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(a) Problems: Very few books have been written on Thadou language. No major language planning has taken place in the past and the present time. It serves only as a medium of communication. Some scholars have attempted to reform the script but no standard script has come into use so far.
Several scholars have attempted to rectify the spelling errors in the language. They are unsystematic and are not based on proper phonemic analyses of the language. A magazine publisher named Thangkhochon Thomshong in his magazine Zougam Lhangsam has introduced ‘aw’ to represent the phoneme /Ɔ/. The spelling system of Thadou clubs together the phoneme /e/ and /Ɛ/ under the same letter ‘e’, /a/ and/Λ/ under the same letter ‘a’ and /o/ and /Ɔ/ under the same letter ‘o’. The need that arises from this is that, since the representation of two or more phonemically distinct units by a single letter is impediment to the correct pronunciation of the language, it becomes necessary that every phoneme be provided with distinct symbol in the writing system. With regard to script reform no script represented this different phoneme correctly.
On consonant level there is a need to differentiate voiceless fricative/x/ and velar stop /kh/. Thadou does not have aspirated voiceless velar stop which in the writing system is used to represent voiceless fricative /x/.
(Please note: as there are no language planning done in the language, the topics/headings (v.i.z) history of planning, process in planning, modernisation, language Movement, effect of language planning and agencies involved cannot be discussed at this point of time.)
a) Borrowing: Some borrowed words have come into the language as a result of language contact especially with Manipuris and English. Other reason could be that the language does not have terms for these words. The following are some examples of borrowed words in Thadou.
Champara ‘lemon’ >from Manipuri. Lotus >from English. Moja ‘shock’ >from Hindi Khonggup ‘shoes’ >Manipuri So, ‘key’ >from Manipuri Ngakhra ‘kind of fish >from Manipuri Lowway ‘low caste’ >From Manipuri Brash ‘brush’ >from English Glass >from English Pyjama >from Hindi. Alu ‘potato’ >Hindi Mithai ‘sweet’ >Hindi.
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