I grew up in Tonga where English is a foreign language. We have our own which is very important to the lives of the Tongans. As a hierarchical government, language will also be in hierarchical system. Language itentify who we are in the Tongan society. The King have their own, which is the most respected one. Nobles is on the second line, and then the commoners which are the lower class in the society. To talk or speak in this particular society must have to be culturally appreciated. To make a mistake is a shame. Language always itentify who we belong and what level are we suppose to be.
When King Tafa'ahau Tupou the 4th graduated from an overseas University, whom the first Tongan to gain a degree from an Universitty, he had a vision of establishing the first High School for his government. In this high school, student are forbitten to speak in other languages even their own language except English. This was a really matter in this very special school. After three times warning for speaking in Tongan in the school compound, the next one would be suspended from school for a couple of days.
My experience, this is a huge change in the lives of education in the Kingdon of Tonga. Parents had an eye to eye with the school rules. I remembered when I got a punishment duty for speking in Tongan at school, my father also punished me for what I have done. It appeared that parents eager to enrol their children into this special school. They want their children to learn and practice this foreign language. In the old days, one who could speak English everyone look up at that person. The idea influences the whole country as now a days every school inTonga prioritise English always comes first.
English vs. Tongan
In Maxwell Churchward's Tongan Dictionary the Tongan word 'ofa has the English equivalents of, 'to love, be fond of, be kind to' which are mostly in the verb form. Like English language, 'ofa (love) can be verb or noun depends on how it situated on the sentence. What would happen when the 'ofa is a noun? For instance, "Ko 'ofa 'oku fa'a kataki" (lit. love is patience). The above given definition then is coming short of the real meaning of 'ofa. In addition, Churchward's definition will be changed a great deal when 'ofa is really put into the Tongan context of 'ofa and not the English context of love. I reckon that the above defition is an attempt to make 'ofa to be equivalent of the English word love but love in Tonga can be quite different from love in English.
To illustrate this point, I wish us to think of when sometimes 'ofa is combined with another word, more likely an adjective but not all the time. It does not necessarily become one word as in some Greek words but it rather remains a two separate words with one single meaning. For example: 'ofa atu (farewell); 'ofa mamahi (commitment); 'ofa mateaki (loyalty) etc. Obviously, the meaning of 'ofa is no longer 'love' or 'to love' buthas changed completely. I understand that some might argue that even in the heart of farewell, commitment and loyalty, one can still find the aspect(s) of love in it because it is love that behind the farewell, the commitment and loyalty. That is to say that it is because of love for another one is caused to say farewell, to make a commitment and to remain loyal. However true that may be, I still think that such argument is a product of exegesis and not etimology.
Apparently, 'ofa is generally taken to mean what Churchward above asserted to be meant, that is 'to love'. However, culturally speaking we ought not to limit the meaning of 'ofa to love as 'ofa in the Tongan society is more than just 'to love'. It is a positive reaction of the heart and mind towards anything through action. Thus 'ofa is not just a feeling towards a person or affection about a child or felt compassionate about somebody or something, though it has some aspect of love in it, it isan action. Therefore, it is not 'ofa just to feel love or being loved but 'ofa is to do something about that person or that thing. In Tongan context, to love is to express by deeds and not just by words.
'Ofa is both direct and indirect. To be direct is to be there with you during the lost of love ones and during similar stragedies. I know that you 'ofa mai (love me) when I came to the funeral of my close relative, you were there with what the Tongans knew they ought to bring to a funeral. Whether emotionally you felt my pain or not, it is sometimes irrelevevant to the definition of 'ofa in this context. It is what you did that explains to me, 'you 'ofa mai.'
On the other hand, to 'ofa in the indirect sense is to be maintain the standard. When the father disciplined his son or daughter, he is indirectly 'ofa (loving) his children. In this context, sometimes parental discipline is more severe in Tongan than in some parts of the world. When a son break a taboo, he is punished for that. The degree of the punishment is measured by the seriousness of the taboo. When the father is enforcing the punishment on his beloved but mischief son, he is indirectly 'ofa (loving) his son.
When King Tafa'ahau Tupou the 4th graduated from an overseas University, whom the first Tongan to gain a degree from an Universitty, he had a vision of establishing the first High School for his government. In this high school, student are forbitten to speak in other languages even their own language except English. This was a really matter in this very special school. After three times warning for speaking in Tongan in the school compound, the next one would be suspended from school for a couple of days.
My experience, this is a huge change in the lives of education in the Kingdon of Tonga. Parents had an eye to eye with the school rules. I remembered when I got a punishment duty for speking in Tongan at school, my father also punished me for what I have done. It appeared that parents eager to enrol their children into this special school. They want their children to learn and practice this foreign language. In the old days, one who could speak English everyone look up at that person. The idea influences the whole country as now a days every school inTonga prioritise English always comes first.
English vs. Tongan
In Maxwell Churchward's Tongan Dictionary the Tongan word 'ofa has the English equivalents of, 'to love, be fond of, be kind to' which are mostly in the verb form. Like English language, 'ofa (love) can be verb or noun depends on how it situated on the sentence. What would happen when the 'ofa is a noun? For instance, "Ko 'ofa 'oku fa'a kataki" (lit. love is patience). The above given definition then is coming short of the real meaning of 'ofa. In addition, Churchward's definition will be changed a great deal when 'ofa is really put into the Tongan context of 'ofa and not the English context of love. I reckon that the above defition is an attempt to make 'ofa to be equivalent of the English word love but love in Tonga can be quite different from love in English.
To illustrate this point, I wish us to think of when sometimes 'ofa is combined with another word, more likely an adjective but not all the time. It does not necessarily become one word as in some Greek words but it rather remains a two separate words with one single meaning. For example: 'ofa atu (farewell); 'ofa mamahi (commitment); 'ofa mateaki (loyalty) etc. Obviously, the meaning of 'ofa is no longer 'love' or 'to love' buthas changed completely. I understand that some might argue that even in the heart of farewell, commitment and loyalty, one can still find the aspect(s) of love in it because it is love that behind the farewell, the commitment and loyalty. That is to say that it is because of love for another one is caused to say farewell, to make a commitment and to remain loyal. However true that may be, I still think that such argument is a product of exegesis and not etimology.
Apparently, 'ofa is generally taken to mean what Churchward above asserted to be meant, that is 'to love'. However, culturally speaking we ought not to limit the meaning of 'ofa to love as 'ofa in the Tongan society is more than just 'to love'. It is a positive reaction of the heart and mind towards anything through action. Thus 'ofa is not just a feeling towards a person or affection about a child or felt compassionate about somebody or something, though it has some aspect of love in it, it isan action. Therefore, it is not 'ofa just to feel love or being loved but 'ofa is to do something about that person or that thing. In Tongan context, to love is to express by deeds and not just by words.
'Ofa is both direct and indirect. To be direct is to be there with you during the lost of love ones and during similar stragedies. I know that you 'ofa mai (love me) when I came to the funeral of my close relative, you were there with what the Tongans knew they ought to bring to a funeral. Whether emotionally you felt my pain or not, it is sometimes irrelevevant to the definition of 'ofa in this context. It is what you did that explains to me, 'you 'ofa mai.'
On the other hand, to 'ofa in the indirect sense is to be maintain the standard. When the father disciplined his son or daughter, he is indirectly 'ofa (loving) his children. In this context, sometimes parental discipline is more severe in Tongan than in some parts of the world. When a son break a taboo, he is punished for that. The degree of the punishment is measured by the seriousness of the taboo. When the father is enforcing the punishment on his beloved but mischief son, he is indirectly 'ofa (loving) his son.
