1ST5.] G. E. Fryer — On the Khyeng people of Sandoway, Arakan. 49 



There are, however, few stem-words which are strictly monosyllahic. 

 Most of them take adjuncts either as prefixes or suffixes, or both, which Mr. 

 Hodgson has termed ' differential servile particles', and no doubt, as he justly 

 remarks, " the basis of these languages is a small number of monosyllabic 

 "roots bearing necessarily many senses ; hence to distinguish between those 

 " several senses is the chief function of the servile adjuncts of the roots."* 

 Many of these serviles are inseparable, as for example ' ka' and ' kh' in kahni 

 the sun, and khlo tlie moon ; others again are scissile in composition, as for 

 example the prefix ma and suffix lit of makuht, the hand, in ' kie ku nil', 

 my thumb. 



Derivative nouns are such as are derived from verbal roots, whether 

 living or obsolete, and which acquire the form of substantives by the addition 

 of a formative prefix such as a or ma ; e. g. s 



aak a fragment from ak to break. 



amlak a loving from mlak to love (obsolete). 



mahau a speaking from hau to speak. 



Composite nouns are such as are compounded of two roots, the first of 

 which may be said to stand in the genitive case. The members of the com- 

 pound may either be two nouns, or two verbs, or a verb and noun combined ; 

 e.g., 



remaining place, a seat. 



sleeping place, a bed. 



foofs eye, the ankle* 



dragon' 's yawning, a rainboio. 



speaking aperture the mouth. 



Diminutives are formed by affixing 'so', signifying little, to words, as 

 khlaung so, a lad. 



The distinctions of number and gender are made in a similar way by 

 affixes. 



Of ISTumbee. 



There are three numbers, the singular, dual, and plural. The noun or 

 pronoun by itself indicates bhe singular. The dual is expressed by the par- 

 ticle ' hoi', signifying a pair or couple. The plural is expressed by the fol- 

 lowing particles all signifying many, hio, loi, tak, nii. Thus, when the sub- 

 ject of conversation is understood, a Khyeng wotild say ' nahoi sit u', the two 

 are going, or without using the pronoun ' sit u. hoi' ; but a Burman, having 

 no dual, would under similar circumstances commit the solecism the two 

 are going all. 



* Hodgson'3 '■Mongolian Affinities of the Caucasians' in Jour. As. Soc. Bcng - ., 1853, 

 note to page 36. 

 G 



on duam 



lit. 



ik duam 



lit. 



kho mik 



lit. 



nago ban 



lit. 



mahau kho 



lit. 



