Josiah Nelson Cushing

Josiah Nelson Cushing (J. N. Cushing) was born on 4 May 1840, at Attleboro, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. ^{[1] [2]}

Josiah Nelson Cushing was an American Baptist missionary who worked in Burma from 1866 to 1905. ^[3] He was the author of the first English Grammar of the Shan Language (1871) and the first Shan-English Dictionary (1881). He was also responsible for the translation of the Holy Bible into the Shan language. ^{[4] [5] [6]} In the task of translation, he was aided by a fellow missionary, Edwin D. Kelley, who died before the translation could be completed. ^[7] In addition to translating the Bible into Shan, Cushing and his team of translators also worked on a catechism in related dialects. ^[8]

At the age of 65, he died on May 17, 1905, in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. ^{[9] [10]}

He left a legacy with his book, Shan-English Dictionary, which stands firmed as an important material for referencing of the Shan language. Evidently, it has been used as a key sources for the SEALang Library, a dedicated website for online referencing and services for Southeast Asian languages. ^[11]

Family

His father was Alpheus Nelason Cushing, and his mother was Charlotte Everett Foster. ^[12] He was married to Ellen Howard Cushing and they had a son, Herbert Howard Cushing. ^[13]

Publications

• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. Grammar of the Shan Language. American Mission Press, 1871.
• Cushing, J. N. A Shan and English dictionary. Rangoon: Bennett, 1881.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson, translator. The New Testament Translated into Shan from the Original Greek. 1st edition, American Baptist Mission Press, 1882.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. The Shan Mission. Americ. Baptist Miss. Union, 1886.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. Elementary Handbook of the Shan Language: By Rev. Josiah Nelson Cushing. C. Bennett Trübner, 1880.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. The Holy Bible ... Translated into Shan from the Original Languages [by Josiah Nelson Cushing], Etc. American Baptist Mission Press, 1892.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. Buddhism in Southern Asia. [publisher not identified], 1905, http://books.google.com/books?id=-OA3AQAAMAAJ.
• Hsinbyushin, and Josiah Nelson Cushing. The Po U Daung Inscription Erected by King Sinbyuyin in 1774 A.D. Printed by the Superintendent, Gov’t. printing, 1891.

Sources

1. "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
2. "Rev. Dr. Josiah Nelson Cushing". 8 January 2017.
3. Kaloyanides, Alexandra (2023). Baptizing Burma: Religious Change in the Last Buddhist Kingdom. Columbia University Press. doi:10.7312/kalo19984.8. ISBN   978-0-231-19984-1.
4. "Palm Leaf Manuscripts". Brown University Library. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
5. Yawnghwe, Harn. "Bible Translation 1" (PDF). Saint Timothy’s Banner (News Letter). pp. 13–14. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
6. Wong, Simon. "Towards a History of Bible Translation Among the Dialects and Languages of China: Jingpo" (PDF). Bible Society of Korea. pp. 50–52. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
7. "Kelley, Edwin D. 1846 - 1873: Missionary (ABMU Shan Mission): Baptist: Burma". Dictionary of Christian Biography in Asia. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
8. Kurabe, Keita; Imamura, Masao (August 2016). "Orthography and related material" (PDF). The Newsletter, International Institute for Asian Studies. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
9. "Burial, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States of America". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
10. John, Wallace St. Josiah Nelson Cushing: Missionary and Scholar, Burma, 1912, p. 30
11. http://sealang.net/shan/dictionary.htm
12. John, Wallace St. Josiah Nelson Cushing: Missionary and Scholar, Burma, 1912, pp. 12-13.
13. "Rev. Dr. Josiah Nelson Cushing". 8 January 2017.