Roadmap
Mara Language Curriculum
A structured path from basic survival phrases to academic mastery of the Tlosai dialect.
Phase I: The Foundation (Beginner)
Goal: Basic literacy, pronunciation, and survival conversation. Target Audience: Non-native speakers, children, or diaspora members with no prior knowledge.
Module 1: Introduction & Phonics
- The Mara Alphabet (A, AW, B, CH, D...)
- Distinction between vowels (A, AW, E, I, O, U, Y) and diphthongs
- The 'Glottal Stop' (Hry-pathlu) and how it changes meaning
- Consonant clusters (TL, HNG, HR)
- Pronunciation Drills & Tone differences
- Reading practice: Simple monosyllabic words
Module 2: Survival Mara
- Greetings & Etiquette ('Na hro?', Honorifics)
- Essential Vocabulary: Numbers 1-100, Family members (Paw, Naw), Colors, Common Objects
- Basic Sentence Structure: Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)
- Simple commands ('Vua' - Go, 'Atly' - Run)
Module 3: Everyday Life
- Topics: Market, Kitchen, Weather, Time/Days of the week
- Basic pronouns (Kei, Nâ, Anie)
- Simple Tenses: Present (lâ), Past, and Future (aw)
- Yes/No questions
Phase II: Functional Fluency (Intermediate)
Goal: Comfortable conversation, understanding folklore, and basic writing. Target Audience: Heritage speakers or those who have completed Phase I.
Module 4: Grammar Deep Dive
- Complex Sentence Structures & Conjunctions
- Negation (Vah, Lei)
- Pluralization and classifiers
- Postpositions ('O chhôh liata')
Module 5: Narrative & Reading
- Reading Material: Simple Mara stories and folk tales
- MADC area signs and notices
- Listening Comprehension: Broadcasts or sermons
- Longer conversations
Module 6: Cultural Context
- Geography: Villages in Mizoram vs. Myanmar
- Cultural festivals: Lyiva Khutla
- Kinship terms and social hierarchy in the Tlosai dialect
Phase III: Proficiency (Advanced)
Goal: Professional communication, literary analysis, and rhetoric. Target Audience: University students, translators, and community leaders.
Module 7: Advanced Rhetoric & Composition
- Formal Speaking (Bie reih)
- Proverbs and idioms (Pakhaw bie)
- Essay writing in Tlosai
- Translation skills
Module 8: Literature & Theology
- Study of the Mara Bible
- Hymnology: Analyzing old and new Mara songs
- Modern Mara literature
Module 9: Dialectal Variation
- Comparative Study: Tlosai vs. Zyhno, Hlaipao, Vahapi
- Code-switching between Mara, Mizo, and English
Phase IV: Mastery (Research/University Level)
Goal: Academic contribution, linguistics preservation, and historical documentation. Target Audience: Linguists, Researchers, Historians.
Module 10: Linguistics & Etymology
- Historical Linguistics: Kuki-Chin roots
- Evolution of spelling systems
- Tonal Analysis & Scientific transcription (IPA)
- Morphology
Module 11: Oral History & Documentation
- Fieldwork Methodology
- Recording and transcribing oral traditions (Hla do)
- Digital preservation
Module 12: Thesis/Project
- Capstone Project: Research paper, dictionary, or translation