For this book, we’re focusing on conversational Burmese—the spoken variety that people use daily to shop, make friends, and chitchat—rather than the written Burmese you’d find in official documents, etc. Its most rudimentary form (what the Burmese call Hta-minn zarr yay thauk or the “eating-drinking” speech) will help you to get by with a set of common expressions (like Kyite tae for “I like …,” Yuh mae for “I’ll take …,” and Ya aung for “Let’s …”) with the appropriate nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
You’ll also be glad to know that you do not need to conjugate Burmese verbs. You can use the same verb saa, “to eat”, for both singular and plural nouns, as well as to talk about eating in the present or the past. Only the future requires a slightly different treatment (more on this in A Functional Guide to Burmese Grammar).
The biggest challenge for Burmese learners is mastering the tones—the degree of stress you place on the vowel to convey the desired meaning. The good news is, you only need to deal with three distinct tones (See On Burmese Pronunciations).
A Crash Course in Burmese Culture
Having endured a series of military regimes from 1962 to 2012, Burma is finally taking steps to establish a civilian government. In the country’s landmark election in late 2015, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi won a decisive victory. An ingenious workaround by the party allowed her to hold office as the State Counsellor, a prime minister-like role with significant influence over policy making. Today, NLD’s U Htin Kyaw, a scholar and the son of a prominent poet, serves as the president.
The Burmese people’s rhythm of life is governed by Theravada Buddhism, the main religion in the country. Their mindsets, attitudes, rituals, social protocols, and even superstitions are derived primarily from this faith. The country is also home to thriving Hindu, Christian, and Muslim communities.
The core principle of Buddhism is universal compassion. It teaches its followers to wrestle with existential sufferings and human desires; and to adopt the right conduct, the right speech, and the right mindset to reach enlightenment. The monastic order is part of the social fabric of Burma, where the monks are revered as the spiritual sons of the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. For better or worse, they’re also the guardians of century-old traditions and some conservative practices.
Under the previous military regimes, western culture, NGOs, and tourists trickled in. In today’s open climate, they rush in. Change comes at breakneck speed, in the form of punk rock, rap and reggae, miniskirts, mobile phones, viral Facebook posts, and rising real estate prices, raising fear among some of the social conservatives, who feel their way of life is under threat. The backlash is noticeable in the swift rise of a small but vocal faction, led by the Race and Religion Protection Group (known by their Burmese acronym Ma Ba Tha). Left mostly unchallenged under the previous administration led by ex-military man Thein Sein, the organization gained significant influence. Some foreigners, travelers, and locals who unwittingly drew their attention and ran afoul of them have experienced expulsion and incarceration. It’s best to heed the new climate of religious sensitivity as far as possible.
DRESS CODE: In public places, sacred places, temples, and pagodas, try to dress more conservatively—shorts should be of a reasonable length for men, and the chest and legs (till below the knees) should be covered for women. Burmese women frequently wear sleeveless blouses in public places, but they usually drape a shawl or scarf around their bare shoulders when entering temples and shrines. Ensure that the airy, cotton outfits that you’re wearing in the summer are not translucent.
Most temples and shrines frequented by foreigners have signs and placards warning you what’s acceptable to wear and (perhaps more importantly) what’s not. The one ironclad rule that is enforced in all Buddhist places of worship—pagodas, shrines, and monasteries—is the no-footwear rule, so wear sensible footwear that you can easily remove and put back on.
The Burmese believe the head is the most sacred spot on one’s body and the feet the dirtiest. Never attempt to pat or touch an elder’s head in a playful, friendly manner, except during some ceremonies where you wash the elders’ hair to pay homage. Conceal any Buddhist icons tattooed on the lower part of your body (also avoid wearing pants and skirts with such symbols) from public view with long pants and sarongs while in Burma.
CUSTOMS: Public displays of affection—hugging, kissing, and fondling—is discouraged. Physical contact between the opposite sexes is not very common, so try to avoid putting your hand on their shoulders, enthusiastically grabbing their hands, or giving them a bear hug (something my fellow Californians habitually do).
Physical contact between ordinary people and the clergy—monks and nuns—is kept to an absolute minimum. The rule is stricter for women, where they should take great care to avoid sitting or standing next to monks. Ordinary people should also not tower over sacred statues, monks, and nuns. In Dharma talks held in pavilions, the monks are always placed on a podium or in chairs, while the audience sits on the floor. It’s also disrespectful to point one’s feet (the dirtiest part of one’s body) toward the monks, shrines, and altars—kneel or sit cross-legged instead.
In the Burmese social hierarchy, family elders and older people occupy a position of reverence. Address them by an age-appropriate pronoun, like “Big brother” (A-koh), “Big sister” (A-ma), “Uncle” (Oo layy) or “Aunty” (A-daw). If you must use their name, make sure to use the proper prefix as well (Koh for adult men, Oo for older gentlemen; Ma for adult women, Daw for older ladies).
Modesty, behavior guided by common sense, and respect for the local traditions would help make a good impression with the locals.
The Ongoing Debate: Burma or Myanmar?
“What’s the name of the country? Is it Burma or Myanmar?” people frequently ask me to clarify. I’m afraid there’s no simple answer. People usually pose this as a linguistic question. But they quickly learn the answer is sociopolitical.
Officially, the country is called The Republic of the Union of Myanmar. In his debut trip to the country, then President Obama began his historic speech with a symbolic nod to this name. He said “Min ga-lah bah, Myanmar pyay,” or “Hello, the country of Myanmar!” (The ordinary Burmese were thrilled by his attempt to speak Burmese, while I’m sure members of the reformist government felt legitimized by his choice of the name “Myanmar” over “Burma”.)
But you’ll find that the Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, head of the current NLD-led government, frequently refers to the country as “Burma” in English. It’s the name I grew up with, so it feels more natural to my tongue rather than calling it “Myanmar”, which feels like a strange faraway land. I suspect Suu Kyi continues to use “Burma” for some of the same reasons I do. Old verbal habits are hard to break.
Some argue against “Burma” because it carries the stench of colonialism, a name given by the British rulers, which was part of the argument made by the previous military regime when it tried to replace many of the old British-era names with the new Burmese-flavored ones, e.g., Creek Road in Yangon became Bo Myat Tun Road). Yet, the root of “Burma” is distinctly Burmese. It stems from the Burmese word Ba-mah, which refers to the ethnic majority Burmans.
Others reason “Myanmar” is a better term—a more inclusive reference to cover the Shans, Karens, Kachins, and other ethnic minorities that also call the country home, although the nationalist group We the Burman Organization or “Dohbama Asiayone”, which played a crucial role in the anti-colonial movements of the 1930s, would disagree. They believe the word Ba-mah refers not just to the Burmans but also the other ethnic groups. (“Myanmar and Burma mean the exact same thing”, letter from Bertil Lintner, January 2012, The Financial Times, http://www.ft.com)
Ba-mah and Myanmar are also accepted as the spoken and literary