1849-2 valley of Asam and its mountain confines. 217 



Gender. The most common nouns have distinct terms to denote th e 

 distinction of sex. Thus : 



Masculine. Feminine. 



Manse, man. Hinjao, woman. 



Bisai, husband. Bihi, wife. 



Apha, father. Ai, mother. 



Bipha, father. Bima, mother. 



Ada, elder brother. Bai, elder sister. 



Phong bai, younger brother. Binanao, younger sister. 



Manse gotho, man-child (boy.) Hinjao g6tho, woman-child (girl.) 

 The words, Jeu, and Jela, which are equivalent to the terms Male 

 and female, are commonly added to the nouns that stand for animals. 

 There are exceptions however to this rule, the terms Bonda and Bondi, 

 Phanta and Phanti, Phera and Pheri, are in certain cases substituted for 

 the usual sexual postfixes. 



Masculine. Feminine. 



A Bog, Cheima-jela. Cheima-jeu. 



A Tiger, Mosa-jela. Mosa-jeu. 



A Cat, Mauji-bonda. Mauji-bondi. 



A Deer, Khutiamoi-phanta. Khutiamoi-phanti. 



A Goat, Burma-phanta. Burma-phanti. 



A Buffalo, Moichu-phera. Moichii-pheri. 



Of Adjectives. 

 In Kachari, the qualifying adjuncts are placed as often before as after 

 the substantives ; thus : Manse gaham, a good man. Hamma gothd, 

 a naughty boy. Hinjaosa laji ganang, a modest maid. Hangsi guphut, 

 a white goose. 



Adjectives expressing an abstract quality are formed by the addition 

 of the word Ganang, having, possessing. Thus : Khnai, hair ; Khnai 

 ganang, hairy. 



Bang, colour ; Rang ganang, coloured. 

 Hagra, a forest ; Hagra ganang, woody. 

 Negative adjectives are formed by the addition of Geya, empty. Thus : 

 Rang, colour ; Rang-geya, colourless. 

 Bide, juice ; Bide-geya, juiceless. 

 Thaka, wealth, money ; Thaka-geya, poor, penniless. 

 Hi, cloth ; Hi-geya, naked. 



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