In October 2005, an internal Microsoft proposal blocked the term “Dzongkha” from all company software and promotional material, substituting the term “Tibetan – Bhutan” instead. The International Campaign for Tibet cites the memorandum as saying Dzongkha “implies affiliation with the Dalai Lama, which is not acceptable to the government of China”. The Bhutanese, who have never been under the rule of the Dalai Lamas, even if they revere the 14th Dalai Lama, were dismayed by the decision. Linguists have pointed out that the word “Dzongkha” has no particular association with the Dalai Lama. Ironically, the government of the People’s Republic of China continues to use the term “Dzongkha” in its official publications.
Oh well, Chinese gold still glitters I suppose… And Microsoft isn’t exactly known for taking the ngyen khag* route.
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* risky (Dzongkha phrasebook)
what ever is done, is absolutely 100% right decision. firstly before writing any column, the columinist should knows about the subject properly. otherwise the very purpose of such written news is a subject of confusion.
here i said microsoft decision is right because, yes bhutan script is a tibetan script or in tibetan is called a bodyig. no matter whatevre they called it zongkha or bhoti.
the root of tibetan language is based on bhudhist canon that is kangyur and taingyur(sutra and shastra consist of more than 320 volumes.which is a world most voluminousness and lengthiest philosophical texts. therefore these canons are written in tibetan language and bhutanese people should come out through their government initiative to learn this rich language. which tibetan people have been preserving till these days.
for a time being the problem is, in bhutan they use tibetan script only for writing their local language which have been coming down only as a spoken language. this way their local language is understood opposite with the actual meaning of kangyur and taingyur. which is a basis of identity of this tibetan bhuddhist himalaya communities. therefore people who have learn tibetan in tibetan monasteries in india could only understand those bigger and smaller texts like heart sutra.
the basis of problem can precisely be attribute to the mixing of local langauge with the main tibetan language without learning tibetan language and focusing only on importance local language.this has further aggravates the root of their culture. without understanding of tibetan language how they can preserve their identity and rikshung. the peoples are bhuddhist people and their identity is all shaped by the bhuddhist philosophy, that is kangyur and taingyur, which composed of total the great nalanda university tradition which is a root of the their identity and traditions.
lastly there is not something called dalai lama rule, people revered dalai lama because he is the most loved teacher in tibet other himalayan bhuddhist communities.the dalai lama is spiritualy revered for his vast practice of mahayana and tantrayana. however from the usage of such words in the column simply indicates that the author doesn’t understands the unique relation of dalai lama with the himalayan bhuddhist communities including bhutan.
here communist china influence is there all time because tibetan people are torture and oppress for asking freedom of religion that is bhuddhist and preservation of language that is tibetan language. which communsit china deliberately considere as a political propoganda. now bhutan is a free country, it is high time that we bhutanese should shoulder in preserving main language that is tibetan language through by learning this unlost rich language which can even challange the vast language like sanskrit as such.
dorji, thank you for this comment.