03-01-275

EASTERN SUB-GROUP.

275

　Dhml has formerly been considered to belong to the Bodo group of Tibeto-Burman languages. Its vocabulary, and more especially the forms of the numerals and pronouns, however, show a much closer affinity to the Himalayan dialects, and the negative verb is formed by means of a prefix m. When we remember the characteristic features drawn attention to above, it cannot therefore be any doubt that Dhml must be separated from the Bodo group and dealt with in connexion with the pronominalized dialects of Nepal.

　So far as we can judge from the scanty materials at our disposal, Thmi is a dialect of the same description as Dhml. The numerals above 'two' have been borrowed from Aryan languages, and we cannot therefore tell whether the higher numbers were originally counted in tens or in twenties. The conjugation of verbs, on the other hand, shows the same use of pronominal suffixes as in the case of Dhml; thus, gai y-ng-du, I go-I-am, I go; ne ehu-n-du, thee-by striking-thou-art, thou strikest.

　Limbu is a dialect of a much more complex character. The higher numbers are, however, counted in tens as in Tibetan.

　It has already been remarked that there are double forms of the dual and the plural of the first personal pronoun, viz.:-an-ch, I and thou; an-ch-g, I and he; n, I and you; n-g, I and they. Of greater interest is, however, the use of short forms of the personal pronouns as prefixes; thus, ang -s, I my-son, my son; khen k'-n-s, thou thy-younger-brother, thy younger brother; khn k-s, he his-son, his son. These prefixes are extensively used, and they also occur before verbs, in order to distinguish the person of the subject and the object. Thus, -k'-hip, me thou strikest; pp g- chogu, sin I-did, I sinned; khn-chh m-w, they they-are, they are.

　In this extensive use of pronominal prefixes Limbu agrees with B, and still more with the Kuki-Chin languages. Compare B ng-ni -f, me-of my-father, my father; nang-ni nam-f, thee-of thy-father, thy father; b-ni b-f, him-of his-father, his father; Lushi kei-ma ka-pa, I my-father, my father; kei-ma ka-ni, I my-being, I am. In this connexion we can also note that the plural suffix in the pronouns 'I' and 'thou' is ni in Limbu and in Lushi.

　 It will, accordingly, be seen that Limbu forms another link in the chain connecting Tibetan and the Himalayan dialects with the Tibeto-Burman languages of Assam and Burma.

　It is not only pronominal prefixes that are employed by Limbu. When the subject of a verb is of the first person, it is often indicated by suffixing ang, an abbreviated form of the pronoun ang, I. Thus, pg-ang, went-I, I went. This ang must be compared with the suffix ng in Thmi. It is also used to indicate the object; thus, hip-t-ng, he struck me; p-r-ang-n, give me.

　Ykh is in many respects closely related to Limbu, as will already be apparent from a comparison of the numerals and pronouns in the list of words on pp. 408 and ff. Higher numbers are counted in twenties. The dialect possesses a set of pronominal prefixes. It does not, however, so commonly add them before a governing noun in order to repeat the governed genitive, as does Limbu, though we find forms such as u-g i-p, him-of his-father, his father. The verb does not regularly differ for person. The suffix ng is, however, sometimes inserted between the base and an auxiliary, when the subject is of the first person singular; thus, khem-me-ng-n, going-I-am, I go, and it is

　VOL. III, PART I. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

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