Critical appraisal of Thomas Jones & Roman script in Khasi
Many Khasi elders initially resisted the script as Bengali script was part of established trade & communication with the plains
Thomas Jones, a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist missionary, is a seminal figure in the linguistic and cultural history of Meghalaya.
Celebrated as the ‘Father of the Khasi Alphabet’, his introduction of the Roman script to the Khasi language in the mid-19th century continues to shape Khasi identity, literature and education.
However, his legacy, while widely honoured, has not been without criticism and contestation. This article aims to present a balanced evaluation of Jones’s work, exploring both the contributions and the critiques surrounding his decision to adopt the Roman script.
Before Jones arrived in 1841, Khasi was predominantly an oral language. Earlier missionary attempts, particularly by William Carey and Alexander Lish, sought to use the Bengali script to transcribe Khasi, especially its Sohra dialect.
These efforts failed to gain traction within the local population. The choice of Bengali script was influenced by administrative convenience and pre-existing trade relations between the Khasi and Bengali communities.
Jones, recognising the limitations of the Bengali script in accurately capturing the phonetics of Khasi, introduced the Roman script. His publication of the first Khasi Reader in 1842, along with translations of Christian texts, laid the foundation for written Khasi literature.
The adoption of the Roman script by Thomas Jones led to the standardisation of the Sohra dialect of Khasi, laying the foundation for a cohesive written tradition and significantly advancing literacy and formal education across the Khasi Hills through the establishment of schools and printed materials.
His choice of a script phonetically suited to Khasi played a crucial role in preserving and enriching the language, enabling the documentation of oral traditions, poetry, and folklore for future generations.
Despite being widely regarded as the ‘founding father of the Khasi alphabet and literature’, it is a striking irony that the Government of Meghalaya only officially recognised his contribution in 2018 — declaring June 22 as ‘Thomas Jones Day’ — well over four decades after the state achieved its own identity in 1972.
Jones faced criticism from the East India Company for deviating from the earlier adoption of the Bengali script, which had been used by missionaries such as William Carey and Alexander Lish in their initial efforts to transcribe the Khasi language.
The British authorities viewed the Bengali script as a more established and administratively convenient medium, especially since it was already used in other parts of Eastern India.
Many Khasi elders initially resisted the Roman script. The Bengali script was not just a written form but part of established trade and social communication with the plains. The preference for the Bengali script by some sections of society was rooted in established socio-economic interactions and cultural familiarity.
Switching to a completely foreign script was perceived as an alien imposition and sparked fears of cultural dilution. The standardisation of the Sohra dialect could marginalise other Khasi dialects, creating linguistic hierarchies within the community.
Several modern scholars and cultural commentators view Jones’s intervention as part of a larger colonial and missionary agenda.
The introduction of a Western script was not just linguistic reform but also a soft imposition of European Christian values. For some, the Romanisation of Khasi was an early instance of scriptal imperialism — the imposition of a foreign literacy system under the guise of education and evangelism.
Some scholars have noted that Jones was not the first to use the Roman script for Khasi. Alexander Lish had earlier used Roman characters in an 1838 vocabulary compilation, challenging the notion of Jones as the sole pioneer.
The Sociolinguistic Impact is there to be seen for everyone since the Roman script is now firmly embedded in Khasi identity, with rich literature, newspapers and textbooks published in it. The Sohra dialect, which Jones focused on, became dominant in Khasi education and literature, marginalising other dialects. Linguistic unity was achieved to some extent, but debates around cultural authenticity and external influence persist.
Thomas Jones is a complex historical figure. He is revered as the ‘Father of the Khasi Alphabet’ and celebrated for his foundational role in education and cultural revival.
At the same time, scholarly critiques caution against uncritical glorification, pointing to the missionary-colonial backdrop of his actions and the long-term consequences of scriptal change. Understanding Jones requires balancing his visionary contributions with the cultural and linguistic tensions his work invoked — a legacy both celebrated and contested.
(The author’s references were articles previously published in Raiot, Northeast Today and NECARF and Wikipedia)
