Hla Pe

Dr. Hla Pe (Burmese: လှဘေ, pronounced: [l̥a̰ pʰè]; 8 January 1913 – 31 July 2007) was a foremost Burmese language linguist and a longtime contributor to the Burmese–English Dictionary. He was professor of Burmese language and culture at the University of London from 1966 to 1980.

Early life

He was born in Kha-ye village near Mawlamyaing, British Burma, where he was brought up by four spinster aunts. The son of a Burmese traditional doctor, he had his early education in the village monastery. He then studied at government high school. After high school, he went to Rangoon University and earned an MA in Burmese in 1938. He was selected for a state scholarship for further studies in London the same year. In 1939, he got a Diploma in Education from the Institute of Education, University of London. In 1944 he obtained his doctorate in Burmese at the University of London's School of Oriental Studies (later renamed the School of Oriental and African Studies).

Career

From 1942 to 1946 he was the news broadcaster, translator and commentator with the BBC Burmese. At the same time he was an assistant editor of the Burmese–English Dictionary. He became an associate editor of the dictionary in 1948. He devoted forty years to writing the dictionary.