1849.] valley of Asam and its mountain confines. 221 



J might, could or would have eaten. Nang thang-gaman, Thou 

 mightest have gone. 



Duty or obligation, is expressed by the word Nang-gan. Thus : Nang 

 thangna-nang-gan, You must go. 



The Optative Mood, or the form expressive of desire, is denoted by 

 the word Namai used as an auxiliary after the gerund. Thus, Ang 

 thangna-namai, i" wish to go. Bi jana-namaidang, He is desiring to 

 eat. 



The Prohibitive form is expressed by Da, used as a prefix to the verb 

 in the Imperative Mood. Da thang, Go not. Da ja, Eat not. Da 

 mau, Do not. 



Simple Negation is expressed by the particle A (changed into Ya 

 after a vowel). Thus. Ang thanya, / do not go. Bi ja-ya, he does not 

 eat. 



When a question is asked, the interrogative particle Na is usually 

 added to the verb. Thus: Nang thangna-haagan na? Wilt thou be 

 able to go ? This particle is omited when any other word in the 

 sentence implies an interrogation. Thus : Bi ma bidang, What does 

 he want ? Nang ma raidang, What art thou saying ? 



The Passive voice is usually formed by means of an auxiliary verb, 

 signifying, to be, to eat, to exist, &c. added to the root of the primary 

 verb. Thus from Bu, strike, and Ja, eat, we have — 

 Present tense. Ang hu ja dang, / am struck. 

 Imperfect. Ang hu jabai, I was struck. 



Perfect. Ang bwja dangman, I have been struck, or I have eaten 



a beating ; and so on through all the other tenses. 



The general mode of arranging words into sentences is the same as 

 that, that obtains in the Bhotia and Garo, and is common to all trans- 

 positive languages. 



A few of the Adverbs and other indeclinable particles in common use, 

 are here subjoined. 



Jitia, when. Monaiao, in the evening. 



O^ola, then. Gaban, to-morrow. 



Unao, afterwards. Miya, yesterday. 



MDane, now. Dini, to-day. 



O bola, when ? Maoah, where ? 



Fhungao, in the morning. Beha, here. 



