Pollard script: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 05:58, 20 July 2013

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The '''Pollard script''', also known as '''Pollard Miao''' (Chinese: 柏格理苗文 Bó Gélǐ Miao-wen) or '''Miao''', is an [[abugida]] loosely based on the Latin alphabet and invented by [[Methodism|Methodist]] [[missionary]] [[Sam Pollard]]. Pollard invented the script for use with [[A-Hmao language|A-Hmao]], one of several [[Miao languages]]. The script underwent a series of revisions until 1936, when a translation of the [[New Testament]] was published using it. The introduction of Christian materials in the script that Pollard invented caused a great impact among the [[LisuMiao people|LisuMiao]]. Part of the reason was that they had a legend about how their ancestors had possessed a script but lost it. According to the legend, the script would be brought back some day. When the script was introduced, many LisuMiao came from far away to see and learn it.<ref (name="enwall-nopage">Enwall 1994)</ref><ref>{{cite doi|10.1017/S0022463400019858}}. Republished in {{cite book |series=The Pacific World: Lands, Peoples and History of the Pacific, 1500–1900 |volume=17 |title=Religions and Missionaries around the Pacific, 1500–1900 |editor-last=Storch |editor-first=Tanya |publisher=Ashgate Publishing |year=2006 |pages=289–314 |url=http://books.google.com.au/books?id=rR0GbqNKDzAC&pg=PA296 |accessdate=20 July, 2013 }}</ref>

Pollard credited the basic idea of the script to the [[Cree syllabics]] designed by [[James Evans (linguist)|James Evans]] in 1838–1841, “While working out the problem, we remembered the case of the syllabics used by a Methodist missionary among the Indians of North America, and resolved to do as he had done” (1919:174). He also gave credit to a Chinese pastor, “Stephen Lee assisted me very ably in this matter, and at last we arrived at a system” (1919:174). In listing the phrases he used to describe devising the script, there is clear indication of intellectual work, not revelation: “we looked about”, “resolved to attempt”, “adapting the system”, “solved our problem” (Pollard 1919:174,175).