MLC Transcription System

The Myanma Language Commission Transcription System, also known as the MLC Transcription System (MLCTS), is a transliteration system for rendering Burmese in the Latin alphabet. It is loosely based on the Pali romanisation system, has some similarities to the ALA-LC Romanization, and was devised by the Myanma Language Commission. This system is used in many linguistic publications regarding Burmese, and is used in all MLC publications as the primary form of transcription for Burmese.

The transcription system is based on the orthography of formal Burmese, and is not suited for colloquial Burmese, which has substantial differences in phonology from formal Burmese. Differences are mentioned throughout the article.

Features

Features of the MLC Transcription System include:

• Usage of coalesced letters in transcribing stacked consonants
• Consonantal transcriptions (for initials) similar to those of Pali
• Transcription of finals as consonants (-k, -c, -t, -p), rather than as glottal stops
• Transcription of nasalized finals as consonants (-m, -ny, -n, -ng), rather than as a single -n final
• However, MLCTS does not differentiate between the anunasika () and the -m final ()
• Usage of : and . to transcribe two tones, heavy and creaky respectively
• Special transcriptions for abbreviated syllables used in literary Burmese

Transcription system

Initials and finals

The following initials are listed in the traditional ordering of the Burmese script, with the transcriptions of the...
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