1849.] valley of Asam and its mountain confines. 319 



the frontier of Asam to the Langtang mountains on the east. Their 

 language is common to numerous tribes occupying all the northern 

 portions of the Burmese empire. About one fourth of its vocables are 

 allied to the Burmese, and an equal proportion to the dialect of Mani- 

 pur. Its intonations are similar to those of its cognate, the Burmese, 

 and its grammatical construction precisely the same. It is peculiar for 

 its combinations of consonants, many of which would at first sight 

 appear quite unpronounceable to a European. It has properly no 

 numbers, cases, nor flections in its nouns ; nor conjugations, moods, 

 tenses, or persons in its verbs. Many words have a substantive, adjec- 

 tive, or verbal signification, according to their position in a sentence ; 

 but in general, the names of objects, qualities and actions are sufficient- 

 ly distinct from each other. Hence, in its structure and expression, 

 the language is exceedingly simple. 



Of Nouns. 



Cases are usually denoted by post-positive particles. As in all lan- 

 guages, the Nominative is the noun in its simple state. 



The Genitive is sometimes denoted by its position before another 

 noun, but more frequently by the particle Na, put after it. As in 

 Kansu-na rung, or Kansu rung, a corn's horn. 



The Dative case is usually marked by the particle Fe ; though it is 

 not unfrequently omitted when the noun is used before a verb signify- 

 ing to give, &c. in which instance the case of the noun is sufficiently 

 intelligible. Exam : Singpho orawa ngai ngu yaha, I gave that man 

 rice. Ngai-fe lik nang galoui nyadai, You never gave me a book. 



The Accusative case is the same as the nominative, distinguished 

 only by its position in a sentence. Exam : Nang mumung miriha i ? 

 Did you buy the mangoes ? Ora kansu cu nyadai, That cow does not 

 give milk. 



Under the case generally termed the Ablative, is included a variety 

 of ideas, distinguished in Sanskrit by the Instrumental, the Locative, 

 and the Ablative. These may all be expressed in Singpho by the use 

 of post-positive particles. 



Mba, a cloth. Mbai kaculii, Wipe it with a cloth. 



Sira, place. Khina sira-i-dau, Put it in its place. 



Simi, a lamp. Simi-goi naman datu, Put oil into the lamp. 



Sometimes the particles are omitted : as in Ndi ncin datu, Fill the 

 pitcher (with) watei\ 



2 T 



