The Lushei Kuki Clans 45

The Lushei Kuki Clans 45

"Fak" in Langrong, "chak" in Manipuri, "cha" in Aimol, Anal, Kolhen,

Lamgang, "shak" in Chiru, meaning "to eat." In Lushai we have

"chaw-fak-hun," "rice-eat-time." Until I found that "fak" meant "to

eat" in Langrong, the Lushai equivalent for dinner-time had always

puzzled me, as the Lushai word for "to eat" is "ei."

 

"Fawp" in Lushai, "chop" in Thado, "chup" in Purum, meaning "to kiss."

 

"Fang" in Bete, "chang" in Thado, meaning "paddy," while "fang"

in Lushai means "a grain."

 

"Fep" in Lushai, "chep" in Thado, meaning "to suck," as sugar-cane.

 

"Feh" in Lushai, "to go to the jhums," "feh" in Rhangkhol, "to go";

"che" in Thado, Aimol, and Anal, and "chatpa" in Manipuri have the

same meaning.

 

"Fing" in Lushai, "ching" in Thado, "singba" in Manipuri, mean "wise."

 

"Fu" in Lushai, "chu" in Thado mean "sugar-cane."

 

"Fang-hma" in Lushai, "fung-mat" in Bete, "chung-mai" in Thado, mean

"a pumpkin."

 

N in Lushai sometimes becomes "shi" in Lai or Haka dialect, as "ni"

in Lushai and "shi" in Lai, meaning both "to be" and "aunt."

 

G and K are often interchanged and also R, L, and N.

 

In Lushai we have "lung" meaning both "stone" and "heart," while

in Manipuri we have "nung" meaning "stone," and though "heart"

is translated by "puk," we have "nung-siba" "to be sad," evidently

composed of "nung" and "siba," "to die," and also "nung-ngaiba,"

meaning "happy," showing that "nung" once meant heart.

 

In many of these languages, similar words are used but have slightly

different meanings. For instance, "shang" in Lushai means "tall,"

while in Thado and Manipuri we have "sang" meaning "long."

 

"Leng" in Lushai means "to stroll," and "lengba" in Manipuri means

"to walk," but is only used of important personages who would be

likely to move slowly and in a dignified manner.

 

In Lushai "shat" means "to cut," but as a Lushai's house consists of

timber and bamboos, he always uses "shat" when he speaks of building

a house, and we find "sha" in Thado and "saba" in Manipuri mean

"to make," "to build."

 

In Lushai the verb "ni," "to be," is conjugated completely, but in

Manipuri "ni" means "is" and has no other tenses.

 

 

Manipuri: Ma ai-gi i nau ni.

Lushai: Ama ka nau a ni.

English: He my younger brother he is.

 

 

The following comparative vocabulary gives in the first two columns

the Thado and English words as given by Mr. Hodson. The first word in

the column of remarks is always Lushai, and where it has not exactly

the same meaning as the Thado word the correct meaning is given;

then follow, where necessary, the equivalents in other dialects.

 

About one word in every three given in Mr. Hodson's vocabulary has

been found to resemble closely the Lushai word having the same or

a similar meaning. Mr. Hodson's vocabulary has no pretensions to be

a complete dictionary of the Thado language. Were such available I

believe the number of similar words in the two dialects would be found

to be even greater. As regards the Old Kuki dialects the information

available is not sufficient to make a thorough comparison. It is clear

that they are very closely allied to Lushai and Thado and to each

other. The connection between Manipuri and what Dr. Grierson calls

the Chin languages will, I believe, be found on further enquiry to

be closer than at first appears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY OF THADO AND LUSHAI LANGUAGES, WITH NOTES ON

THE OTHER CHIN LANGUAGES AND MANIPURI OR MEITHEI.

 

 

THADO. ENGLISH. LUSHAI AND REMARKS.

 

A Fowl Ar. Old Kuki dialects, Ar.

A-eng or Turmeric Ai-eng. Beteh, Aishel.

A-yeng

Ai Crab Ai. Beteh, Iae.

A-le True, right Awle, all right.

Ashi Star Arshi. Old Kuki dialects the same.

Ban Arm Ban.

Bat To owe Bat.

Be To beat a drum Beng.

Be Pulse Be, all sorts of peas and beans.

Bon To wrestle Buan.

Bong Cow Se-bong.

Bong-hlo Mud Bol-hlawh.

Bu Paddy Buh.

Chem Dao Chem. Same in Old Kuki dialect.

Chep To suck Fep.

Chi Salt Chi; and in Old Kuki dialects also.

Chok To buy Chawk. In most Old Kuki dialects,

Chok or Chak, and Purum has Lei,

which is the commoner word in

Lushai.

Da To spread Da, to put.

Chol Tired Chawl, to rest when tired.

Cham Level Cham.

Dang Other Dang.

Dai-tui Dew Dai.

Dangka Silver Tangka.

Deng To beat Deng, to pound, to hammer.

Ding To stand Ding.

Di Correct Dik.

Doi Magic Doi; and in Old Kuki dialects.

Doi Weak Doih, cowardly.

Dui To love Duh, to like, to desire.

Dum Tobacco Dum-ei, Dum-bawm, tobacco box; but

the usual word is Vai-hlo.

Eng Yellow Eng.

Ga Fruit Ra; also Beteh.

Gam-la Distant Ram, country; Hla, distant. In Old

Kuki dialects, La, Hla, and Lak.

Gam-mang Forest Ram. The Lushai Hills being covered

with forest, Ram means both country

and forest. Mang appears in the

Manipuri, U-Mang.

Ge To pass the night Ria(k). Cf. Manipuri. Lek.

Gel Hail Rial. Manipuri, Lel.

Ghai Pregnant Rai.

Ghal Enemy Ral. Manipuri, Lal; Beteh, Ral.

Ghi Heavy Rit. Beteh, Rik.

Ghin Sound Ring, loud.

Ghop Lean Rawp, to become thin, to waste away.

Ghu A bone Ru; also in Manipuri and Old Kuki

dialects.

Ghu A thief, to steal Ru; also in Beteh.

Ghul A snake Rul; also in Old Kuki dialects.

Manipuri, Lil.

Gim To worry Rim, tired, toilworn.

Go A bamboo Ro, a particular sort of bamboo.

Go To cremate Rawh, to heat, to roast.

Ha Tooth Ha, and in all Old Kuki dialects.

Hal To set fire to Hal; also in Beteh.

Ham Blow through Ham, to play a wind instrument.

Hao Rich Hao-sak; the k is nearly silent.

He To know Thei to be able; Hre or Hriat, to

know. Manipuri, Heiba, to know how

to do.

Hem Sharp Hriam.

Hem To soothe Thlem, to pacify.

Hla Month, the moon Thla; and Manipuri and Old Kuki

dialects, Tha or Thla.

Hla Wing Thla.

Hla Song Hla.

Hling To suffice Tling-tlak, to complete.

Hlut To enter Lut.

Hon Garden Huan.

Hot To shake Hot, to stir with spoon.

Hui A dog Ui. Hui or Ui in Manipuri and all

Old Kuki dialects.

In House In; and in all Old Kuki dialects.

Kal To climb Kal, to go; also in Langrong.

Kalson To walk

Kan Dry Kang, to dry up. Manipuri, Kangba.

Kap To shoot Kap.

Kel Goat Kel; and in all Old Kuki dialects.

Ket To be broken Keh.

Kha Bitter Kha.

Kha Chin Kha, the lower jaw.

Khel buk Thigh Khel, side of upper part of thigh.

Khoi Bee Khoi.

Khom To collect Khon. Manipuri, Khom-silba.

Khong Drum Khuang.

Kho-shi To feel cold Khua a shik.

Khu Cough Khuh.

Khubu Knee Khup. Manipuri, Khuk-u; Beteh,

Rakhuk.

Khut Hand Kut. Rhangkhol, Gut; all other Old

Kuki dialects and Manipuri, either

Khut or Kut.

Keng Leg Ke.

Keng bai Lame Ke bai.

Ki Horn Ki. Manipuri, Chi or Ji; Beteh,

Raki.

Ko To call Ko; and the same in Manipuri. In

most Old Kuki dialects, Ko, Koi, or