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NYAMKAT.

　A Tibetan dialect is spoken along the upper course of the Satlej in Kanawar. The number of speakers has been estimated for the purposes of this Survey at 1,544. The name of the dialect is Nyamkat.

　Nyam-kat, classical mnyam-skad, means 'the Nyam speech,' lit. 'the language of the equals.' The dialect is also known under other names such as Bad-kat, i.e., Bod- skad, Tibetan; Sangyas, i.e., probably sangs-rgyas, the (dialect of the) Buddhists. The speakers are sometimes also called Ja as in Tehri Garhwal.

　Nyamkat is closely related to Spiti and Ja. There are apparently very few traces of an influence exercised by Kanwr. I may mention the form ke-song, he gave to us; compare tang-song, he gave to them.

　A version of the Parable of the Prodigal Son in the Nyamkat dialect will be printed below. It has been forwarded in Dvangar and transliteration. I have only printed the latter text. The original does not distinguish between ch and ts, j and dz, chh and tsh, j, z, and zh, respectively. I have, however, distinguished between those various sounds as in the Tibetan of Spiti and Garhwal.

　Phonology.-The phonetical system is in most characteristics the same as in Spiti and Tehri Garhwal.

　A strong aspiration of soft consonants can be inferred from spellings such as de-ne and te-ne, then; shang, classical zhag, day; za-ja, to eat, but soi-ne, eating, and so forth. Final soft consonants are hardened; thus, thak-ring, far; ot-pa, belly; thop, to be found.

　A final s is dropped, and a preceding vowel is lengthened; thus, khang-zhing-n, from the property; n, i.e., probably ny, classical gnyis, two; d, classical dus, season; g, classical dgos, it is necessary; tuk, classical btugs, kissed. In some cases, however, s is changed to i as in Spiti. Compare soi-ne, classical zos-nas, having eaten; goi-pe, classical bgos-pai, dividing.

　The suffix pa, ba takes the form wa after vowels, ng, r, and probably also after l; thus, shi-sha-wa, died; song-wa, went; zer-wa, said. Instead of wa we sometimes find a; thus, iya, asked; yong-a, came. L-po, a servant, therefore corresponds to Tibetan las-pa, and not to gla-bo.

　Double consonants are simplified in the usual way.

　By becomes ch; thus, chuk, classical byugs, he patted. Y is dropped after con- sonants before e and i; thus, kher, classical 'akhyer, bring; phit-ka, classical phyed-ka, half; phi-la, classical phyi-la, after. In other cases y is retained after gutturals; thus, gyuk, classical rgyuk, run.

　Compound consonants containing an r as the last component are changed to cerebrals. Thus, ang-wa, classical 'agrang-ba, to satisfy; i-ya, classical 'adri-ba, asked; hu-gu, classical phru-gu, a son.

　In other compounds the first consonant is dropped; thus, kon-chok, classical dkon- mchhog, God; tuk, classical gtugs, kissed; goi-pe, classical bgos-pas, dividing; dung. classical rdung, beat; dan-la, classical ldan-la, with; lang-wa, classical slang-ba, to rise; kat, classical skad, word, and so forth.

　Tones and accents are probably the same as in Spiti.