Mizo). Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  4. ^ Rajshekhar 2021, Chapter 1:The State that could not pay salaries.
  5. ^ Lalneihliana (5 October 2017). "Kan hming phuah/ sak dan leh ziah dan hi" [Our systems of writing and creating names]. Vanglaini (in Mizo). Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  6. ^ Chhangte, Lalnunthangi (1986). A Preliminary Grammar of the Mizo Language. University of Texas at Arlington. pp. 80–83. OCLC 17473784.
  7. ^ Biswas, Debajyoti; Pramanik, Pratyusha (7 June 2022). "Resistance and Ungendering: Poetry of Mona Zote and Monalisa Changkija". Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities. 14 (2): 1–12. doi:10.21659/rupkatha.v14n2.ne08.

Sources

  • Kumar, Ritesh; Lahiri, Bornini; Saha, Atanu; Shekhar, Sedhanshu (1 September 2011). Semantics of classifiers in some Indian Languages. Proceedings of the Third Students' Conference of Linguistics in India. Centre for Linguistics, Jawaharlal Nehru University. New Delhi: SocArXic Papers. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
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