BENGALI OR BANGA-BHASHA. This is the language of Lower Bengal, or the region of the Gangetic Delta and of the districts immediately above it and to its east. It is called by those who sneak it Banla or Banga-bhasha,—the language of Banga or Vanga. The former is the colloquial title, while the latter Name of the Language. ; .- „ i • ?«i , T « i »j. r^ • i is the name found m literature, In Sanskrit, the word ' Tanga* meant Eastern and Central Bengal, but in modern times it is applied to the whole country in which the Bengali language is spoken. The word f Bengali * is an English one, framed on the English word 'Bengal/ which may have been learned in Southern India,1 where the word J^angdlam occurs in an inscription of the great Tanjore temple, dating from the llth century A.D, From this word arose the word Bangal^ of the Arabic Geographers.2 From Arabic, it got into Persian, and we find Abu-1-fazl saying in the AIn-i Akbari/ c the real name of Bangala is Bang.13 Ifrom Persian, the word Bangala was adopted into Hindustani, and was used by Muhammadan writers in that language. So far as my reading goes it was not used by any of the classical Hindu writers, who still adhered to the proper name of the country,—Bang. From Bangala, Hindustani writers formed the hybrid word bangatt and also the coatraeted word bangld, both meaning < of or belonging to Bengal,' * Bengali*' The latter word has entered into English in the word ' bungalow,5 which means a house after the Bengal fashion. ' Bangall' has been borrowed by some English writers, under a mistaken idea of correct spelling, and has been used instead of the English word Bengali, which is much as if an Englishman were to borrow the French word * Allemagne," when he wanted to say * Germany/4 As this is a work in the English language, 1 shall throughout use the English word c Bengali} when referring to the form of speech now under consideration. For the reasons aboTe stated, I shall avoid the form * Bangala/ or, as some write it, * Bengdli/ with a diacritical accent on the second syllable. The sole advantage of the latter form is that it prevents ignorant English people frorr pronouncing the word as if it was * Bengalee/ with the second syllable short, and accents on the first and last syllables. The class of people who use this pronunciation are not likely to trouble themselves with the results of this Survey. In titles and headings, I shall give, as an alternative name, the word 'Banga.bhasha/ which, as stated above, is the name given in literary works to the language by the people who speak it. 1 Much of what follows is based upon Tula and Burnett's Hohon-Jolson, t.v, Bengal* I have to thank Mr, Beames for many kindly criticisms on this introduction. * In Elliot's Rittory of India as told ly its ow, Historians. 1,72, the Arabic Historian Rashjda-d-din, quoting from Al BirunI (circ. 1000 A.D,), is shown as speaking off Bangala/ but the reading is yery doubtful. There are, however, other examples. 1 The original (Blochmann a Edition, Vol. I, p. 388) runs ^ d&s J*>] p nam* a^fae Bangal& Sang. AM-Mqi adds that the suffi* dl in Bangala means an embankment between two fields! These, he says, were raised by former rulers throughout the country* Hence its name. The explanation is ingenious if nothing more* Modern pandit* derive the name from Sahga-alaya, the abode of Banga* 4 The word 5