| The nom
is a transcription system of Vietnamese words with the help of Chinese characters,
simples or combined between themselves, to note the sound of a Vietnamese
word or the combined meaning and sound of a Vietnamese word. The most ancient
texts of Vietnamese language have been transmitted to us in nom. It was
only from the 17th century that the transcription in latin characters, known
under the name of quoc ngu was utilized, and in a greater part, by
missionaries. One had to wait until the 20th century to assist to the blooming
of transcriptions in quoc ngu of ancient texts nom as well as the creation
of new works. Thus the literature in nom and in quoc ngu constitutes two
expressions of a same literature, the literature in Vietnamese popular language.
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