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214

HAIJONG SUB-DIALECT.

This is a corrupt form of Eastern. Bengali spoken by members of the Haijong (often
incorrectly called Eajong) tribe, a Tibeto-Burman clan settled in the districts of
Mymensingh and Sylhet, principally in the country at the foot of the Garo Hills.
Haijong (or Hajong) has hitherto been described as a Tibeto-Burman language, but the
tribe has long abandoned its original form of speech. The dialect is also spoken by
Dalus (properly a Garo sept), BanEis, Hadis, and other low*caste tribes of the same
locality.

I giye two examples of this sub-dialect. First, in the Bengali and in the Eoman
characters a version of the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Mymensingh, and, secondly,
a Folktale from Sylhet. The latter I give only in the Eoman character.

The following is an account of the chief grammatical features of this form of speech,
but it must be understood that, besides the forms given below, those of Standard Eastern
Bengali are also freely used.

NOUNS.— Nominative. — The Nominative often takes the termination rd, as in
pata-rd kay, the son says* It sometimes ends in 5, as in hdpala Jcubdle, the child beat
(her).

Accusative. — This case also optionally takes the ternunation rd, as in ai tdkd-ra
di, give this rupee. The regular termination of the accusative, corresponding to the
standard ke, is ge, as in a-ge kobdo, beat him. Ge is added to any form of the nomina-
tive. Thus, poldrdge thale, she placed the boy ; hapdldge dekhile,, he saw the child.

InstrumentlaL— The sign of this case is di or did, as in dan did (or di) bdnid,
having tied him with a rope.

Dative.— The signs of the Dative are ge, as "for the accusative, thai and tUt. Thus,
a-ge di, give to him; bdp thai, to a father ; mdstav thit kale, he said to the master.

Ablative,~~The signs of the Ablative are thdWd, and tan, as in t$ud thdk&d,
from the well ; bdp-tan or (added to the genitive) bdp-ld»tan, from a father.

Genitive.— The sign of the Genitive is Idk or Id, as in vdjd-ldk, of a king ; rdniJd,
of the queen.

Locative-— The standard forms are common. Besides them, we have mi, ni, and
mini suffixed. Thus, ffhar«mi or ghar-mM, in the house ; deshctrfvl, in the country.

The usual Plural Suffix i

PRONOUNS.— The Personal Pronouns are the following :—
First Person.                    Second Person.                    Third Person.
Sing. Norn.                   ,            W*                            tai                                     W
Oblique        .       .       .       .    ma                             to,                                  a
Plur.Nom .....    SmrS or SmU              timra or timU                owrffor
Oblique                                      .    ew», efwcf                         torn, tumct                           am, twn, cwwfl
The Demonstrative Pronouns are ei and i, this, and ai, a, u, add, udd, that.
The Relative Pronouns are Je9 who, ja, what.
The Interrogative Pronouns apeM(Obl., &*),who?
f ; and fata, how m&ny ?