i\'
t
LrRARY
UNI ')=RSITY OP
CAllFORNIA
\({}
.1l^*.t>J$.
GRAMMATICAL NOTICES
OF THE
ASAMESE LANGUAGE
ri
(- BY N. BROWN.
V^
SIBS AGOR:
PRINTED AT THE AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION PRESS.
1848.
\Dm STAOC
Bl
c: I — ?
7 1 ^
INTRODUCTION.
The following Notices do not claim to be regard-
ed as a Grammar of the Asamese Language; nor were
they prepared with a view to publication in their pres-
ent state. They were commenced with the intention
of printing only a few sheets, for private use, of the
most common grammatical forms; but the work hav-
ing extended beyond what was anticipated, it may not
be unsuitable to prefix a few introductory remarks.
Like many other dialects of India, the Asamese
language owes the greater portion of its vocabulary
to the ancient Sanskrit. The Bengali alone excepted,
it probably contains a greater proportion of Sanskrit
derivatives than any other Lidian tongue. Whether
it was itself a dialect of the Sanskrit, or whether it
was formed by engrafting the Sanskrit upon some ori-
ginal native stock now extinct, is uncertain ; the latter
however, is the more probable opinion. With what
languages this original stock may have been affiliated,
is an interesting, but difficult inquiry j as but very
few Asamese words, not derived from the Sanskrit,
are to be found in any of the neighboring dialects
hitherto examined- The names of common and fami-
liar objects are those which longest resist the en-
croachments of a foreign tongue; and a further com-
057
IV
parison of this class of Asamese words with the cor-
responding terms in the original languages of the
Chutias, Kacharis Kooches and other tribes by which
Asam has been peopled, would probably throw much
light on the origin of the language in present use.
It is remarkable that the Ahoms, who overspread
and conquered the country, and who now constitute
a large proportion of the population, should have
been able to produce no alteration in the language of
the original inhabitants; scarcely a single terra in
present use being traceable to the ancient Ahom.
This language, which was closely allied to the Shyan
and Siamese, is now understood only by a few Ahom
priests, who still preserve their old religion.
The Asamese is often regarded as merely a corrupt
form of the Bengali, by persons who become acquaint-
ed with tiiat language previous to their arrival in Asam.
Finding so large a proportion of v\ords common to
Bengali and Asamese, and not considering that this
similarity necessarily results from the derivation of
these languages from Sanskrit, the common parent of
both, it has been hastily concluded that the Asamese
is but an uncouth jargon, formed by the incorporation
of Bengali witli the various dialects of the country.
The opinion that the present language of Bengal is
the parent of Asamese, is irreconcilable with facts. It
is well known that there had been no inllux of Ben-
galis into this province, prior to the Mohammedan in-
vasion; at which time the language was established
in its present form. Very few of tl»e Brahmans of
Asara have any connection or fellowship with those of
Bengal ; they trace their origin to the upper provin-
ces of India: and vve accordingly find that the Asam-
ese, though saturated with Sanskrit, corresponds in
other respects, especially in pronunciation, with the
Hindustani rather than the Bengali. In fact, the As-
aniese pronunciation of words derived from the Sans-
krit is such as to render the supposition of a Bengali
origin entirely inadmissible. A very prominent char,
acteristic of this language is the pronunciation of
the Sanskrit letters *r, ^, and jft like the guttural h or
kh, corresponding with the Greek X^ a sound un-
known in Bengali. Traces of this pronunciation are
still found in the language of Upper India; in the
Brij Bliakha (Bengali, bhasha,) or original language
of Hindustan; and in the modern Hindustani, where
we find dokU, guilt, instead o^ dosJi; mak, month, in-
stead of //za^, &c. Had the Asaraese been introdu-
ced from Bengal, the Bengali pronunciation w^ould un-
doubtedly have accompanied it. For the two Sanskrit
letters b and v, the Bengali alphabet has but one re-
presentative, ^ b, while the Asamese contains ^ and
^, pronounced b and w. Thus the name of the Hindu
god Shiva, in Bengali is pronounced Sib, in Asamese
Hiwo; conclusively showing that the two languages,
though derived from a common source, have no direct
connection with each other- The pronunciation of
^ and 9t are also essentially diflferent in Asamese and
Tl
Bengali; the former being pronounced in Bengal as
ck, in Asara invariably as s. ^ in Bengali has the
hard sound of the English 7; in Asamese it is pro-
nounced like z , or rather like the French 7, a slight
sound of the consonant y being combined with the z^
as in the word azure, az-yure.
For beauty and softness, the Asnmese language is
much superior to the Bengali ; resembling in this res-
pect the Hindustani. It is not inferior, in copious-
ness, to any of the Indian languages, and is capable
of indefinite extension by additions from the Sanskrit.
The native pundits, in fact, make no scruple to intro-
duce, whenever necessity or convenience requires, any
word, however unusual, that may be Ibund in their
sacred writings. This is a license which is often abu-
sed ; native writers being apt to adorn their composi-
tions with a profusion of Sanskrit that is quite unne-
cessary, and renders their productions wholly unintel-
ligible to the common people.
The only Asamese books which can be regarded as
a standard of good prose writing are the Buronj'is^
or histories, which have been written during the last
two or three hundred years. Besides these there are
but few prose works in existence. Translations of sev-
eral matliematical and other Sanskrit works are to be
found; but the language is less pure than that of the
Buronjis. Most of the sacred writings of the Asa-
mese are in poetry; which ditfors so widely from the
spoken language, that the student who wisiies to ac-
Vll
quire a correct style, should confine himself, at the
coraraencement of his studies, entirely to prose.
ORTHOGRAPHX-
Although, as a spoken language, the Asamese has
been fixed in its present form for centuries, it ap-
pears never to have been written on any settled and
uniform principles of orthography, in this respect
it resembles our own language previous to the intro-
duction of printing, when the word kijig was writ-
ten indifferently, cyng, cinge, kynge, &c. As a spe-
cimen of the orthography of those times, we select a
passage from a manuscript Bible of the fourteenth
century, quoted in Dr. Clark's Commentary.
Manuscript Orthography. Modern Orthography.
Cum ray leef, go we out into j Come, my love, go we out in-
the feeld, dwelle we togydir in
townes: erli riise we to the vyne
see we gif tlie vyne flouride ; gif
to the field ; dwell we together
in towns; early rise we to the
vine; see we if the vine flower-
the floures,fruytis bringen forth; i ed, if the flowers bring forth
gif the poumgarnetis flouren ? | fruits, if the pomegranates flow-
The mandraggis yeven their er. The mandrakes give their
smel in oure yeatis. Alle appis smell in our gates: all apples
newe and olde my leef, I kept new and old, my love, I kept
to thee. — Cant, vii, 1. I (for) thee. — Sol. Song, vii, 1.
The perfection of a written language evidently con-
sists in its corresponding, as far as possible, with the
language actually spoken. In order for this, the fol-
lowing rule is indispensable, viz. That every sound
should have its oicn appropriate character i and
that every letter should express a single invariable
sound. There will then be neither more nor fewer
Vlll
letters than the vocal sounds. The Sanskrit alphabet,
a modification of which is used for writing Asamese,
conimns ffti/ letters, while the number of sounds in
Asamese is only tliirty-six. The use of an alpha-
bet containing so many redundant letters, has naturally
led to the great variety of spelling which we now find
in native writers; the sanie sound being expressed
by two, and sometimes by three and four different let-
ters; while, not unfrequently, the same letter has been
employed to express different sounds. In commen-
cing the printing of books in this language, the mem-
bers of the Asam Mission considered it important to
establish a correct and uniform system of orthogra-
phy. Three modes of proceedure suggested them-
selves, viz.
1. To spell all words derived from the Sanskrit,
and others as far as practicable, in accordance with
the orthography of that language;
2. To adopt as a standard the orthography of
some native writer, or approved Asamese manu-
script; or
3. To select from different works those forms
which were most agreeable to general usage, and
which best correspond to the actual pronunciation.
The first method, it was found, would, if strictly
followed, produce such distortions of the language as
to render it nearly unintelligible. To bring back the
spoken language to a correspondence with the original
orthography was an evident impossibility ; it was
IX
therefore necessary to make the orthography corres-
pond with the pronunciation. This had been par-
tially done in the native writings; to select a stan-
dard, however, was difficult; manuscripts not only
differing from each other, but possessing no consis-
tency or uniformity within themselves. The work
which made the nearest approach to a regular system,
was a manuscript Bengali Dictionary, with Asamese
definitions, prepared by Joduram Deka Borua, a
learned Asamese Pundit. The orthography of this
work was found to correspond much better with the
actual pronunciation than any other that had been met
with; the greater porti:)n of the redundant letters
were discarded i while the general forms of words
agreed, for the most part, with those found in the Bu-
ronjis.
The most important variations from the Sanskrit or-
thography sanctioned by Joduram, are the following:
1. The use of f only, instead of the two forms ^
and ^.
2. The use of a single character for ^ and ^.
3. The rejection of ^ and ^, Iri and Iri. These
characters, it is believed, have never been used in
writing Asamese.
4. The substitution of 5 for^, and, with few ex-
ceptions, of ^ for ^.
5- The use of i\ to express the three Sanskrit let-
ters *r, ^, and 7[. In a very few instances only does
he use *r or ^.
6. The use of i{ for ^1. No Asatuese manuscript
that we have seen makes any distinction between
these letters.
7. The use of -of for ^.
The alphabet being- thus far simplified, it was
discovered that only two redundant letters still re-
mained; -fiitf) express the united sound of rand i;
and 5r, used to represent the sound ofm j- To these
therefore the knife was applied without hesitation,
and the written character brought to as exact a cor-
respondence with the proiuinciation, as the nature of
the language will admit; every radically difierent
sound having one and only one distinct symbol as its
representative. In accomplishing this desirable end,
not a single new character has been introduced ; so
that the language, as now printed, is read at once, and
with entire ease, by natives who had, previously been
acquainted only with. their own manuscripts.
That the priests and pundits, who despise the ver-
nacular, and would gladly lock up all knowledge in
Sanskrit and Bengali, should unite in any effort for
improving or systemizing their own language, is not
to be expected; yet even they, from the constant
perusal of our printed books and papers, are begin-
ning to regard the vernacular with respect i while
amongst the common people, our eflbrts to give them
their own language in a simple and unifonu dress,
have met with universal favor.
XI
The following is the Sanskrit alphabet, in the usual
character, with the corresponding Roman letters.
VOWELS.
•*
Letters.
Symbols,
jRoman.
Letters.
Symbols
. Roman. \
«r
(or a)
^
Iri
«ji
1
a
(a)
^
In
^
f
i
*<
C
e
*
1
1
^
t
oi (ai)
^
X
u
^8
c\
° 1
^
li
V&
Cl
ou 1
<»
£
ri
^»\
©s
ong 1
^
ri
^S
o
oh
CONSONANTS,
^
k
^
4
^
"
^
kh
I»
dh
5r
y
?r
g
«l
n
^
r
^
gh
^
t
iPI
1
^
ng
5t
th
^
w
5
s (ch)
*l
d
'•r
sb, h
^
sh (chh)
Sf
dh
^
sh, h
^
J
^
n
T
s, h
^
jh
*f
P
^
h
^ip
S. ny
^
Ph
^
ksh, khy
^
t
^ .
b
t
th
^
bh
xn
SOUNDS OF THE LETTERS.
The original sound of the vowel ^ is uncertain ; it
probably expressed the sounds both of short o and
the indistinct «, as heard in the word dollar. In
Asamese the sound fluctuates between long and short
o, as in the two syllables of the word morrow.
This sound is regarded as naturally inherent in
every consonant; thus, ^, 4f, sf, are considered as
combinations of these consonants with "Sf; in Roman
letters ko, kho, go, pronounced as if writen kaw,
khawy gaw. To show that a consonant is final, or
destitute of the vowel sound, a mark is placed be-
neath it, thus
, ^- These four heterogeneous compounds
of ? r, 21 1, and f i, are no ornaments to any modern
language, whatever may have been their use in the
Sanskrit. Only the first has ever been used in writing
Asamese, and it may well be dispensed with, being
an unnecessary and awkward abbreviation to denote
the union of ^ and ^, and disfiguring the printed page
with such combinations as ^f'jf^ prithibi, ^fe sristi,
instead of the regular and more elegant forms fttf^f^»
The vowel 4 corresponds to the English e in wew;
and represents invariably the same sound. Its pro-
XV
nunciation at the end of a word is somewhat difficult;
foreigners not unfrequently give it the sound of ay in
day'i an error which should be most studiously avoid-
ed. Great care should also be taken to give it the
proper sound, when it precedes another vowel i as in
Cif<3 deu, c^^g teun, d^ beun. These must not be
pronounced so as to rhyme with ^T^ nau, stT^ gaun >
nor with %^ koun, \^ houn, &c. The student will
do well to practice upon these three classes of words
with the help of a native teacher, until he is entirely
familiar with each.
A added to words ending in ^ or ^i is changed to
t; as «Jg^putroi, instead '^a putroe, emphatic form
ofsj^; c^^tt i»enai, instead of c^fiTT^ henae, nomina-
tive emphatic of c^TJ^l hena, a warrior.
The sound of ^ is not difficult ; it resembles that
of 02 in going^ but is often pronounced obscurely, es-
pecially at the end of a word. By the vulgar the o
sound is often entirely sunk, and the letter becomes a
simple z, as ^f?:ifi=T koriboli, for ^iic^^?T koriboloi, to
do \ ^tf?^ tali, for ^\t^ taloi, thither. When this let-
ter has its full sound, it should be represented in the
Roman character by 6i, with the accent.
vQ, the Sanskrit long o ; in Asamese, u. The proper
sound of this letter is seldom acquired by foreigners;
those who first learn Bengali give it the sound of long
0, as it is pronounced in that language; while per-
sons commencing Asamese give it the sound of oo in
XVI
doom, or u in bull. It corresponds more nearly to
the latter sound than any other in English; still there
is a slight verging towards the sound of o in whole,
which the learner should endeavor to acquire the pow-
er of imitating. This vowel slides into the sound
of ^, when followed by ^ in the succeeding syllable;
resembling in this particular the letter ^, which is
changed from short to long o, when followed by ^.
Thus c^M^ bule, he says, becomes -^z^ bulise, he
is saying, by a change of tense; c^Tcefl bulun, I say,
^fir buli, saying i c?!^ rgg, disease, ^frf?! rugia, di-
seased', ctfTT dgh, guilt, ^f?! duhi, guilty. So also
^ u becomes ^ u, when the following ^ is exchang-
ed for a different vowel ', ^fa tumi, thou, Cx5T5iT5 tu-
mar, thine ; wt^^fsT apuni, one^s self, ^\i^\^'H apunar,
one's own.
The letter v§ is considered as a compound of ^ o
and ^ u ; the sound in Asamese is that of long o, as in
note, more.
The characters ">^ and s are improperly classed with
the vowels; the first is simply the letter ^ or isf, de-
prived of its inherent vowel; the second is synony-
mous with t, and therefore unnecessary.
^ and J^. The first of these is a simple k, and the
latter its aspirate, like kh in the compound word
brick-ho7ise. T h.
XVll
9r is the common hard g, and ^ the same letter as-
pirated, as in log house,
>S, usually expressed in Asaraese by the compound
character ^ ng (« and 5t), is equivalent to n in smky
or ng in sing. In cases where this letter requires the
mark ^ underneath, it is written "n. It never begins
an Asamese word.
F, ^. The latter of these is properly an aspirate of
the first; in Asaraese both are pronounced like sim^
pie s. They never have the sound of ch ; to express
this, v5l fy is often used, as in writing the title of the
Ahom rajas, ^JT^ chau, Lord.
*? j> ^ jh' These are both pronounced like zy, or
si in vision (viz-yun), corresponding to the French j.
At the end of words, the sound of the y is scarcely
perceptible; thus ca^, C«^, are pronounced mez, and
tez.
v£P ny,is commonly used in Asamese manuscripts to
denote the nasal n, as c^TT^^T^ guhain ; but in printing,
the symbol ' is used instead j thus,c^t^f^ guhain.
To a person acquainted only with the English lang-
uage, this sound is somewhat diflScult. Care must be
taken not to pronounce it like ng. It is precisely the
French n in V enfant. Native writers often omit the '
even where the pronunciation requires it. This mark
is not considered a distinct letter, but only a modifi-
XVlll
cation of the vowel with which it is connected. In
dictionaries, a letter thus marked takes its place im-
mediately under the same letter followed by the vow-
els; thus i follows ^f, ^<3, ^*^&c. but precedes j?^.
^ t,t th, v5 d, F dh. The first and third of these
letters resemble the English t and d; the second and
fourth are the corresponding aspirates, sounded as in
hot-house, Good-hope. The usual form of t in As-
amese writings is 5;.
e|. This letter, when it occurs in the alphabet, is
pronounced r j in Sanskrit words, it is sounded pre-
cisely as ^.
v5 t, 5t th, IT d, ^ dh. These letters scarcely differ
from those of the foregoing class, and are often con-
founded with them by the natives of Asam. To pro-
nounce these letters the tip of the tongue should be
applied to the roots of the teeth, as if we were about
to utter the word think. Yet care should be taken
not to pronounce either ^ or ^ like the English th^ an
error into which Europeans sometimes fall. The first
t in Mat-thew, and d in the word breadth, have very
nearly the sound of « and if.
^ n, is sounded precisely like the corresponding
English letter.
*>t p, ^ ph. The latter is often pronounced by the
natives like the English J\
XIX
^ is the common b, and ^ its aspirate, like hh in
cob-house.
51 m. This letter combined with a preceding con*
sonant is sometimes corruptly pronounced as iv\ thus
^t^', atwa for atma; ^^ir, svvoron for smoron.
^. The original pronunciation of this letter in Sans-
krit is y'i but in Asamese it is usually changed to j,
and should therefore be written m. When the Sans-
krit sound is retained, it is customary to distinguish
the letter by a dot beneath it, thus, ^r.
As an initial, ^ is often pronounced like ^, but in-
correctly. This letter is substituted for ^ i, whenev-
er the latter is followed by another vowel > thus the
emphatic form of F^r^ sorai, a bird, is WMH not
^X\t^ y '^^T^ not ^f ^5, genitive of ^^, fear. When
^ is followed by ^ or ^1, ^ is usually substituted for
'SI, as fft^rfJT gian, knowledge') f>f?rt?i hial, a jackal y
though some writers retain the ^. Sometimes, but
less generally, ? is substituted for A following ^, as
f^,l^ for ff sfij die, he gives. In Asamese ^ can never
be substituted for ^aj when it follows ^ or vs ; though
this is done in Bengali. In Asamese the ^ would
give a wrong sound; thus the past participle of the
verb ^^ hoi, to be, cannot be written c\H\ huya, but
must be spelt either C5;T^1 hua, or c\^^\ huwa, which
are identical in sound, and are both used by good
writers.;
When 51 is combined with a preceding consonant,
it takes the form j, and is commonly pronounced as if
an i were inserted before the consonant; ^ttij, ag3'a
is pronounced aigya; 5^jl rokhya becomes roikhya.
By the vulgar the 7/ is often entirely sunk, and j^j
hunyo, sf^rj dhonyo, 'si^rj onyo, are pronounced as if
written t^^ huin, >jf ^ dhoin, wt^l oin.
^ r, has the usual sound of this letter. When it
occurs at the end of a word, great care must be taken
to join it closely with the preceding vowel, and not
insert an inteniiediate sound, making an additional
syllable. In English this is common; thus fair is
pronounced fa-iir^ like prayer', more like mow-en
Aire like high-er. From habit, the student will be apt
to introduce the same sound into Asamese, and pro-
nounce TfiR^ gakhir, 7nilk^ as if written ?flf^^T5 ga-
khi ar; ^if^^ panir, of water ^ as if written <^.lf^?rTc
pa-ni-ar; «j;5 pur, /z///, as if written ^315 pu-or, or
like the English word, i:)oor. This error vitiates the
pronunciation of almost every European.
Combined with a preceding consonant this letter is
expressed by the mark placed underneath, as «J;5
putro, a son. If the ^ precede, it is expressed by the
mark " called c<^ reph, written over the letter, as in
'fTTS porbot, a mountain. In Sanskrit, this mark
placed over a consonant generally requires the latter
to be doubled; thus ^^^ is written <1^« porbbot;
f^xfq nirraol, clearly from ^^\ and si??, becomes t^^*I
X%1
nirmraol ; ^^i korta, becomes ^#1 kortta, &c. The
aspirates, however, together with 5, ?r, JT, j^, do not
admit of being doubled.
cT 1, requires no particular explanation.
The letter ir w, is not used at the commencement
of words- la Sanskrit words commencing with v, ^
is substituted for ?. The letter ^3 when followed by ^
or 4 is changed to ?; thus c^^, with the emphatic 4,
becomes c%C?tenwe; ^^<3 nau. a boat, in the genitive
becomes ^T?^^ nawor; -rtl^ gaun, a village y becomes
STT?^ ganwor.
Combined with a preceding consonant ? is express-
ed by a ^ placed underneath; the sound of the to
is, however, often scarcely perceptible; thus ^5?T
sworog, fg^ Iswor, ^^^t sworup, are pronounced
nearly as if written Fi?f sorog, 5"^^ Isor, 5:5?^ sorup.
The full pronunciation of the w in these cases is ine-
legant, and should be avoided.
*t, ^, »r. The native pronunciation of these three
Sanskrit letters being the same, only one character ^
h, is used in printing Asamese. This letter has the
sound of guttural M, or the Greek X, pronounced as
in the act of hawking phlegm from the throat. It is
of the utmost importance that the learner should ac-
quire the correct pronunciation of this letter; taking
care not to confound it either with -Jt kh, or with the
simple 5^ h.
XXIV
The vowels are coin))ined with the consonants in
the following miinner:
^ ko ^1 ka
f^
ki
f
ku
C5P ke t'P koi
C^l
ku
C^
kou
The combination of ^ with the consonants 5 and
^, produces the forms ^ ru, and ^ hu. Two conso-
nants occurring together are usually joined, forming
a compound letter; thus endhar, darkness, is written
^^l^j not vfi;r5R; *^^^ hongkot, jeopardy, not jt^'v^'^ ;
^^'^5 porbot, a mountain^ not «^T?r'5. Most of the
compounds are easily recognized from their resem-
blance to the simple forms. The following are some-
what irregular in their formation :
[gj kr vq5 kt % ngk t^
5P ns *^ nj ^ lid "^
% ndh ^ stu ^ sth ^
The following forms are sometimes met with in
manuscripts and books :
tr
^
tru
ntu
\
nth
hu
^
i
t
i
^
1
t$ u
^
11
^
ku
^
kri
^
gu
m jny
fey)
•t
nu
^
tt
^3
tu
^
tt
a ttr
'71
tth
^
trii
^
tri
C5I
tm
^ or«^
for^^
^
ty
5
du
^
dvv
^
ddh
cc nu
51
nw
^
ndh
^
pu
C3
5"
bu
^ bd
%
bdh
t
br
^
bru
7S
by
^ mu
SI
mw
^
hu
^
St
^
sth
^ sn
'I
sw
■^
hu
^
hri
^
hn
^ i^y (jy)
^
khm
XXV
The Sanskrit rules for the permutation of vowels,
when they fall together at the end and beginning of
words to be combined, as ^, I", ^, changed to ^i, vs,
"Qy are not observed in Asamese. Thus ^^i^ f^^-, the
Supre?ne God, is written and pronounced as two dis-
tinct words, not ^i^ca^^ as in Sanskrit; 5i^sr ^ir^T^
Holy Incarnation, not ^-^[i^u; i^Rsr ^^^ not itf>i'-
C^T^C north and south. But familiar and established
compounds introduced from the Sanskrit in their com-
bined state, may preserve these permutations; as
c^^Tf^^I^ dehadhikar, riiler of a country ^ instead of
CIT ^r^jf'PRJ Fc;^Ti^ soadrudoi for "5^ %^t sondro
udoi, the moons rising; (TT^Tl^^ dehantor, beyond
the country^ instead of c^>r ^^-c deh ontor ; yet the
more usual and regular form is CH^l. ^r^^]K dehor
odhikar, ^^^ ^if sondror udoi, &c.
Words are often contracted in Asamese by the
ommission of ^, and certain other letters in the mid-
dle of a word, when followed by the vowel f"; as>JTC«
hoite for yrT^CS hohite i t^ koi for ^f^ kori; t^^ uoi for
srfff nodi, t^ p6i for ^^s potij t^f^ ghoini for ^^f^
ghorini; Z^'fiU hcidhoni for ^f^sff^r horidhoni; J^tz^
khuise for -^i 9iC5 khujise, he asks for, and sometimes
"^m buile, for ^^z^ bulile, he said.
The numerical notation in Asamese corresponds to
that of the English; the following being the forms ot
the figures in use:
XXVI
When a word is to be re(3eatecl, it is usual to place
the figure < after it, instead of writing the word
again; a cluinsj' contrivance, which often renders a
sentence ambiguous, and which ought not to be tole-
rated in print.
Other abbrevations in use are -^ (Bengali ^ or ^t)
for fg; sri, Ulnstrious, a word prefixed to proper
names ; and t/ signifying Iswor, or the triliteral name
of the deity, ^, a u m.
The character °^ is affixed where the first part only
of a word is written, as ^'^ for ^?P1, a rupee\ -^°^ for
^^?, number; f^'s 'si^n for f^ wivsr^, or Ayino
Domini.
In writing the names of places, rivers, &c. of
Asam, in Roman characters, it is usual to follow
the Bengali pronunciation; thus we say Asam, from
the Bengali ^rsTta, instead of the native term «5^s*
Ohom, or 'Sfi^'si Ahom} Sibsagor instead of f^TJ^t^^
Hiwohagor; Gowahati instead of ^t^T^I^ Guahati;
and Nowgong, which is a corruption of ^^l^^ No-
gaun, New Village.
* This was the term given by the natives to the Shyans, when
they first invaded the country, and signifies unequalcd, from Ji^j
hoin, equal, and w, negative particle. The word is commonly
written Assam by Europeans, to correspond with the present vi-
tiated pronunciation, which gives the first a the short sound as
in battle, instead of the full Italian sound as in papa. The s
being single in the original, it seems better to preserve the same
orlhowraphy in English; and for this we have the best authorites ;
Wilcox, who first explored and described the country, Wilson's
Sanskrit Dictionary, Peaijce's Geography, Hobinso.n's Descrip-
tive Account of Asam, &lc. &-6.
ASAMESE ALPHABET.
''Mter
'. Si/mbol.
, Poicer.
Example.
Romanized.
Sounded as in
^
^^^
dhoromi
commodore
^1
1
a
wi^m
akah
father
t
r
i
f^!t
sithi
city
^
*>.
u
^^^
puruh
cz^ck 00
4
c
e
^R
ene
earnest
^
^
oi
4rT^?r
khawoi
going
^
C 1
u
C^M^\
bulun
b?dl
v^
c1
ou
fcWl
kupou
poz^r
^
k
^T^^
kakot
^ing
^
kh
^•^r?
pukhuri
coc^-^orse
St
g
?t^
gol
^oal
^
8h
9i?r^l
loghona
loy-^ouse
^
"^
ng
5W
sang
sinking
5
s
5^
sondro
some
^
J
C^ST
jene
je, (French)
<£P
•
n
'ilT^^T^
auntai
Venhnt, Fr.
^
t
^t^Tf
atai
tent
t
th
ci\^
thunt
hoat-hire
v5
d
^11^5
danger
darMug
1?
dh
Ft^fsT
dhakoni
child/Aood
v5
t
^<^«
topot
Matthew
5t
tb
^TT^
or that
priesMood
W
d
f'tt
dond
spent/thrift
Letter.
Symbol. Poioer.
Example.
Romanized.
Sounded as in
5f
dh
5fl5
dhar
adhere
^
n
5r^^
notun
none
^
P
'^Tf^
pani
pen
^
ph
^^
pliul
ujo-^ill
k
b
^^^
boron
but
^
bh
^T^
bhat
dibhor
W
111
s^si
uiolom
w^an
?
J y
^?^
boyoh
youth
3[
^
»•
^T5fsn
prarthona
^•oll
^
1
2=1^1
Idra
/oad
?
w
'51^'TJ
owosy
i^^ind
^
h, s*
fjTTJ
hisy
guttural h
^
h
tT^
hanh
Aard
[^ kr,
*^ nt,
^ tru
g ntr,
% ndh,
^ pU
^ IP'
^ stu,
^ sru,
COMPOUND FORMS.
^ kt, ?r gn, % ngk, ^ ns, ^ nj,
'h Tith, ^ nd, ^ tn, ^ tm, 55 tr,
^ ddh, w dm, 15 dbb, i" dw, ^ nt,
■^ ntu, ^ nth, ^ nd, 3[ ndr, 1^ ndru,
•^ nb, ^ mil, "^ Ds, ^ pt, ^ pn,
^ bd, ^ bhru, "spf inp, ^ mb, ^ nibh,
% st, ^ sth, ^ sk, ^ st, 3- str,
^ sth, ^ sn, ^ sp, ^ sw, ^ sm.
■9 ru, ^ hu, ^ hr, % hm.
sm,
• Combined with another consonant, this letter is always sounded
as S.
There are no articles in Asamese. Their place is
supplied by 4^ ek, one, for the indefinite, and (i\%
hei, that, for the definite.
A noun standing without an affix to limit its signi-
fication, is used either for the singular or plural; thus
W\W manuh, may either mean man^ a viariy the man,
or men, the men. To denote the plural, f^c^T^P bilak,
t:^ hont, or czw bur, is aflBxed. Of these, the first
is the most honorary.
Asamese nouns have four degrees of emphasis :
1st. The radical form sri^^ manuh, man.
2d. The same slightly emphatic, as S"t^(:^ manuhe.
This is generally used for the nominative to a verb.
3d. The same still more emphatic, by the addition
of f, as STf^c^t" « nau
^trir
nawe,
a boat
Gen.
^t?r^ nawor
srmi
nawore
of a boat
Dat.
^U't^ nawoloi ^rt^tsic^ nawoloike to a boat
Ace.
;rT^ nau
^tic^
n awoke
a boat
Loc.
^l?:^ nawot
^RC^
nawote
in a boat
Abl.
^]Z^ nawe
5(Tc?rc^
nawere
with a boat
Nouns ending in v§ :
Simple. Emphatic.
Nom. ^z^ kupou f c«Tt4 kupoue a dove
Gen. ^cW^^ kupour ^cn^^ kupdure of a dove
Dat. ^cn'tts^ kupbuloi ^cWlNc^ kupduloike to a dove
Ace. fz^<^ kupduk f tWtr^ kupduke a dove
Loc. ^cWT^ kupdiit ^cWti:^ kupdute in a dove
Abl. ^z^A kupoue ^z^\^ kupdure with a dove
^cW^v^c^ kupduere
8
Nouns endiug in a consonant are thus declined :
Simple.
Emphatic.
Nom.
l^
mur
ai:^ mure a or the head
Gen.
w
muror
^^C^ murore
of a head
Dat.
l^t^
muroloi
5i5^«=Tr^ muroloike
to a head
Ace.
^'
mur
^Z^ muroke
a head
Loc.
F^
murot
5r5C3 murote
on a head
Abl.
mure
^C^C5 murere with a head
Simple.
Emphatic.
Nom.
tt^
hanh
"ttc?^ hanhe
a duck
Gen.
tT^5
hanhor
't:T5'C^ hanhore
of a duck
Dat.
t\Kt^
hanholoi
'l:!^?*^^^ hanholoik
e toaduck
Ace.
tT^
hanh
"tt^C^ hanhoke
a duck
Loc
tt^^
hanhot
X'i'^Z^ hanhote
in a duck
Abl.
tTC^
hanhe
"tiU^C^ hanhere ^
with a duck
Simple.
Emphatic.
Nom
. f^ST
din
fkz^ dine
a day
Gen.
f^^5
dinor
ik^Z-^ dinore
of a day
Dat.
^^t^
dinoloi
f^i^^siC^ diuoloike
to a day
Ace.
f^^
din
f^^C^ dinoke
a day
Loc.
dinot
f^^Z^ dinote
on a day
dina
f^^t^ dinai
Abl.
Thi^
dine
^Z^Z^ dinere
with a day
The simple accusative of neuter nouns is generally
the same as the nominative; in the accusative of per-
sons and animals also, the termination ^ is often omit>
ted.
Nouns are sometimes joined with the affix ^ or c^,
which is nearly equivalent to the article the in English,
as siT^^r^, sit^^C^l, the man. These forms are thus
declined:
Simple. Emphatic. Simple. Emphatic.
Nora. ^T^j^C^ srt^^C^l siT^^c'^l^a
Gen. siT^^^5 at^^^^C^ aTf5:c^T? ^T^^C^tc^
Dat. ^iT^^^t^l st^J^^^^C^ siH^c'^lt^^ sH^c^r^s^C^
Ace- 5iT5^^^ ^t^^^C^ viT^^C^T^ STT^^C^TC^
Loo. 511^5:^^ ^iT^^^c^ m^^c^T^ ?rT^5?:c^T^^
Abl ^^^\l^ ^]^\Z^l-^ 5iT^^r^Tv«l m^^c^T^c^
C^ is also placed after the genitive to distinguish
an individual from others; as ^^c^l bortu, the largest^
v5«1^C^ tolortu, the lower one^ ^m^J^ majortu, the
middle one, ^I't^^c^l pasortu, the last.
ft is applied to objects that are small, delicate or
beloved; as RTtft, a little bird; c^u. fa^ «=I^Tft, my
dear little son.
Generic Nouns. When a numeral adjective is
used, it is usually conjoined with a generic aflBx, de-
noting the class to which the noun belongs, as STT^^
■^^S^T, men two persons, i. e. two men^f C^T^lf^ »fl^f^,
a girl one female, i. e. a girl. The following are
some of the principal generic affixes.
^1, applied to things in general, without any parti-
cular classification; as ^\ aT^^, oneman^ ^^TC^T^l
FiTti five birds ; \ixs^\ ?r?, ten houses.
ft, to things that are small, as f ^^T^ C^T^Tf^ FT^ftj
four chickens.
B
10
•sTiT or Jii]^, a sheet, any thing spread out, or ex-
tended i as A'^\i{ ^Tf^, a sheet of water; ^f,^ '^^^f two
boats ; ^'^^fk *fl-tf^, a knife.
C^ftl, ^fW, a tree or bush ; as cfTC^t^^l ^F, two trees >
^151 ^Mi C5it*^1, twelve mango trees.
^IF, a tree, applied to things long and slender ; as
(51^f^!tF, two ropes; c^U^ ^U ^sTf, a gold chain.
>5T«T, v5Tf%, a branch; ^15; C^Id ^T^r, sixteen bam-
boos; 2iT-a£fe >ii\5T5^, a cane ; Fifi[ vsT^^ •ait^tf?, four reeds;
^^Tf% ^fsT, a hair.
C^5T-5t^, v5-5rf^, a piece; ^iiU^T-i^?" siife, a piece of
ground; ^Cv5T^5, a piece of cloth.
C^T<^1 or^tl, a bundle; c^'{z^^^] ^^, two bundles of
reeds; ^rfic ^sr^l, a bundle of wood; 5it%, a handful ;
FT^^l f%f^ ^tl, three handfuls of rice.
c^T«^l or c^Tf«^, a drop, ^Tf^ •n^fW a drop of water;
^tta 4C^t^1, a little milk.
C'TT'^I, a heap, a mass; c^^ ^CTWI, a mass of foam;
^T^5 ^C^rmi, a bundle of cloth.
C?n^l FK^^, several ; 5i^ c^i^l Fia^, several buf-
faloes.
Reduplications. The Asamese are fond of repeat-
ing a word with some slight variation, to represent
several things of the same sort, as n^«T rice, ft^pt
>5T^«=T, rice and other eatables ; ^^^ j^;i, dogs, &c.
The following are specimens of the common dialect.
3rtF^, a plate ^tR Z^^, plates and dishes
^1^, cooked rice ^m F1«, eatables
^Nf«^, a goat ^i^ifpi ^Nfir, goats and the like
II
t^^T^, a book
C-iTT^I, eating
c^I^U speaking
CFC^^, love
9tF, a tree
Tt^, greens
5fTF, fish
ff^'^T, thunder
<^|f1, pice
]^i{ ^ifiT, roarings
^t^\ ^f^l? pice and small coins
^^^ a?t;T, conversation
25;!^ «^T^, hands and feet
5f^ ^T^r, money
^e^ F^l, plantains, &c.
Sometimes the words are unlike in sound, but simi-
lar in signification, as :
v\^]^ boys »Tt5rf^, calves
^T^?» cloth ^Tfar, rags
<^Tar, drinking
Hf, ashes
■5;^!^, door
A more elegant manner of expressing the same idea
is by using the term ^tf^ ^f^, after the principal object
designated, as «^^\5C^ ^tf^^fl^^T^t^^, i. e. the Dioun-
tains, &c. went under; or ^%i^ wtf^i ^ft T^c^^l ^5cT
^^T, commencing wHh the mountains, every thing
went down. Sometimes the verb is omitted, as 5t5
^tR ^l^T^c^T? 5($ ^«T, the trees and every thing
were destroyed.
«?T, water
^tfil, sand
^?, house
5T^1 ^it^ifi:, children
^T'^^ ^tf^i clothing
i^9\ T puruh, a man
^sr jon, a male person
sr^l mota, a male
-^ bura, an old man
5=1^1 I6ra a boy
C^i^ deu, a god
Citt^T^ guhain, a god
f^C^T^I tiruta, a woman
f%r^ tiri, a woman
;^f^ joni, a female
attf% maiki, a female
^fs[ buri, an old woman
C5T«itfsi suali, a girl
c^ff^ debi, a goddess
C^TT^Tl^ guhani, a goddess
^m^ bamun, a Brahman ^t^fi( barauni, Brahmaness
C^TS duro, a Doom
^?tl noga, a Naga
fl^ fij4^^ ^Tf^fJT^^ grand daughter
5TTf%f5r?l
^U ^tf% <^f% 5rTf%i!^ «^f^ J^tf%f5(^^ great grand son
^fl^T^f5(<^^?rTf%1^4:|^fl[^if%f%4^ great grand
^^ 5(tf%f^?l daughter
14
t^
^«^45P
husband
t^fk
^^f^^ii^
wife
5T^^
TT^W^
fatlier-in-law
Tt^
TTT^vil^
mother-in-law
CWT^Tt
C3»t^lc?r^
son-in-law
at^iR
aT^tf^«a^
daughter-in-law
»litT^
JT«tTc?^
step-father
atfl:^f^
5ltftsiT^
step-mother
^f%^1
^f%5fT^
step-son (father's
c^
^l^-^
step-son (mother's
^f%¥l
^f«mc
^■i%afT^
step-daug liter
^f%3iUl
(father's)
r«
f^AJ.
f^il^
step daughter
r^?n
(mother's)
^^I^
jp^tc?^
^^tcn^
elder brother.
^^T?l
or cousin
^tt
^tc?-^;
^TC5^
younger brother,
^t51
or cousin
15
^\t
^tJM
5tc?r^
eder sister, or
^t!Il
cousin
^
^f^^^
'Sf^'il^
younger sister.
'5^?1
or cousin
^5 a^^f^ ^5 ^tcn?
55 5tC*^^
father's elder
515 ^mi
brother
^^^tt
^5SiT5
55 mil
55 St^
his wife
tfirTt
JttftC!I5*
•rittc^^
father's younger
*r»tT?t
brother
•^^fiC
•^f5?1
^f^H^
his wife
c^ttt
C^tK^^
c^^tc?^
father's or mother's
cwmi
elder sister
f^^^l
c^^mc^^
her husband
C'^f^
C^r^vii5
c^^fl:^^
father's youngest
C^%1
sister
c^^^l
c^^]^
her husband
csmtt
C5IT»TC?5
csiTatc?^
mother's brother
5lt^
m^
51TC?
t^, with ; loc. of ??tst» coinpany ; abl. ^icM".
»rc^, with ; ablative of jt^, connection, company.
<^TCF, after f2Lh\. of ^tW, the after part; loc. ^t^^.
^tc^, before; abl. of ^]^, the front; loc. ^t?t^.
^Wl^ and '^<^c^, above; from ^«^5, the upper part.
^^^^ and ^C2^, 6e/oztJ ; from ^e^, the lower part.
fsffac^ and ^tir^ /or, from f;(fa^ and ^T5^, cause*,
also c^^c^, because, from c^n5 or c^^^, cause,
C^fT^T^T^j ^y means of, emphatic locative of "^^t^,
a door, a way.
\^€^\t.', by, by the hand of, emphatic form of the
participial derivative ^^^1, from ^i^, a hand.
^TT^, ^t^^^, beside, loc. of ^T^ or ^T»Ti:, border.
C^T3^^, beside, loc. of c^t>t, side.
^T?<5, by, on the bank, from ^\-^, a bank, side.
•G^?^, by, near, from ^^■^, near, nearness.
srt^^ and ^\m, among, amidst, from sit^ the middle.
rt?Tt^5TC^ tumulakoloikc to you
A. C5tC?rt»rT?PP tumulakok CSTOltSTT^^ tiimulakoke you
L.. CStOir^TT^^ tuinulakot c4l(.Hl41l5t5 tar >5TC5 tare his, of that
Dat. ^tt^T taloi ^Xtm^ taloike to him, to that
22
Ace. >5T^ tak ^tc^ take him, that
Loc. ^T^ tat ^Tt^ tate iu him or it, there
Abl. f^ii hie ^tc^ tare with him, therewith
As an adjective, c^t hei, is comonly used instead
of f9\ hi.
PLURAL INFERIOR.
Simple. Emphatic.
N. f^t^ hihont f^%i^ hihonte they
G. f^rt^? hihontor f^'|;^R hihontore theirs
D. fift^^si hihontoloi fJT'l;«t«i:^ hihontoloike to them
A. ^^^^ hihontok fif^^u^ hihontoke them
L, f^^^ hihontot f^T"!;^?:^ hihontote in them
A. fji%^ hihonte f^tc^f? hihontere with them
Plural respectfulf fyff^^it^ hibilak, f^f^^iTC^ hibi-
lake, they, &c.
CTtc^T^ and C'Ttf^'TT^ have the same sense, but
are more strictly demonstrative.
Third Personal Pronoun femininey ^V^ tai, she.
Simple. Emphatic.
Nom. ^tt tai nSTC? taie she
Gen. ^Tf? tair ^l^c? taire hers
Dat. ^Ttt?f tailoi vsTf tlC^ tailoike to or for her
Ace. \5t^^ taik nJT^C^ taike her
Loc. ^T^^ tait NSltc^ taite in or at her
Abl. ^tc^ taie 95TtW taire with her
<
Plural, ^\Xt^ taihont, ^t^%^ taihonte, they, &c.
23
Third Personal Pronoun honorific ^ ^m eun, he ,she^
this man or woman.
SINGULAR.
Simple Form. Emphatic.
Nom. vflvs eun si:^ eune he or she
Gen. ifl^c? Personal Pronoun honorific, c^^Q teun, he^
she, that man or woman.
Simple Form. Emphatic.
Nom. c%^ teun cfr? teune he
Gen. c^^j teunr c^^c^ teunre his
Dat. c%^t«T teunloi c^^^^ic^ teunloike to or for him
Ace. c%<3^ teunk c^'^C^ teunke him
Loc. c^^^ teunt ct^C^ teunte in or to him
Abl. c^z^ teune c^c?r5 teunere with him
Plural, c^^f^?!^ teunbilak, &c.
The Relative Pronoun f^ ji, who, which, is thus
declined :
Simple. Emphatic.
Nom. f^ ji c'SiZ'^ je} e who, which
Gen. 5Ft^ jar ^tC5 jare whose
Dat. ^T^cT jaloi ^it^ic^ jaloike to whom
Ace. NStflc5.
The defective Pronoun ^i; kor, (long sound of o )
whence? is thus declined:
D
26
Simple. Emphatic.
Gen. ^^ kor ^-i^ kore from whence?
Dat. ^t^ koloi ^t^z-i^ koloike whither?
Log. ^u kot ^^si kota where?
In like manner decline the relative w^ jor, whence.
Gen. ^j jor ^?fi jore whence
Dat. ^tT\ joloi ^Nc^ joloike whither .
Loc. ^« jot ^^5 jote where
Also the correlative ^5 tor, thence.
Gen. ^f tor %m tore from thence
Dat. v5^?T toloi ^t«i:^ toloike thither
Loc. s5^ tot ^c^ tote there
In all the above examples the has the long sound.
Similar to these forms are
i^j:^Tf^^t^, &c.
Dat.
'T^CSITt?
Ace.
»r^5ic^l
Loc.
yfii^c^l
Abl.
>T^C«1T^
28
^r^lf a//, like jt^c'11, admits the plural form; as ^T-
^Ttr^^^T^, ^t'^I^C^T^, ^l^Ttf&t^. '
The Asamese do not consider it respectful, in ad-
dressing a superior, to use the pronoun in the se-
cond person ; they do not venture to speak to him,
but only of him, and therefore use either a noun, or
the terra wT^^jfsr, self. The verb connected with the
latter must also be be in the third person. Thus a
native addressing a European will not use the terms
^fa f^^l, give thoUy but must say, 5t^TC? f^t?, the
Saheb will give it, or ^T^fsT f»r^, thi/self will give it;
if the imperative is used, it will be in the third per-
son, ^T2?;ic^ or ^T^f^ f^^^» let the Saheb give it.
Wlt«J, true, as a noun signifies
truth; c^t^tf, sweet, n. sweetness; ^-tf, high, n.
height ; Jtf^J, poor^ n. povertij, or a poor ma?i; *^Tf^
sinful, n. a sinner; ^Ic«i?rT^ mani/, n. the many.
even
long
tender
VERBS.
The moods of Asamese verbs are four ; the Infini-
tive, Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive; besides
Participles and Gerunds.
The infinitive is the radical form, used in an unli-
mited manner, and usually depending for its person
and tense on the verb which follows it, as -^^fk kori, do.
It does not correspond to the infinitive in English;
nor is it to be confounded with the participle^ since
it partakes of the nature neither of a noun or an
adjective. It may be translated either by the present
participle, or the simple verb, followed by the con-
junction and; as f»r "rifsi^iTf atf^c'i, he shooting killed
it; or, he shot and killed it. The latter form gives
the more exact sense.
The other moods nearly correspond to those of the
same names in English. The subjunctive has two
forms; one is distinguished by the use of the conjunc-
tion ^r*i,2/, as in English; the other by the affix ctc^sT
henten, as ^fa ^iR^Tctc^sr 511- /pf^c^ictc^^, If you
had come, I should have done it. The repetition of
ctc^ifj however, is inelegant; it is better to insert isfsf
in the first member of the sentence, or use the future
conjunctive participle; thus, ^fsi ^f^ ^Tfi?;^^!, or ^f«
The sense of the English infinitive is expressed in
Asamese by gerunds, in the genitive, dative and
accusative cases; thus, ^t^ ^fi[^^ 0{Ul^y I saw him
32
do it; ^r5f or ss^^ X toi or tohont ho
^fa or c^K^^^]7p C^T^I tumi or tumnlak hna
f'Tj f>f^« or f>Tf^«lT^ ^l' hi, hihont or hibilak hoi
Present definite, ?5;CF1, 1 a?n, (now),
sf or ^TfJT t^zf] moi or ami h6isun
>5t^ or ^\^ t^i^ toi or tohont h6iso
'^fa or c^lcsiT^lt^ ^51 tumi or tumulak hoisa
f»T or f^i;^ ^^c^ hi or hihont hoise
35
Perfect^ \lA\y I was, or //ave been.
srf or wTfa \l.i\\ moi or ami holun
^X or =5^« \X^ toi or toliont h6li
^fsr or c^5U5n«lT^ 5;^1 tumi or tumulak hola
f>r or f*r^« ^<^ hi or hihont hoi
Pluperfect, 't\^l^\^ Iivas^ or had been.
^? or ^ifa t^flcsTl moi or ami hoisilun
^? or ^"l^s t^f^f*^ toi or tohont hoisili
H^fsi or c^TrsrielT^ ?^f^«ll tumi or tumulak hoisila
f>r or fyft^ ^^f^«l hi or hihont h6isil
Future, \^, 1 shall be.
at or ^tfsr ^^sr nioi or ami hom
^? or ^^« ^f^ toi or tohont hobi
^fa or c^TcsiT«lT^ ^^1 tumi or tumulak hoba
f^ or t^\% \^ hi or hihont hdbo
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present, ^, Be thou.
^\ or «^« 5; toi or tohont ho
^fsi or CvSTcatm^ C^t^l tumi or tumulak hua
f?r or fJT^« ^^S^ hi or hihont houk
The Future Imperative is the same with the Indi-
cative, as ^^ ^ \fk, be noti ^^T^ ^f^f?, do this.
There is no first person in the imperative; for this
the indicative is used, and is generally followed by ^^ *>
as ^ri^l^^, Let us do it^ or 'liT^I ^rft^^, Come, let
us do it. For the singular, use the term fflf?rl with the
gerund; cat^ 5^« ^f?lCCif«5T toi or tohont gdlihenten
^fa or c^tcaT«Tt^
XO VJ «^
►«
>* —
9
M
IK
/U>'
_
ft (^ 5 he
OD *^
i —
"IC
lie
»— *
1 1
•5
19
Vj
19
IC RT
w 19 ii i
i 5
tr
IT
rr
hr hr
hr hr rr rt
50
<— i
(N
oi
CO
I-H
(N(N CO
^ C^ (?♦ CO
to
•«0
S
O
^
^
<4j
^^
•♦o
Jv
<;i
-S
a.
ft.
I*<
41
Conjugation of the Active Verb ^t^, c<^t^1, to get>
INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present^ ^tT^, I get.
a^ or ^tfa «Tf^ moi or ami paun
nsI' or «^c^ <^1 toi or tohonte pa
^fa or c^TCsiT^ITC^ C^T^ll tumi or tamulake pua
f*T or f^^C^ ^T?" hi or hihonte pai
Present definite, ^tTf cf l, / am getting^ or ^«t;g
^o//ew.
»^ or ^Tfa **fTf CF1 moi or ami paisgn
^sf or ^^c« '1'Tf 5 toi or tohonte paiso
^fa or c«TC5iT3l1r^ ^^Tl'Fl tumi or tumulake paisa
f^ or fJT^C^ «ntc^ hi or hihonte paise
Perfect, ^\l^\i I have gotten.
Tat or ^Tfsr ^TCsTl nioi or ami paluQ
Ngf or ^x^% *fTfel toi or tohonte pali
^fa or f^Trat«TTc^ ^t«11 tumi or tumulake pala
fjT or f^^c^ ^TC^ hi or hihonte pale
Pluperfect, nt^f^Ccfl, 1 had gotten.
at or ^Tfa nttf5C«Ti • moi or ami paisilun
v5f or ^^:% «tTf t^f^ toi or tohonte paisili
Ni[fa or c^lcata^tr^ ^T^f^ell tumi or tumulake paisila
f*f or ^ii^ '^if 1%«T hi or hihonte paisil
Future, 5^Ta, 1 shall get.
at or ^tfa ^^ta moi or ami pam
\5f or ^^Cn5 *^Tt% toi or tohonte pabi
>jfa or fvSKatelTc^ 'tt^l tumi or tumulake paba
fir or f^^c^ *^TT hi or hihonte pabo
F
42
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present, ^\, Get thou.
^? or %xi-% ^\ toi or tolionte pa
^f;i or Cv5TC5TT«=rTr^ C^l^l tnmi or tumulake pua
f*f or f>i^c^ ^T^^ hi or hihonte pauk
Future^ ^ifc You shall get.
^? or ^^c^ <^Tf^ toi or tolionte pahi
^^fa or c^\Ui\v\]i^ <^t?l tumi or tumulake paba
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, nKsC^^^, I should get.
sr^ or wTfa ni^c^c^sr nioi or ami paunhenten
^^ or ^%^ ^^TCTC^iT toi or tohonte pahenten
^fa or c^TcaT«^TC^ c<^"T^T- tumi or tumulake puahen-
c\l%'if ten
f»r or fJ!i;c^ ^itc'^C^*'' hi or hihonte paihenten
Perfect *^Tc^R%^^, I should have gotten.
srf or ^sTf^i *1T?:«TKt:c^'^ raoi or ami palunhenten
^5l' or is^Z^ ^]f^lX(.^^ toi or tohonte palihenten
>5f5r or c^Uai^lTC:^ <^I«1- tumi or tumulake palahen-
ctc^iT ten
fJT or ^Xi'<5 -^TCsiftc^^ hi or hihonte palehenten
PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive.
Prese?itf «1T<2C« paunte ivhile getting
Perfect, *l"l«^3 palot having gotten
Future, '^K^ pale oy; fj^tli"9
Sid)stantive or Adjective.
Present, *TT^^1 paunta getting
Perfect, cnT^il pua ' a getting, gotten
43
Declensio7i o/c«^I^1.
Emphatic.
GERUND.
This verb is used after the gerund in z bo, of the
accusative case, in the sense of ought, is proper^ &c.
as f^ ^f^^ ^]t, if is proper for him to do it; ^fk^ c^l
C*^T«3l, ^ou ought not to do it; sjfn e^lto *tT^, eV z*
probable the ball has hit it.
Simple.
Norn.
C^^T^l
Gen.
f«^T^T^
Dat.
c<^mi^5=r
Ace.
C^^T^l
Loc.
Cnf^To
Gen.
'^R^
Dat.
^fHt^l
Ace.
^\^
a getting
of getting
to getting
a getting
on getting
of getting
to get
getting
CAUSAL VERBS are usually formed from the active
voice by the insertion or change of a vowel. They in*
variably end in ^if", and belong to tlie second conju-
gation.
Conjugation of the causal verb c^TWl?, c^T^^ , to
cause to get.
IND IC ATI V E MO OD.
Present^ C*^T5iT5f or «"tc^ c*^T^l tumi or tohonte pna
^fa or c«TCSiT«iK^ c<^t<3^1 tumi or tumglake puua
f^ or f^T^c^ c^I^1^ hi or hihonte puai
44
Present definite^ c^t^Ttc^l, / cifn causing to ge t.
VkX or ^Tfa c^fT^T^fFI moi or ami puaisuu
v5^ or ^"tc^ cm^t^F toi or tolionte puaiso
s^fir or c^T:5iT?iTC^C^I^tt5l tumi or tumulake puaisa
f^ or fJTTC^ C«*fT^T?r5 hi or hihonte puaise
Perfect, c**fT^tC^, I have caused to get.
s^ or ^Tfsi C«^T^TC^1 moi or ami pualun
n5^ or %^i^ c<^t^Tf«T toi or tohonte puali
^fa or c«TcaT^TC
5^ or ^^c^ c*^T«iTtf^f57 toi or tohonte puaisili
^fji or c^Tc^lt^lTC^ C^T^Tt- tumi or tumulake puaisila
fTf\ or fs\xi^ C^TWt^f^cel hi or hihonte puaisile
Future^ c^tT^tsi, 1 will cause to get.
st or ^fifsr c<1^t^T?r moi or ami puam
^? or ^^Cn5 C^l^Tf^ toi or tohonte puabi
xsfsr or c^UaT^tC^p cnt^t^l tumi or tumulake puaba
f*r or ^\v^ c^TsiT^ hi or hihonte puabo
I MPERATI VE MOOD.
Perfect^ C^T^til, Cause to get.
vSJ" or ^^c^ c^\^\ toi or tohonte pua
^fa or c^tCSit^lTC^ C^^^l tumi or tumulake pnua
f*T or f*T%^ C<^1^T^^ hi or hihonte puauk
Future^ c^T^lf^, as in the Indicative.
45
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, c^T^I^r^C^ir, I should cause to get.
srt' or wtfsr C'f IWT^C^^Sif moi or ami puaunlienten
vSl" or ^x^% C«^T^K%^^ toi or tohonte puahenten
^fa or c^TC5rt«^K^ c^l^iai- tunii or tumulake puua-
CX^^'^ hen ten
fjT or ^\z^ C'^l'^lfc^c^iT hi or hihonte puaihenteii
Perfect, c^T^UcTiC^CnSs^", I should have caused
to get.
a? or ^Tfsi C^T^TC«f R^C^^ moi or ami pualunhenten
NSf or ^ifc^ C*1"T^Tf%C^C«=r toi or tohonte pualihenten
^^fsr or c^TC5iT«TTC^ (:*^T«n«1i- tumi or tumulake pualahen-
CXC^'ii ten
f*f or f^r^c^ c«*fT«ilc«lC^C«5T hi or hihonte pualehenten
PARXrciPLES.
Conjunctive.
Present., C^ttilQC^ paaunte while causing to get
Perfect, c^V^\v\% pualot having caused to get
Future^ CTt^Tc^ puale on causing to get
Substantive or Adjective.
Present, c^t^T^^ puaunta causing to get
Perfect, c^^T^^I puua a causing to get
Gerund, c^T^t^^ puabor of causing to get
Analoscous to this verb are
FT^ sal CFT^l sua to look
;it^ bai C^fail baa to row
ift^ dai Cxl^l dga to reap
46
O
w
^
■^
^
CO
=-
= c
rt ;-
i p.
^>: ^ Hr
fe ^
• "
c: K7 »c K-
19
••—
•5 S
4—
p
1 ^ ^ ^
<
»v
d, Q <
'' S
u "E.
f*>
'^1
9
19
to
O ^
•V
^
^
■'K*' to '— -lit/
S? kj {- /l«v
*^ ^ ^ ^
[;, fj- hs- hf
kj M? 19 1^'
l!lf -v -^t^ */
'-^ 1, kJ lo
t— ■( — -t — <—
^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^
t %
•^ ? s
^ Oi Oi CO
1 — I — t — ■) —
"-H C^ C^ CO
"Si
— C^ C^ CO
47
o
Co
O
8
^
19
\^
r
j\^
•< ^
tv
hr
TS ♦—
S P
C<
!?
s '¥
^
^
;i
O Q
W M
KJ
c ■r'
*^ |« KJ NJ
^J *L/ to (o
# p ft?) t^
^ ^ ^ ^
r*' ►^ 1^
w> hf It
S 19 19 1*^
hr
*/- kJ KJ NJ
5 i i? i
^^ ^ ^ ^
le^
P
H
1*^
rt^
i 1
^ ^ !^
^ ^ ^ ^
C^ C^ CO
^ i i ^
^ ^ ^ ^
f- (?^ C^ CO
^ hr
^ £.
^ ^
i ^ p ¥
^ ^ ^ ^
,-i C^ C^ CO
48
s
7 "s-
a o
-53 Iv h? t^
p X.
K>
.
e R;^ M tS^
c?
1?
■v . . .
5 '5
,2 =^
^ C Q
hr It jp hr
*^ tf 5 "^
. . t— +— +_
9 ft- t vj ^ vj
1? rr fr f^
t. -V •'K */
] KJ N-* lO
M tr^ fr^ fr*
CO
^ 5 !^
ft^ fr ft
Pr* tr^
9 {v> g s;
»ft fr fr ft-
f-H CM C^ CO
'HT ^ rr KT
M fr^ tc* M
1-1 C^ C^ CO
M fr* M M
"-i C^ C^ CO
49
SECOND CONJUGATION.
Verbs of this conjugation form the perfect participle
by substituting ^1 for the final f of the infinitive, and
changing the vowel ^l or vq, in a preceding syllable, to
^ or ^.
Conjugation of the I^euter Verb ^tft, ^^1, to come.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
Presenty isiTdl, I come.
51^ or wtfsr ^tc^l moi or ami ahun >
'St' or vg"!;^ ^T^ toi or tohont aho
^fsi or c^Tcat«lT^ ^T^l tumi or tumulak aha
fjT or f^\% ^tC^ hi or hihont ahe
Present deUnite^ ^tftcFl, 1 am coming^ or
have come.
51^ or ^Tf^ ^tf^cfl moi or ami ahilun
^^ or ^t;^ ^Tf^;^ toi or tohont ahiso
^fir or c^tCsrts^T^P ^Tfl;5l tumi or tumulak ahisa
fjT or f^X"^ 'sjtfeF hi or hihont ahise
Perfect^ ^tfe«Tl, I have come.
51^ or ^Tfsr 'siif^c^l moi or ami ahilun
^^ or ^^^ ^ff^f% toi or tohont ahili
^fii or f^tC5itelt^ '^tfl;«11 tumi or tumulak ahila
Or or fhX^ ^\fk^^ or hi or hihoQt ahil, or
^tf^C«1 ahile
G
50
Pluperfect, ^if$;l^c^1, J ca?ney or had come.
a^ or wtfsr ^if^f^CsTl moi or ami ahisilOn
^5t or ^X^ ^if^f^f?! toi or tohout ahisili
>5fsi or c^TC5lTe^T>P wtf^f^^^l tumi or tumulak ahisila
fir or 1%^^ ^Tf^f5«T, or hi or hiliont ahisil or
^\\\\^V^ ahibile
Future^ ^tR;^, 1 ivill come.
Vi% or 'sitfsr ^tf^^ moi or ami aliira
^^ or ^t;^ ^Tf^t% toi or tohont ahibi
^|;fa or ciTC5iT5=TT^ WtR;^l tuiiii or tumulak aliiba
fjT or ^\^ ^lft^ hi or hiliont ahibo
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present J ^15", Come thou.
^X or wkj^ ^T^ toi or tohont ab
^f^ or c^TC5iT«lt^ 'tii^l tumi or tumulak anlia
f*\ or f^%^ ^TC^I^ hi or hiliont ahuk
Future, ^Ttxf^j You shall come.
^^ or ^\% ^if^f^ toi or tohont ahibi
^fsi or c'^M^\c^\7^ ^tR^I tumi or tumulak ahiba
fi\ or t^t^ ^^f\^^ hi or hihont ahibo
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, ^ic^ictc^^, 1 should come.
51^ or wtfsi WR't:TC't:?:^^ moi or ami ahunhenteii
>5f or w\% ^T^C^C^iT toi or tohont ahohenten
^fsr or c^tC^f«iT^ ^I^K^u^^ tumi or tumulak ahahenten
\^ or fy\x^ ^tC^C^C^i^ hi or hihont ahehenten
51
Perfect, aiif^fcTiC^C^ir, I should have come.
a| or ^ifsT i5iTf|;c^iTC^C^^ moi or ami ahilunhenten
vSf or ^t^ ^if^fi^r^C^^ toi or tohont ahilihenten
^fsr or c^TCSTT^^T^ WTf^«ll- tumi or tumulak ahilahen-
C^C^^T ten
f^ or fjT^^ ^tfxdC^C^^ hi or hiliont ahilehenten
PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive.
Present^ ^TC5TC<5 almnte lohile coming
Perfect^ ^Tf^«l^ ahilot having come
Future, ^ ^Tf5:c«T ahile on coming, if he comes
Substantive or Adjective.
Present^ ^TC^l^l, ahunta comitig
Perfect., ^i;l oha come, having come
Declension of the substantive participle, ^^i.
Simple. Emphatic.
Norn.
^^1
^^Tt
a coming
Gen.
^^K
'si^iiii:
of coming
Dat.
^^U^
^'^iNc^
to coming
Ace.
^^1
^\\i-^
a oming
Log.
^^1^
GERUND.
on coming
Gen.
WTf^^5
^ifl;^:?
of coming
Dat.
^ift^t^
^Tf5:^^^c^
to come
Ace.
^llX^
^Tf^^C^
coming
52
1 8
to ;g.
v IV, he
^ tr rt^ IT
^ . . .
;eo^ to come
Conjunctive
Participles.
to
It
hr
r
to
hr
^ 1
^ ■%
S {^ 19 19
rr 1t- It rr
1 1? 15 g
■t:; .>l^ -i^ .fc^
.t- to to to
rr }t tr rr
•
/ the negati
Imperative.
P
to
tf
01 T^
Synopsis o
Indicative.
lo ]*/ k/ to
Tt rr hr hr
-H c^ c^ CO
'6 cE F It
tr fr rr 1^
r-H C^ Oi CO
» iK Iv IV
re^ ff W rr
^ C^ C^ CO
«0
53
Conjugation of the Active Verb ^tfsr, ^^1, to bring.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present , wtc^l, 1 bring.
51^ or ^tfsr ^tC^ moi or ami anun
^f or ^us '^\^ toi or tolionte ano
^fsr or c^\i^Xv\M^ ^t;Tl tumi or tumulake ana
fif or fif^c^ ^\m hi or hihonte ane
Presenty definite, ^itI^cfi, I am bringing.
si^ or WTfsr ^ifsrCFl nioi or ami anisun
v5^ or %\v^ ^tf^5 toi or tohonte aniso
^fsi or cs\i'^\v\M7^ ^tf^^l tumi or tumulake anisa
f»f or 1?!%^ ^Tf^!:F hi or hihonte anise
Perfect^ ^Tfs[C«il) I have brought.
Vl% or ^Tf^ ^ifiTCcfl moi or ami anilun
'Sf or ^^c^ ^Tfsrf^T toi or tohonte anili
^fsi or c^\(M\^M'^ '^\fk^\ tumi or tumulake anila
fir or ^\i^ ^Tf^C^l hi or hihonte anile
Pluperfect, ^Tfirf^c^l, 1 brought^ or was bringing.
TA% or ^Tf^ ^Tf^f^C«ll moi or ami anisilun
^f or ^^c^ Wtf^f^f^ toi or tohonte anisili
^fsr or c^tcat^ltc^ ^tf^f^«Tl tumi or tumulake anisila
t*r or f^r^C^ ^Tf^fR^T hi or hihonte anisile
Future i 'sitf^ST, 1 will bring.
51^ or ^tfsi 'aiTf^a . moi or ami anim
^^ or ^x^^ «lTf^f^ toi or tohonte anibi
^fa or c^tC5it*TtC^ ^TpT^I tumi or tumulake aniba
f^ or pl^fc^ ^TpT^ hi or hihonte anibo
54
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present^ ^T^r, Br'mg thou.
%t or ^%^ ^TiT toi or tohonte an
\fs[ or c^UsrmTr^ ^i^l tumi or tumulake ana
f^ or ff^'Xi^ WR^, hi or hihonte anok,
or c'^^s ^I^iJt^ or teun anuk
Most verbs have two forms in the third person im-
perative; tlie usual form ending" in ^Q^ uk is more res-
pectful than that in ^^ ok.
Future, ^tf^f^. Bring thou.
%t or ^^c^ ^ifili^ toi or tohonte anibi
^f$I or c^tC^t^TC5? ^ifi^^rl tumi or tumulake aniba
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, "^Mm^L^^y I should bring.
51^ or ^Tf?r ^TC^'U^'c^iT moi or ami anunhenten
^^ or ^"kl"^ ^t^utc<5^ toi or tohonte anohenten
^^fsi or C^TCSmTC^ ^RTC^- tumi or tumulake anahen-
C^JT ten
f^T or f%^c^ ^ICiTCTC^ST hi or hihonte anehenten
Perject^ ^tf^C^TR'tc^^, I should have brought.
sf or ^tfsr ^FfirCeTlC^CNSiT nioi or ami anilunhenten
vgf or ^^c^ ^Tl^f%C^C«iT toi or tohonte anilihenten
^fsi or c^f C « mtc 5J5 ^ffil 511- tumi or tumulake anila-
Cfx.%^ henten
fir or f%^c^ ^Tl%c«1t^C^^ hi or hihonte auilehenten
PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive,
'Present, 'iitc^tc^ anunte while bringing
Perfect, 'S[\f^^^ anilot having brought
Future, «iTfs[cq anile upon bringing
55
Substantive or Adjective.
Present^ ^Tcsri^l anunta hrirKjimj
Present, ^i^l ona brought, a brinrjing
Declension of the substantive '^^\'
Simple.
Emphatic.
Nora.
^JTl
«r^Tt ■
cf bringing
Gen.
^STT^
^s^Tc^
of a bringing
Dat.
^^;^5?
^^K^C^
to a bringing
Ace.
^^1
W^TC^
a bi^inging
Loc.
^iTt^
GERUND.
on bringing
Gen.
^tt^^<
^TfsT^:i[ of bringing
Dat.
^Tfir^^si
^lt^^t«?c^ ^0
bring, for bringing
Ace.
^if^^
WTf^^^C^ bringing
In
like manner conjugate
sriflr
mari
5151 mora
to strike
Sltf^
mani
s^Tl mona
to obey
•ftTTf^
khani
^Jfl khona
to dig
^tf^
bhangi
'gSfl blionga
to break
^tf?f
bbagi
v»Y{1 bhoga
to be broken
^Tf^
dangi
H^l donga
to lift U|3
^Tf^"
karhi
^.^ korlia
to seize
^Tfi?
phali
^?ll phola
to split
The verb ^Tfa[ has two causal forms, ^jttI*, ^cjtT^I,
to cause to bring, and ^c^^T^Tt', wc^T^^I, to cause
to be brought, or to cause to bring through another.
They are conjugated as in the following synopses.
56
^
5^
to
O
(?
ft
I?
Co
3
«o
CO
t3 1
a S<
1 5J
It
<
l9
1^
1
ff
1^.
• 1
-tt tv f^ he
1 S S f^
d Q <
Is
S 1
11
•hr
19
1?^
IC
>
c
s
'S
3
02
rr
*hr rr 5 ;;
^ 1^ 1^ 1?
•9 fr ^ hr
!s .j^ */ */
\^ 7t ^ a
W \^ \^ W
<5
1
Q.
s
1— (
1^ '»' e^
nf •>-» IT
1^ 1? r
B
5> E /k/
•t^ Tr t5 5
\^ ^ ^ ^
-H (N C^ CO
Tr tr r^ ri[
^ ^ ^ ^
hr rr rt^ fr
^ ^ ^ ^
^ Oi (?♦ CO
•to
Co
"to
57
15-
rr
1
*
/to
•a B
C a.
t^
Iv
19
5
IV
if 1^
^ -^ 1
'«
E
c? (?
bstan
live 1
p
9
s
17 ??
lo
Ci
1?
1? B
gr
^
d
O ^
«>
to cause
Conjunctive
Participles.
+—
19
S
< —
IT
r
i
+—
IT
lO
i — <0
1? 5
19
19
4—
19
to
hr
19
(o
1 r^
19
V
19
fo
19 (9
^ 1
•g
(?
9
1^
g
E
S
^
■«— CQ
■I —
+-—
■1—
H —
t —
E
tr
rv
hf
r^
fr
fr
rr
hf
KJ
KJ
kj
lo
KJ
kj
kj
(o
f?
1?
1^
1?
1^
[^
1?
^
^
le-
lerative.
F
^
4 —
?
^
1^
I?
H —
"•^i- S
ir
^
n
IT
hr
Co
1?
k->
lo
ho
^
5>
9
/!«/
•1^
(£
F
r
KJ
u
^
]r ic
'1
w
S
1
1^
i
E
i
i
B
i F
•kj S.
* — •
•t —
\—
H —
♦—
T'—
+—
4—
H — 1 —
^ .§
rr
\r
)X
IT
hr
It
f?
rr
ri^
IT
hr Hr
lo
KJ
KJ
lo
to
kj
►o
K_>
kj
►o
lo KJ
O -a
^
^
B
r
f^
B?
B
[0
1?
^
1? I?
I— 1
^
c\
CO
^
c^
o\
CO
1— <
(^^
C\ CO
Ss
o* -
S
^
CO
ft.
fti
fe.
H
58
Conjugation of the Verb -^v\^ c^'.^^S to say.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present, C«ITC^1, I say
nX or ^TfJT C^tril nioi or ami bulun
^f or %\u^ iT\'^ toi or tohonte bulo
^fa or ciJTrsiTelTc^ C^T«11 tumi or tumulake bula
t^r or fJT"l;c^ C'^M'n hi or hihonte bale
V resent definite., ^fe^cfl, J am saying.
5if or ^Tfa ^1^CF1 nioi or ami bulisun
^^ or ^^c^ ^t%F toi or tohonte buliso
^fa or Cv5TcaT211C^ ^f^5l tumi or tumulake bulisa
f>T or fJT^c^ ^fs^CF hi or hihonte bulise
Perfect, ^fiiic^l, I said.
51^ or ^Tfsr ^fi^c^l moi or ami bulilun
^^ or >5^c^ ^fiif^T toi or tohonte bulile
^fs( or f^TcaTeHC^P ^f^«11 tumi or tumulake bulila
f^T or (%^c^ ^f%C«1 hi or hihonte bulile
Pluperfect, ^f«ific^i, I did say ^ or had said.
TXf or ^lf?l ^fsif^c^Tl nioi or ami bulisilun
>5? or ^^c^ ^fs^ftfir toi or tohonte bulisili
^f^i or c^M'^^^M^ ^f^t^e^l tumi or tumulake bulisila
f^ Of fjf^c^ ^t^flc«1 hi or hihonte bulisile
Future^ ^'^^^ I shall say.
51^ or ^siTfsr ^fsi5r moi or ami bulim
^^ or ^x^^ ^f^^fir toi or tohonte bulibi
^fsr or c^stcsiTeT^U^ ^f^l^l tumi or tumulake buliba
f^ or ^\i^ ^f^^ hi or hihonte bulibo
)9
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present t C^T«^» Sa?/ thou.
«t or ^l;c^ c^\^ tumi or tohonte bulo
^fa or C3TCaT«lTC^ C^t3=l1 tumi or turaalakc bula
f^ or fhx.C^ c?TC5K5il2iTC^ ^f^^l tumi or tumulake buliba
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, f^TreTTctjNS^, I should say.
SI? or ^Tf^ C?TC=1ld:c^=r moi or ami bulunhenten
^f or ^%^ c^T^ctc^^
fn or f^%^ c^TCs^ctc^^
toi or tohonte bulohenten
tumi or tumulake bulahen-
ten
hi or hihonte bulehenten
Perfect, ^i^c«fR^c^^, I should have said.
^? or ^Tf5i^filC«fiT^C^»r moi or ami bulilunhenten
^? or ^^c^ ^felf^C^C^^ toi or tohonte bulihhenten
^fji or c^TcaTeTlC^ f f^^e^l- tumi or tumulake bulilahen-
CX^%^ ten
f*r or ff^TUS ^f^lC^tc^C^JT hi or hihonte bulilehenten
PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive.
Present^
CZXu^XC^ balunte
while saying
Perfect,
^^^ bulilot
having said
Future^
^^m bulile
on saying
Substantive and Adjective.
Present,
«TC#I^1 bulunta
saying
Perfect^
«T«11 bula
said, a saying
Norn.
a]^\
Gen.
a^^u
Dat.
c^mtfte^
Ace.
C^T^II
Loc.
C^T^It^
Gen.
^t%T5
Dat.
^f51^^«1
Ace.
\r^^
60
Declension of c^t«11, as a substantive.
C^mt^ saying
C^^^KJ. of saying
C^\'^\t^l'^ to saying
C^l^lIC^ saying
c?T«1K^ on saying
GERUND.
^f%^C5 of saying
^f«1^^e=TC^ to saying
^t^^C^ saying
Tlie verb -s^t^, 'I'^U to be able, governs the gerund
in the accusative, and performs the office of the Eng-
lish auxiliary verb can; as ^fi[^ '^ic^l, k6ribo parun,
1 can do; ^fe «lt^, koribo paro, you can do; ^fi^
^^Cl, k6ribo para, thou canst do;^U^ ?^tc^, k6ribo
pare, he can do ; and so on though the various moods
and tenses. In like manner c^T^lf4» C^Tl^^l, signifies
cannot.
The verb c^if^r, ?l^1, to hit, strike^ when following
the gerund, is used only in the third person, and sig-
nifies must, it is necessary; as al'
w
;i
3 O
<
r
r
c
Q ^
> 1
19
KJ
19
RT
IT
KJ
■•-s ti
f_
&■
r
r
19
hr
IP
fr fr
It
^ ^ ^
19 g 19
_^
t9 If)
KJ
■^ h, S"
•t/ t t
1
3
02
fo
i^
^ 01 i »— ♦— +—
s 1? 1? IS
C -,
i^
.y—
S -^^ X.* ^'^
£ S
KJ
i —
K^
s t*" ^ f*
m •-
H
1?
^
•»—
• • •
^ <
"It
IT
O Q -^
•«o
5i
§s .
19
RT
i«0 g c
0??
01
3 o
+■ *
•f^
+-
- |1
^
E
hr
]t
fT
.,__*
v-/
v^
vj
w
E
It
of g
1 i
% 8
t9
IT
olc/
fo
hr
19
lo
+ —
fT
19
kj
E
to
lo ,—
e
0^
^
&
IT s
1 — 4 —
+—
■1—
■I —
+—
i —
V-» 02
^
l«? \?
1^
l«^
E
1?
g
•^
H —
+— ♦—
♦—
■I —
+-
5»,
hr
IT hr
rt
IT
fT
IT
Tt
^
VJ
VJ VJ
v^
v-»
>o
VJ
V-»
U
^
•i* >
r>i
*Kj ~
• «^
ega
nperat
S "
S
-f-* ^^
5c tj
E
1? Hr
E
t?
^
1?
E
I? f? S? li?
S o
^ — +—
+—
( —
+— I- 4— 4—
ri
It
t*" ^
rr
fT
It
hr
tr
w hr fT hr
VJ
O NJ
Vj
VJ
v»
VJ
vj
V-» VJ o O
^
I-^
c^ o«
CO
i-H
C^
c<
CO
»-i C^ C^ CO
•Ki
8
Co
•Si
^
63
c i
a u
•3
3 0)
<
l9
t—
15- r
RT
-« (^ I^ 1^
1 e^^
^ k tc- i
6 d <
i ?
lu-
6
>
|2 g 19 19
t. .^ ^ -^
KJ 5^ C^ kJ
■f— +— +— 1 —
IS" r 15" r
^ t^ hf
t(^F toi or tohont gusiso
^fir or c^StC^iTsiT^ U^^l ^"'"i ^^ tumulak gusisa
f^ or f^T^ """X^l^ hi or hihont ousise
Perfect, ?ff^c^1, I have removed.
SI? or ^ifa "itf^c^ moi or ami gusilun
>5? or ^x^ 9ff^f^ toi or tohont gusili
^^fii or c^5tC«T«lt^ '^811 tumi or tumulak gusila
f*r or f^i^^ "^r^^ ^^ ^^ hihont gusil
Pluperfect, 'Jf f5f^c«fl» J had removed.
?r^ or ^tfsi 'iTf^f^c^l moi or ami gusisilun
>5^ or ^^^ ^f^f^f% toi or tohont gusisili
^fs or (.^M^V^X^ sjf^fi^^l tumi or tumulak gusisila
f*T or {f\\^ '^fbT^?! hi or hihont gusisil
65
Future, ?ff5sr, / will remove.
af or ^tfsr 'Jrfpsr moi or ami gusitn
^^ or ^t^ TTfpf^ toi or tohont gusibi
^fa or c«K5iT2lT5p ?rf^^1 tuini or tumulak gusiba
f% or f%'l;« Tff^^ hi or hihont gusibo
IMPER ATI VE MOOD.
Present^ 9t5, Remove thou.
^^ or ^5^3 ?f? toi or tohont gus
'^fji or c^TCsrT^lt^ ^1 tumi or tumulak gusa
f>r or fjT^^S '>fC5T^ hi or hihont gusuk
Future^ ^i^fV, Remove thou.
^^ or ^^^ ?f f^fl" toi or tohont gusibi
^fa or c^Kat^Tt^ ^f^5l tumi or tumulak gusiba
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Prese?if, srcf tr^c^^r, I should remove.
at or ^Tfa ^CFfr^^^ moi or ami gusunhenten
^t or n5^5 ?r5C"l:c^^ toi or tohont gusohenten
^fif or c^tcat«TT^ ^FTrl:- tumi or tumulak gusahen-
C^^ ten
f^r or T^x^ TfCR^C^^ hi or hihont gusehentea
Perfect^ st'i^C"«TTCi^CN5^, I should have removed,
a^ or ^tfa ^flrftC^C^^ moi or ami gusilunhenten
^t 0^ ^t^ ^ffffi^C^C^sr toi or tohont gusilihenten
^fa or c^IcaT^^T^ ?rf^«11- tumi or tumulak gusilahen-
ifp^-^ ten
f^ or fi^^^ Tff^c^C^C^JT hi or hihont gusilehenten
66
Present^
Perfect,
Future,
Present,
Perfect^
Noni.
Gen.
Dat.
Ace.
Loc.
PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive.
^cftc^ gusunte while removing
^f^«=i^ gusilot having removed
stf^c^lf gusile on removing
Substantive or Adjective.
^CFT^I gusufita
SJ51 gusa
Declension of "^1, as a substantive.
removing.^ a remover
removed^ a removing
GERUNDS.
a removing
of a removing
to removing
a removing
on removing
of removing
to removing
removing
Gen. "^Jp^^
Dat. '^[{^^t^
Acc. sjf^^
Sometimes, though very rarely, the verb in the
subjunctive mood is combined with 'arifFl to produce
the present definite, and pluperfect tenses j as ->]#-
Cblctc^sT, I shoidd be removitig; sffsf^c^ic^CNS^, /
shoidd have been removiiig. The conjunctive par-
ticiple also admits these tenses; -^f^tf R^, w/«Ve re-
7noving, ^f^-^^j having removed; these forms, how-
ever, are inelegant and unnecessary.
67
The causal form st^tt* ^^U to re^nove, or put
awai/, and the secondary causal Tf^wif , 'JT^^^I, to
refnove through the hand of another , are conjugated
as in the subjoined synopses.
Analogous in conjugation with nf^, are the follow-
ing verbs.
\st Causal. 2nd Causal.
Hear ^far, ^;^l ^^tf, ^^^1 ^^^tl', ^^^«i1
See CKf4,c^m ctt-arit, Ctf-f W1 cif^wtf, c»f4£^^l
Leave ^fi", 4^1 •fl?:Tt', 4?^1
5"
a
g hr g 19
15 fr Hr rr
K 19 19 p
till
1
S
_ 1^ 9
0:^ 1^
1
s
E it
-^ 0< C^ 00
Kj y — R* lo
4— +— ♦— 4—
la / Us / l^ / la /
f-i G^i C^ CO
^ CV^ (7* CO
0.
ft.
1^
69
•3 1
.
^v; fc IV h7
■s I
^—
ove.
Substan
/I9
1 ^ S i
§ -==
^^
fe^
d Q
use
jiincti
ticinle
5?
19
g II
»!?
F
1?
fe'^
^^
»9 hr »P p
g !? !5 1?
•^ KJ sj K->
5? g ^ /k/
9^ 1? «?> 10^
F k i i
ic^ la< lia^ . 1^'
fe^^r-^^-^^^
o
«s 1
IVe
alive.
- ^ i
^ g
'S s
*» s
|0^ /J3> ^
o^ S
a
tT-g'^^
'to
itive.
i i p ^
i f^ r 1^
sis
ndici
\^y UWy K !±(^
tr^ tr-* t?~^ J?"^
|Zi/ kV/ UWy jflf.
t?^ t?"^ t?^ t^-^
§» "
O
S
p-i C^ C^ CO
^ W 0^ CO
•-H C^ 0^ CO
>.v
^
«ka
•s^
S
';j
^
^
5s
<%;
Js*
*Si
Vs
1 1
<
to
15-
15-
Ci . . .
O Q -^
run.
ctlvo j
iples.
19
RT
B-
lo
^ .2. ■=
01
01
KT
KT
RT
•» o
«to
;:>
c»
§
hr
hr
19
sl?s
hr
19
^. 1
19
lO
Jf/ kj fO KJ
£ "B 'ti ti
1
^w <«
P
lo
^ ^ ^W
01
RT
IE-
RT
r
r
r 15- 15-
B"
Ki
H*-
of the
Imperative
1^
RT
+—
15-
01 ]^
01 01 *
B" B"
cc
•^»
e<5
^
^ 1
IW
T^
IV
(jl 05?: 01
01
» til P »v
(jl 01 01 01
S
•3
e
K"
RT
RT
RT
RT RT B-
B-
B- B- B- B-
i-H
G^
C^
CO
-^ O* (T*
CO
^ (N C^ CO
"K.
H.;>
s
o
•^J
•&
•So
5s
*l«/ ^
Tj ■i\e/ -)j*/
19
■"
;;)
•^»
to
(IV ^
f
^^
s
1
tv
(^ 1^
^
hp
Jr hr
ts ■
«0
'S^ te- B
tiEW
s-
K iH Iv IV
Co
>
7 te"
^ (E (E
^
(E cE JE JE
«
IV Iv' h
'' (V
K/ IV h^
IV
IV IV tv Iv
1.
c
hr hr h
r fs-
hr hr hr
hr
fr hr hr hr
2?"
^ C^
^ CO
f-J G^ C^
«
-^ C^ C^ CO
*♦*
1
NO
?^
Co
"&
^
•*>i
■to
tg
72
19
It- llf
-TS
;|5: c ^
;5
O Q <
• pi
•to
(91
CO
its'
19
0^
RT
£ •»• 15 T
9 (7. (7. s"
m tt ^ tt
M ^ |9 19
>
H
'^ 1^
s
If ilr- /If
^v£
>
c?
It-. ^ S-
*ScE F E
» ^ h? tr
'^
(^ CE (|£
^i^^O^^i?:
Oe: (E 0?: (i*:
»— <
ci c^ CO
rH C^ G^ 00
•-H C< C^f CO
•♦o
•«»
s
;j
^
Co
•s.
5%
■^
s
0,
fii
l5
73
•a
<
19
IE
IP
IX fY » f^
g if> S IP
V .>|^ V .^
J;^ (o +— to
c? pv. t7. «r
> tTi ^. «r
'Ei c^ CO
1«i>
^
^
^
a-
0^
tg
74
4) 3
19
-^ re (c 1^
ta
5i
O Q -<
O
15-
15-
W'
U^
SO
^
hr fr |r rt-
(9 t*> g |«>
KJ K-> N* kJ
.)|f/ ol*/' -W •>!*/
lo KJ bi M
? V IV, /k>
• 1^ Ui *^ Ui
f^ 9 M /W/
o|/^ U^ lA U^
^> \J VJ v_>
.-H C^ C^ 00
io fr f^ f^
S ^ fp if>
t^ oK -^K -^K
.t- i^ i£ bf
IA po ta pa
|/^ U^ 1^ U^
-H C* C^ CO
ka tck
f-H C^ C^ CO
■*»,
lo
s
;j
<»
05
^
^
<4J
5v
■«o
V.
^
5S
ft.
(^
fe.
75
o
19
9?
la
19
^
1^
r
1»
>c
rr
Kr
M
M
M
«j
ua
ta
Ui
O o <
r
rr
hr
19
•V
19
•^
c?
to
^
fo
Ik/
»k.
M
CV
M
lA
liQ
|A
lA
to hr It hr
Kj l (9 19
*U/ kJ »o kj
.t t£ i^ "^
6^ if s
•j— ♦— < — +_
M tv/ M Iv/
|A lA W& lA
1
c.
M
+—
la
la
la
'o
c?
W
/k/
•15-
KJ
tE
r
Is-
1 —
tl
^
Iv 1:^
C3
» fv/
M
e;
M
M
te
te
M
1^
!r/
M M
u^
La
|i:>
U^
ta
ta
la
la
^ ^
C
Vj
VJ
Vj
Vj
VJ
VJ
vj
\j
Vj Vj
pH
c4
c4
CO
^H
c4
C^
CO
1— (
C^
C^ CO
•♦a
•te
8
<;i
ito
to
>&
^
^
,-?S
an
a.
k^
76 •
PASSIVE VOICE.
There is, strictly speaking, no passive voice in Asa-
mese verbs, although there are two forms of conjuga-
tion which resemble it, by the conjunction of ti^ or f?f
with the perfect participle of other verbs. The first is
passive in appearance only, the sense is active; as
51^ f^?n "t^ / give
^^ f«T?1 ^ thou givesf
^fsi fffTTl C^T^I thou givest
f*T f^?1 ^f he gives
The other form corresponds in sense to the passive
voice, but not in form; the noun or pronoun being pnt
in the accusative, while the verb is uniformly in the
third person, agreeing with the substantive participle
as its nominatvie; thus,
C^\^ R?n t\V5 it is given to me, or there
is a giving of it to me
C^T^ f^?i1 t^l^ it is given to you
v5t^ f^?1 t\l5 it is given to him
The verb \'i\ is used in the same way as ^^.
^t^ C*tt^1 ^T^ it is found
>5T^ C^T^l ^^ it has been found, &c.
77
ADVERBS.
There are but few words in Asamese used exclu-
sively as Adverbs; their place is 'generally supplied
by nouns and pronouns in the loeative and ablative
cases, or by nouns and adjectives followed by the
verb T^fk. kori, usually shortened to t^ koi. The fol-
lowing are specimens of those in most common use.
1. Words used only as adverbs.
^"l-^"^ or ^Tc^'^1 again,
f[^'[f, always; 3T?>T5', >Tff1 ^"^^i^^ forever.
- firc^'^i daily y WiTTj, truly, certainly.
;r, not, a negative particle; csrt, not yet.
<^f%, severally; as ?fTf *^^, to each severally.
C^f%?l, when; c^f%?1, then; c^f%in, when? c^f%'
^t^5 ever ; with a negative, never.
Cf^?rT?1, sometimes; atc^TT^, ow/y, merely.
^iti almost f for the most part.
2. Adjectives used as adverbs.
^f% and ^Tf%, exceedingly.
5r5r, very much* ^t^f, more-., ^i, again.
3T^J, ^^^, fj(^f J truly.
3. Nouns used as adverbs, without any modifica-
tion of case.
^Tf^f, to-day.
flt c^^Tc^r, ^^^s ^^^«y; c'tI' f<^tc^, ^/^ere.
4f c^^C^, 4^ ^l^C^, ^^ fsrfst:^, wherefore, for this
reason.
The genitive and dative are also sometimes used;
as ^^, whence? ^tsf, thither.
6. Instead of the regular forms of the locative and
ablative cases, other slight modifications are occasion-
ally used to express the sense of the adverb.
'si^ft^, to wit ; from ^§f, meaning,
TT-oi^Jt^j i^ presence of; from JTt^ij, presence.
f^C^^* icholly, really-, from fiT^f .
tsithf, before; contraction for ^iTt t^.
^?^, r//ar; contraction for ^^t?;.
^^^^Tf, again; from ^i;.
^TTff^Csi^, quickly, used instead of ?T5tc^^.
3[?f4 ^^f^, yearly, instead of ^^c^ ^^c^.
79
f^f, why? from f^, what?
C^e^^ or ^l\i-^fy why? instead of fsp^t?!.
**if f^C"^* here^ contraction of 4^ Rf^C^.
'^il^^there^ commonly used instead of ^f f^Tc^.
7. Nouns reduplicated.
5itriF 51]:^, sometimes ; f^cJ^ ffrc^r, daily.
'^\i\ ^i:5, or c?fH>ii ca, wzawy times.
^R m^T, o/ifew ; ^CiT aciT, silently.
C\TJ\ c^C*T, /ro;;^ country to country.
8. Nouns and adjectives combined with the verb
^fl or t^.
^^^ C^^r, that.
Ihan is expressed by t^ affixed to the ablative
case; ^^i^t^, than this; ^1n5^^, than that,
INTERJECTIONS.
C^;, 0, is used in addressing respectfully.
CWj^i CXt^) CJJ\, W, used in calling.
AT^, indeed^ truly; ^T^, ivell donel
f^;, oh, ah', fp^-, fie!
\\X VX-) (lias!
GENERAL LIBRARY - U.C. BERKELEY
8000*121803
14 DAY USE
RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED
LOAN DEPT.
RENEWALS ONLY — TEL. NO. 642-3405
This book is due on the last date stamped below, or
on the date to which renewed.
Renewed books are subject to immediate recalL
FEB28 1 97 l b5
CKje end of WINTER Ouarter-
— sob j oct to rec all a f
FEB 2 «'?! « 3
MCDLP >fc^^
bM'SPMSS
iKt"; ;'^^!irxV LOAM
JAN ^- i9b6
UNIV. 'J-- '.AUF.. BERH>