38
This is the beginning of the Siamese alphabet.
The script discovered by Ram Khamhen has develop-
ed into the modern Siamese writing, which tries 'to
express a language with tones in an alphabet.5 The
modern Siamese language, therefore, according to Dr.
G. Schlegel, consists of the most hetrogenous ele-
ments, which elements the Siamese cut up, in order
to reduce them to monosyllables in the Chinese
fashion, so that it is no easy task to find out whence a
word is taken and which was its primitive form.1
What is the origin of this Siamese writing ?
Various theories have been advanced about its origin.
They may be grouped under three classes, namely,
(i ) Theory of a Pali and a Sinhalese origin
of the Siamese writing
( 2) Theory of a Burmese origin, and
(3) Theory of a Cambodjan origin.
Prof. C. B. Bradley examines all these theories in
his paper on The Proximate Source of the Siamese
Alphabet? and comes to the conclusion that it is from
the Cambodjan alphabets that the Siamese alphabets
are derived. He summaries his arguments thus:
Cambodian culture was Brhmanical and Indian
throughout. Cambodian writing retains its distinctive
Sanskrit features to the present day. Historically,
the shape of the Cambodian letters—originally Indian
1. Schlegel—Siamese Studies, p. 7.
2. Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. X, 1913, pp. 1-12.