03-03-234

234

KOLRN OR KOIRENG.

　The Kolrns or Koirengs are a small tribe in the State of Manipur. According to Mr. Damant, they dwell in eight small villages on the hills north of the valley, and number about 600. They are also found as a migratory tribe in the valley itself. Kolrn is the name which the tribe gives to itself, and Koireng is probably a Manipuri corruption of this name. The Kwoirengs or Lyngs, which have been dealt with under the Ng-Kuki group, are a different tribe, and the languages of both have very little in common.

AUTHORITIES-

　McCULLOCH, MAJOR W.,-Account of the Valley of Munnipore and of the Hill Tribes; with a compara- tive Vocabulary of the Munnipore and other Languages. Selections from the Records of the Government of India (Foreign Department). No. xxvii. Calcutta, 1859. Note on the Koirengs on pp. 64 and f.

　DAMANT, G.H.,-Notes on the Locality and Population of the Tribes dwelling between the Brahmaputra and Ningthi Rivers. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series, Vol. xii, 1880, pp. 228 and ff. Short note on the tribe on p. 238.

　The Kolrn dialect in essential points agrees with Hallm, Km, Rngkhl, Lang- rong, etc.; in some instances most closely with Khongzi. Two specimens and a list of standard words and phrases have been prepared by Babu Bisharup Singh in the Kharang Koireng village in the Manipur valley. They are the only foundation of the remarks on the Kolrn dialect which follow.

　Pronunciation.-The vowels of the prefixes have apparently a rather indistinct sound. Thus, we find ka-p and ki-p, my father; ma-tik, worthy; but mi-tm, young; ki-ni, two; but k-rk, six. This sound might perhaps be denoted by means of an a above the line; thus, k-p, my father. U is always marked as long, but it is certainly short in many instances. It seems to be interchangeable with o; thus, p-ro and p-r, give. It is sometimes also interchanged with oi and o; thus, soi, so, and s, entirely; sok, sk, and sok, come out. In a similar way ai is interchangeable with ; thus, chai and ch, go; hai, and h, a verbal prefix denoting motion towards. and i interchange in ying- and yng-, from. When a postposition beginning with a vowel is added to a word ending in a vowel, there is usually a contraction. Thus, a-pn for a-p-in, by the father. A euphonic y is inserted after and i; thus, a-ch-y, going; lai-y, in the fields. The diphthong o is often written wo; thus, kworr, ear; pwon, cloth; swok, sok, sk, and sok, to come out, etc. Final consonants are occasionally silent; thus, pk and p, give; nk and n, back, etc. Double m is sometimes pronounced almost as single; thus, we find omak for om-mak, is not. The sound of h seems to be rather faint. We find it dropped in some instances in the second specimen, after a preceding n; thus, an-ong- swok for an-hong-swok, they came out. Final n seems to be occasionally dropped; thus, a-wa-mi-thm-yai, he entreated; ki-min-ch-yai, he sent. The prefixes mi and min in these words are no-doubt identical. Final m seems to be interchangeable with ng; thus, ram and rang, place; cham and chong, word. Ng seems to mark a faint nasal sound in nng-ting or nk-ting, behind; maong and mao, not, etc. B and w are interchangeable in a-won, his belly; ka-bon, my belly. The b in such words is due to the common pronunciation of w in Eastern Indo-Aryan vernaculars.