EtttUOtOCUr OP IlIB IlTjDO- PACIFIC IBLiJnJS. 



187 



other dialects of tlio same group retain its plionology more 

 teuaceously than Burmaix. It alwo aprtmd to the westward from 

 ibe Aaam Tiilley to tlie head of tlie Sutlej, all the Gaiigotie baud 

 of Tibeto-Ultraindlim dialects from Miahmi to Milchaiiatig adher- 

 ing to it to a great extent. This form has itself several phases. 

 The earlie&t appears to have been broad, sonaut and in its finals* 

 consonantal. The later ehow various degrees of vocaHcism, tho 

 final consonants being softened or elided. In all the groups, 

 and in some cases even ia local subdiviisiond of the aanie dialect, 

 the broad and strong phonology still co-exists to a greater or less 

 extent with, the soft and blender. The current and the old or 

 written Bhotian (chap. iv. Sec. 1.}, the different Abor dialects 

 see. 5), Burman when compared with Karen, Karen when com- 

 pared with Khyeng and the otlier Yuma tlialects, &yarung when 

 compared with Thochu or Bhot'ian, all illustrate the progressive 

 emasculation of the phonology, and in most of the tUalecta archaie 

 broad vocables are current along with slender ones. In the 

 Gyarung-Bicman or Eastern Tibet and Irawadi band the atten- 

 uation ia most marked. In the Bui-man phonology the propensity 



40 ellipsis, slender vowels and eonsouaiits, — as i for a, e tor i, i for 

 I, ^ for has received a peculiar development. T\\m iatest form 

 ia found most strongly marked in Burman itself which has hocomo 

 highly monosyllabic and attenuated. In Kjuren and some of tbo 

 other memhera of the proper Irawadi group the older form ia moro 

 persistent. 



The history of the direct and exclusive Bhotian influence to tho 

 southward of the snows is quite distinct. It began by the migra- 

 tion of Bhotians across the llimalayaia passes, tho occupation of 

 Bhutan, the partiid occupation of more western districts, and tho 

 difiuflion of Bhotian political and ethnic influence not only over 

 the prior Himalayan tribes but partially also over those of tho 

 Gangctic plain and North Ultraindia. Tho Bhotian languago 

 was transported to this side of tho snows. It partially communi- 

 cated its forms to tlic Himalayan languages from Milchanang to 

 Abor-Miri, and in a slighter degree to the Lliddlo Gangetic 

 (Dhiaial, Bodo) and somo of the North Ultraindian (Garo, Mikij% 

 Naga &c.) It thus appcara that the proper Bhotian influence on 



