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Ajarn David might be significantly missed by all the faculty here at Mahidol’s Institute of Language and Culture for Rural Development and our deepest sympathy goes out to Ajarn Dorothy. David might be remembered for his excellent contributions to linguistics and Mon-Khmer languages, for his energetic teaching, for his area work in mainland Southeast Asia, and for his service as mentor to a fantastic number of scholars and to his junior colleagues. He was keenly fascinated about explanations for the variegated manifestations of Mon-Khmer phonological register techniques. Dave, along with Prof. Nguyen Dinh Hoa, formed the Linguistic Circle of Saigon, which in flip launched the journal Mon-Khmer Studies in 1964. This unique journal was a ‘labor of love’ which has through the years had a number of homes (now at Mahidol University in Bangkok), however would certainly have died on the vine with out Dave’s single-handed persistence. Historically, he sought to grasp the possible Chamic migration results that appeared to have ‘split’ South Bahnaric teams from North Bahnaric ones. We enjoyed their inferequent visits to Washington and our infrequent visits to the mountains of Western North Carolina. He could inspire hope within the face of adversity, which the Thai college students additionally needed, as they struggled with academic English and western cognitive kinds of communication on prime of other personal hardships whereas making an attempt to finish their master’s theses.

I learned from his instance earnestness in educational endeavor, humility and respect in regarding others and graciousness and persistency in serving to college students overcome shortcomings in any space of non-public life and service. Dave’s life and service have been complemented and enhanced by his spouse, Dottie – and hers by him. We carried on a long correspondence and then my spouse and that i spent 2 days with Dave, Dot and Dave’s mom in Philadelphia where Dave was engaged on his Ph. 1967 -David and Dot returned to the States and through this time, David completed work on his Ph.D. Also throughout this time, David started work on his Ph.D. 1953 – In 1953, David joined SIL and began work as a linguist and Bible translator for minority peoples. And en route again to Vietnam David and Dot taught an SIL summer season faculty course in linguistics in New Zealand. David and Dot moved to Vietnam in 1957. Here they labored on a linguistic evaluation of the Chrau language and Bible translation for the next two decades. Dave and Dorothy Thomas figured in a serious means in these recollections, as they did in so most of the translation projects in Vietnam. Dot was also accepted by SIL, and shared David’s interest in linguistics and Bible translation.

In addition they served as consultants for the Northern Khmer translation committee. Consultants, linguistic consultants especially, could revenue from no less than an annual rereading of those statements in memory of David. 99. Thomas, David D. 1967. Review of: a Vietnamese grammar, by Laurence C. Thompson. 80. Thomas, David D. 1974. Review of: a contrastive grammatical analysis of English and Vietnamese, by Nguyễn Ðăng Liêm. In 1964, David visited Bangkok to attend a conference for translators working all through Southeast Asia. 30. Ratanakul, Suriya, David D. Thomas, and Suwilai Premsrirat, editors. Funny thing to think about when praying, so he brushed the thought out of his mind. He had a tremendous ear and keen thoughts for spiritual values of the guts, fine artwork and music. He all the time took a optimistic viewpoint sharing a brand new perception on a matter by replying with “Well… A colleague responded, “Well of course. That was my first linguistics conference, so I realized from Dave in regards to the significance of getting ready and presenting papers at such meetings. Dave additionally informed me how to handle the required German examination: during my first 12 months at Penn, he said, take the beginning German and Advanced German courses supplied to PhD candidates – if you don’t pass the examination at the end of the college 12 months, then throughout the subsequent furlough take the Intermediate German and the Advanced German lessons and for sure one would go the exam.

Their Chrau project headed the listing with a ranking of 100%. Dave had revealed a Chrau Grammar and plenty of other linguistic studies, Dot printed ethnographic studies, there have been literacy materials prepared, and a Chrau New Testament published. There she met a favorite professor, Dr. Arthur Glasser! We’re grateful to have identified Dave and to have worked together with him. For him all the pieces was going properly, even if his own phrases typically did not movement as he may need hoped. Even so, Dave did not shrink back from taking the floor to argue in opposition to misguided ideas or practices he noticed in his organization. And thus it turned out, that I was appointed Director of the newly formed Malaysia Branch and Dot and Dave went to Thailand the place the Lord used them each in very vital methods as they honored His title in the college group and among the many Northern Khmer people. Dave continued to information the journal after it went to the University of Hawaii and later to Mahidol University in Bangkok. 1966. Papers on 4 Vietnamese languages. ” He discovered his answer in the identical place another related searcher had found it when he learned that Kenneth Pike and a few of his colleagues were at work unraveling the mysteries of unwritten languages world wide.