"Standardizing" the Co Tu writing system

Delegates attending the Workshop to announce the Co Tu script held in mid-March 2025. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

On the basis of unifying and ensuring the conditions of "standardization" of the writing symbols, initial consonant groups, vowels, etc., the Co Tu writing system is expected to soon be taught in general schools in Quang Nam and Hue City - where many Co Tu students and communities live and study.

Co Tu writing system

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Huu Hoanh (Vietnam Institute of Linguistics) said that the Co Tu people in Vietnam have at least 4 Latin-based phonetic writing systems.

The first system was created by cadres of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, based on the Latin alphabet, around 1956. This was the result of the work of authors Conh Ta Lang (Le Hong Mao) and Conh Axơốp (Quach Xân).

In May 1959, the “Gung Dưr” (Rise Up) newsletter was published in two languages, Co Tu and Quoc Ngu. In 1986, the Provincial People’s Committee, the Science and Technology Committee and the Department of Education of Quang Nam - Da Nang organized a research committee to apply and improve the old script. The results of this improvement were used to compile textbooks for first grade (Boop Co Tu class muy) by Quach Xan, Le Nam, Zơrâm Tuă and several other authors.

The second system was created around 1967 - 1969, by the Summer Institute of Linguistics. This script is based on the Co Tu Ep (lowland Co Tu) dialect, found in the Katu dictionary (Katu-Vietnamese-English - 1991) by NA Costell.

The third system in 2003 - 2004, Quang Nam cooperated with the Vietnam Institute of Linguistics to revise the existing writing systems, presenting a writing system for use in compiling dictionaries, grammars and textbooks for the Co Tu language.

As for the fourth system, the script was used by Mr. Bh'riu Liec - former Secretary of Tay Giang District Party Committee in 2017. This script is based on the local language Co Tu Dal (Co Tu highland) - the language of the Co Tu people living in Tay Giang district and some highland communes of Nam Giang district, used in the book P'ra Co Tu (Co Tu language) by author Bh'riu Liec.

“Currently, there is no unified Co Tu writing system for the Co Tu people in Vietnam. Therefore, there needs to be a unified writing system to have a legal basis for teaching in the general school system,” Mr. Hoanh shared.

The turning point of revival

Mr. Bh'riu Liec - former Secretary of Tay Giang District Party Committee said that in the past, Co Tu script was taught in schools in the mountainous areas in the west of the province. However, after 1975, Co Tu script was almost "forgotten". Therefore, this is an opportunity and also a great turning point for the Co Tu community to preserve their ethnic language from the risk of being lost.

Based on practical needs, Quang Nam is making efforts to complete the Co Tu script to soon include it in the curriculum for ethnic minority students. In the photo, Co Tu students at Vo Chi Cong High School (Tay Giang). Photo: ALANG NGUOC

Prof. Dr. Ta Van Thong (Institute of Linguistics) said that the Co Tu script is similar to the script of the Co and Ca Dong people (local groups of the Xo Dang ethnic group), and is easier to learn and faster than the national language. The Co Tu people are quite numerous (ranked 26/54 ethnic groups), have a rich, diverse, and unique culture, so a written language is needed to preserve the culture and language.

“When we conducted surveys and research on the Co Tu script based on inheriting the existing system, we always received the agreement and support from the Co Tu people themselves. That shows the acceptance of the Co Tu community for this script, especially the policy of introducing the Co Tu script into teaching at schools where Co Tu children live and study,” Mr. Thong emphasized.

According to Mr. Avo To Phuong - Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Quang Nam, the completion of the Co Tu script is considered a historic event, an opportunity to preserve and develop the writing and language of the Co Tu people in Vietnam. The unification of the common script is not simply a scientific decision, but also has great significance for the fields of culture, economy, politics...

In the long term, it is necessary to apply technology, bring the Co Tu script into digital transformation, and meet the learning and research needs of the community. In particular, building a digital data set of the Co Tu script, creating a platform for textbooks and electronic documents to serve teaching in the general education system.

Early teaching

Director of the Quang Nam Department of Education and Training, Thai Viet Tuong, said that the legal journey to recognize the unified Co Tu script took a lot of time and effort. In particular, to bring this script into the education system, careful preparation of facilities, human resources, and survey of students' wishes was needed.

The stone table with the “Gung Dưr” printed in Co Tu script will be displayed at the cultural space of Nam Giang district in 2024. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

In addition, Hue City and Quang Nam Province - the two main residential areas of the Co Tu people - need to coordinate closely to create a unified and complete set of Co Tu scripts, ensuring the conditions for teaching in general schools. This is a very legitimate common aspiration that the Co Tu community in Quang Nam and Hue City always hope for in contributing to preserving local cultural values.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Tran Anh Tuan said that the Co Tu script plays a very important role in preserving the traditional cultural values ​​of the Co Tu people today. Because during the resistance war, the Co Tu people were taught this "revolutionary script".

A typical educational activity was the publication of the "Gung Dưr" newsletter in the Co Tu script, helping the Co Tu people learn their own script, contributing to promoting the movement to fight against the US to save the country in the mountainous districts of Quang Nam.

In order for the Co Tu script to soon reach the people and students, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan hopes for the support of state management agencies, scientists, and localities to promote the early and effective implementation process.

In the immediate future, the Department of Education and Training will advise the Provincial People's Committee to approve the Co Tu script and work with Hue City on the policy of introducing the Co Tu script into schools. In addition, fully prepare the conditions for the Provincial People's Committee to issue a decision to introduce the Co Tu script into teaching in schools and among related staff...

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/chuan-hoa-bo-chu-viet-co-tu-3151733.html