03-02-424

424

KHOIRO.

　The Khoiro Ngs inhabit the northern hills of the Manipur State. They are flanked by the Kukis on the west, and the Tangkhuls on the east. Their language is called Kolya in some books dealing with Manipur. In the Valley of Manipur they are found at Thangal, a village about 25 miles north of the capital. The language is closely connected with Kabui and Kachch Ng. Like Kabui, it shows points of contact not only with the Bodo languages, but also with the Kuki ones. I have met no account of its peculiarities or of the tribe which speaks it. The latter is not mentioned by McCulloch in his account of Manipur quoted under Kabui, but, in the Appendix, there is a list of 'Tukai mee' words, many of which agree with what is here called Khoiro. The number of speakers of the language in the Manipur State is estimated at 15,000.

　The following very imperfect account of Khoiro Grammar is based on the speci- mens and list of words collected for this Survey, and its correctness, so far as it goes, is entirely dependent on the accuracy with which these have been recorded. It does not pretend to do more than illustrate the more prominent features of the language. There is much in the specimens that I have not been able to analyze.

　The Khoiro grammar closely follows that of Kabui. The spelling of much of what follows is doubtful. I am pretty sure that u should be substituted for in many places. The word th is also spelt tha and thau and this gives a clue which should not be neglected in considering other words.

　Prefixes and Suffixes.-The prefix ka has altogether lost its proper meaning of 'his.' It seems to be used, as in Kabui, as little more than a definite article. Thus, ka-n, the son, not necessarily his son. Exactly corresponding to the Kabui suffix mai, we have b (also found in o, Chutiy and Meithei) and, more rarely, tang･ Thus, take the word woi, corresponding to the Angmi vi, meaning 'good.' 'A good man,' chapmi ka-woi-b, literally, 'the man who is good.' So, sanb, he who is a brother, a brother. Again, nouns of agency, ka-bam-b, he who resides; ka-gi-b, he who has killed, a killer; si-b, he who is dead, the deceased; ka-gi-tang, the man who has killed, a killer.

　Nouns.-Gender.-The following are examples of the modes in which gender is indicated:-

Takn pb, a horse,	takn pi, a mare.
Tm pb, a bull,	tm pi, a cow.
Thi tapb, a dog,	thi pi, a bitch.

　　　And so on. Pi is possibly a contraction of p-woi, see adjectives, below.

　Number.-For nouns, the plural suffix is kahak, as p-kahak, fathers. It is only used when necessary for the sense. Pronouns take rami, see below.

　Case.-Cases are formed as usual by suffixes. The Nominative, either takes no suffix, or else takes the suffix ni (compare Chutiy n), which apparently means 'by,' and converts the whole sentence into a passive one. At least, ni is also used as the suffix of the case of the agent. In Kabui, the nominative takes the suffix roi before transitive verbs only, and the Khoiro ni seems to be bound by the same restrictions, though, like roi, it occasionally appears before intransitive verbs also. Thus, pi-p-ni yn-pi-ng, the father divided and gave; hai-ni gng-l, I will say;