NOTES.
This story is a much more elaborate piece of composition than the last, and may be said to exhibit distinct marks of literary style. Its vocabulary is copious and varied, and it makes large use of a device which is employed in Mikir, as in Khasi,[3] to give amplitude to the phrase by duplicating the leading words; nearly every important term has its doublet, with the same meaning, following it.
Āmehàng-kethèk-pèn-āpārā: āmehàng-kethèk, “to see the face,” is equivalent to “being born”; pèn and āpārā, the latter borrowed from the Assamese parā, have the same signification, and the latter is really superfluous. Phàk-lèng, shortened for phàk-belèng, “wild boar”; see the explanation of the term in the notes to No. I, p. [94]. Tiki-kē inghoi-hē: notice that both verbs are given in the negative form; this is unusual.
Màn, “perquisites”; Assamese loan-word.
Kovē, “betel-nut,” Khasi kwai, Ass. guwā. Chidhīr, “spirit,” the doublet of āràk (itself a Hindi loan-word) is perhaps the Khasi kiad-hiar. Notice how, instead of using the ordinal numbers for second, third, fourth, and fifth brothers, the father employs clumsy periphrases to indicate the sequence. Phàndār, “store,” Ass. loan-word (bhandār).
Ā-bàn ā-sòt: in this doublet the second member, sòt, properly means “female slave”; a similar use of a word of different meaning as a duplicate term will be found below (p. [129]), where ā-mèk “his eye” is followed by ā-nō “his ear,” the meaning being “his eyes.”
Kādo-kāvē, literally, “being-not-being,” a periphrasis for “all of them.” Mīsō, “a black ant,” used verecundiæ causâ for rèk, “louse.” Notice the idiom pē-mā-pē-lo, where the insertion of mā between the repeated roots indicates the time during which an act is done.
An-tàngtē, “and also,” literally, “so much not finished.” Pherē nàng-nē: nàng is the verb of necessity, nē the negative particle: “there is no need for fear.” Promàn, “proof,” Ass.
Chitū, the plant called in Assamese puroi-sāk, Basella lucida; its fruit has a red juice.
Ārlèng ki-ī, “a sleeping man”: observe that ārlèng here evidently means a human being in general (see note, p. [4]). Àn-chō-mèk-bur: see note, p. [96]. Vàng-noi; noi is a variant of nòn, imperative particle. Chīr-ēpàk: “one spear”; notice that the generic class-word for flat things, pàk, is used with chīr, a spear, referring of course to the head only.
Dā in Dā-nàng seems to be a shortened imperative of dàm, to go. Ārlu-rā tòk-dàm-nòn: notice how ārlu, usually a postposition (= up in), becomes a verb when necessary; similarly, further on, in ē-kòr tàngdèt, kòr, “brother,” is furnished directly with the suffix for the past tense; ē- and ī- are used interchangeably for the pronoun of the 1st person plural inclusive; the second is perhaps employed when the vowel-harmony calls for it. Tòng-ràp-chòm: ràp, “to help,” is employed as an adverbial supplement to indicate that two persons do the same thing together; chòm is a doublet of ràp. Pātèng, pāju, words for a second wife.
Bhin kālī, bhā kālī: bhin is Ass. bahin, sister; bhā, must be Ass. bhāī, brother, but is used as a doublet of bhin.
Notice the energetic reduplication of the negative in plàng-plē-plē-lē. Pinsō, male, virile, “worthy of being called men.”
Kopi tàng-ā “what are you saying?” tàngā is only used in this way as a question, as tànghō (see above, p. [100]) is used in carrying a message, for pu, to say.
Bòr-ī-dèt-sī “with great difficulty”; bòr-ī-bòr-ā, “by hook or by crook.”
Arlēn-thu-ròng, māthā-thu-ròng: ārlèn is “to aim at,” māthā “to think about”; thu a particle meaning “again,” and ròng one of the affixes indicating the plural. Chiru-rap-jō-sī: jō is an affix indicating the plural.
Nàng-bàng-do? “are you there?” lit. “is your body (bàng) present?” Kopi kevàng mā pō? pō, “father,” is used as an endearing word in addressing a son, or as here a grandson (see ante, pp. [99], [101]).
Sòk is paddy, rice in the husk; sàng is rice freed from husk and ready for cooking; àn is boiled rice; tē, a verb, “to spread out paddy to dry.”
“Hārlo,” a verb, “to turn over” (the spread-out paddy); rèng, a verb, of the spread-out paddy, “to become dry”; oi, a verb, “to collect into a heap” the dried paddy. Làng-thàk nàng-dàm-sī nàng-làng-dàm-jī-làng: in this sentence the word làng, which occurs thrice, has three different significations: the first làng is a noun, “water, river”; the second is a verb, “to see, look at”; the third làng is an auxiliary verb, “to continue doing, or being,” used here pleonastically.
Sēr, rūp, “gold, silver,” see note, p. [111], ante. Notice the rare form nèng for nē, “I”; nasals seem occasionally to be added or dropped at will at the end of words: e.g. dā and dàm, “go”; òng and ō, “much, many”; lā and làng, auxiliary verb. Komàt-ching-ā-lànghē nē: ching is a particle strengthening the interrogative komàt,—“who-ever?” lànghē, a ghāt or watering place: nē the interrogative particle borrowed from Assamese, = mā in Mikir.
Bārī-thē Rēchō, “king of the Great Palace”; bārī, “a large house,” loan-word from Assamese: thē, “great.”
Nàng-klō-èt-jō “there they descended beautifully”; klō, “to fall or sink down from a height”; èt a syllable indicating beauty or charm; Mr. Stack notes that it is perhaps connected with the word ètpī, “yellow, golden”; it is also used as an affectionate form of address in èt-mār-lī, “my dears!” jō, plural affix. Kàn, a ceremonious word for clothes; the ordinary expression is pē or rī. Sun-phit: phit means “all at once,” “suddenly.” Tur, “the brightness, splendour” (of the moon and sun).
The syllable jīn in ārnī ingsàm-jīn-lo indicates the day gradually drawing on to evening. Āpòr-lo: notice the verbal affix -lo appended to the noun pòr, “time.” Bèng, “to house animals for the night.” Hijīr, “to shake out,” as a bird its wings before starting to fly.
Phlum-phlum, onomatopoetic adverb imitating the sound of flapping; ī, “to put on one’s clothes”: ā-rī kāchi-ī, “he is putting on his dhoti”; pīnī kāchi-ī, “she is putting on her petticoat”; in this sense the verb ī takes lòk as its constant adverbial supplement: when it means “to lie down,” “to sleep,” it takes lòt. Observe how the distributive force of the sentence is expressed by repeating the whole phrase. Āngphun chepekèk-koi “he made his neck (ingphun) crooked (kèk-dàng or kèk-juk)”; koi, a particle meaning “completely, altogether.” Èn “take,” and kīm, “build,” both mean “to marry”; the latter implies the building of a separate house for the newly wedded couple, or perhaps the wedding bower.
Arlèng-āsō: notice that here the word ārlèng evidently means a human being, opposed to ārnàm-āsō, the child of a divine person. Pàn, “to cut down and clear the jungle for cultivation.” Làng-ding “continue to watch”: ding a particle of continuance (cf. keding, tall, long). Pàn-dèt pī-dèt; here pī has the sense of “to cut down” (a tree, or something thick): so also thī. Màm, “the jungle.” Further on, in thī-ròk-rē, thī means “to lie”: Pisī dàk-lē kethī-ròk-mā? “why are you lying here?” ròk is an adverbial supplement.
Ārchē is used of sowing or planting many things together, as here: to sow or plant only one thing is ē: thèngthē ke-ē, “he is sowing maize”; sòk ke-rīk, “he is sowing rice broad-cast”; sòk ke-ē, “he is transplanting rice.” Mīr-phèk-ē: mīr, “flower,” phèk-ē, “rice-husks”: “a flower that grows out of heaps of rice-husks; has a long narrow leaf and a flower which is red and white mixed” (Stack); tādo, “a kind of white lily or arum with a yellow style” (id.). Kemē-thèk-thē-òng pukē: “so (pukē) beautiful (kemē) excessively (òng) as never was seen (thèk-thē).” Vàng-phlòt: phlòt: a particle indicating suddenness. Teràn, an individual plot, as distinguished from the rīt or general field. E-kòrpō H. K. āteràn-lē-mā: kòrpō, “cousin (mother’s brother’s son),” also indicates the relationship between a woman and her sister’s husband; here of course it is used in the latter sense, proleptically; it is characteristic of this story-teller that he discloses the dénouement of his tale well in advance. Notice the idiom -lē -mā, “it must be,” an indirect question = “is it not?”
Pòngsī, Ass. baṅsī, “a flute,” made of a piece of bamboo; èt, to bore a hole. Che-èt-ō “he (cut and) bored holes in a number of flutes”; ō seems to be a shortened form of òng, many: hēm kīm-ō, “they built a number of huts”; nē vo nàm-ō-lo, “I have bought a lot of fowls.”
Ju-mē-òng, “it is very good to hear”: ju is shortened from ārju: the prefix ār- is separable in this word and in ārnī, “day, sun,” ārlòng “stone,” and several other words, which appear in composition as nī and lòng, etc.; it seems probable that it is connected with the Tibetan prefix r-, to which the Mikir relative particle, ā-, has been prefixed. Notice nitum for nētum, possibly by vowel-harmony with the following words mīr and chilòk. Chilòk-pòn ningkē-mā: observe that this phrase stands both for the request and its answer—ningkē, “willing”; ning, “mind”;—mā is thus not only the interrogative particle, but also indicates its corresponding affirmative reply. Ā-mèk, ā-nō, “eyes and ears” = eyes only. Mīnī, menàp (minàp), alternative terms for pinī, pēnàp, “to-day, to-morrow.”
Do-àngsē-lo = do-koi-lo, “have all got.”
Mòn Rēchō, probably shortened for Tomòn-Rēchō; tomòn, “wind.” Rai-dun, special verb for “to ask in marriage.” Bòng, “gourd for holding beer”; tē, doublet. Thàk, “to weave.” Thàn chèk, “to explain”; chèk strengthens verbs for imparting information. Āning āròng kedo: ròng, “delight,” Ass. loan-word.
Notice again āmèk ānō for “eyes” only.
Tòk, a verb with the general meaning “to thrust, poke”; used already above (p. 116) for thrusting with a spear; here for pounding the rice with a long pestle (lèngpum) in the mortar (lòng); another sense is “to write” (“to poke with a pen”). Sèt, “to give the half-cleaned rice a second pounding.” Dàng, “to serve up the cooked food.” Bē “to heat the fermented rice”; sòr, “to press out the beer” from the grains, mixed with warm water, which have been put in the conical strainer of woven bamboo, sī, by pressing down upon them a gourd, bòng.
Rèp seems to be a variant of ràp (explained above, p. 118), and indicates that all of them have been married together. Chàn-jai, “to have several children.”
Pāngrī-rē-dèt-làng-lē-mā; here again two verbs each have the negative affix, pàngrī and làng, the latter an auxiliary signifying “to continue to be.” Pàngrī in the sense “to marry,” is the causal of ingrī, “to drink copiously of liquor”; the description of the marriage ceremony at p. 18 shows the important part which is taken in it by alcoholic drinks. Ingting-po, “it will be dark”: observe the impersonal use of the verb, without a substantive: we may say ājō kàngting-pār, “the night is very dark.”
Nàng-làng-phròng-sī-do-po; phròng is one of the particles used to indicate plurality: “they will all be looking out for (làng) us there (nàng).” Bòm, one of the verbs indicating continuance may be rendered “from time to time.”
A-rī su-rī-thā, ā-kèng su-rī-thā: this injunction not to touch the hand or foot of the fairy princess has different parallels in other lands; in the Celebes version referred to on p. 72 it is the hair that is not to be touched. Pe-rē, causal of rē, “to be knowing, clever.” Ur, a platform or screen for drying flesh in the sun; ràp includes also a shelf in the house.
Krèng, to be dry, bears the same relation to rèng, dry (ante, p. 122), as klàng (p. 99), to perceive, does to làng, to look at; in both the prefix ke- has apparently been incorporated in the root.
Chedàm-tā-mē “You can go if you like”: observe the force of mē, “well, good.” Che-mē-mē-làng: the verb mē here seems to be the Assamese mēl, “agreement,” not the Mikir word for “good.” Observe the idiomatic expression ningkàn īsī-lo-lē-mā thī, in answer to an objection: so one says, in reply to a request for payment, nē nàng pī-tàng-dèt-lo-lē-mā-thī “but I have paid you already!” Observe that in nàng che-mē-mē-lā the last syllable = làng without its nasal. Āsō Ārnàm pī-lo, “God gave a child”: possibly this phrase is due to the narrator, who it will be remembered was a Christian. Tī, a particle = “not yet reconciled.” Dē, a particle of asseveration, “indeed,” probably the Assamese dēi.
Hèt, a particle used with verbs meaning to tie, bind, in the sense of “firmly, securely.” Dut, a particle used with verbs of scratching or cutting. Tòng, a particle indicating hurry or haste. Ēmōkē, “in a little time”: mō, “space or interval of time,” ē-, particle of unity, as in ē-jòn, ē-bèng. Pulèm, “to say in joke”: pu, “say,” lèm, “seem, pretend.” Pràn, Assamese. Pu-pā-nā, “don’t have to say”: nā, Assamese. Nàng-tā-mē, nē-tā-mē, idiomatic, “it will be well with you or it will be well with me,” i.e. “either you or I will come off the better.” Dohai, “an oath”; probably the Assamese dōhāi, “call for justice”: semē (the Khasi smai) is also used.
Bòp, to shoot a bird or animal; àp, to let off a bow or gun.
Dòk-dòk, particles used to indicate that an event has nearly happened (with jī, future affix). Tō, imperative particle borrowed from Khasi, and prefixed, as in that language.
Pai-ā-rē “beside the hedge (pai)” = pai-ā-kung. Chō-phī; the Mikirs scorch (phī) every bird or animal before preparing it for cooking. Chònghoi, reflexive form of inghoi, “to do,” = “to do by themselves.” Ā-rī-ē-hòng: hòng is the generic class-word for a limb (see ante, p. 79). Ingthàn, “to cut up fish or flesh, whether raw or cooked.” Chingnèk reflexive of ingnèk, to laugh, “laughing together.” Chingnī, reflexive of ingnī, doublet of ingnèk; the verb also means “to sit.”
Puthòt-ādàp-lo; puthòt, “next”: cf. lē-thòt in ādàk-vàm ā-dun-lēthòt on p. 114 above; the time-affix -lo is joined directly to ādàp, “morning.”
Ā-ràt, ā-dèt, both Assamese loan-words; ràt is raīyat, “ryots,” dèt, dēh, “country.” Chethòr-prē, vàng-prē, are both used for “continually coming and going, of many people”; the former expression indicates greater numbers and frequency than the latter. Pòng-ting, “a gold drum, worn on the breast, strung in the middle of a set of strings on which black, coral, and gold beads are arranged in alternate rows six deep” (Stack); in Assamese mādolī. Nī, nèng, tē, pīnu: see the table of terms of relationship on p. 20. Āpār-tā-sō-sē-làng: this sentence appears to be made up thus: āpār, “greatly, much,” tā, corroborative particle: sō, diminutive particle, negatived by sē, làng, auxiliary verb, “continue”; the force of it, then, would be—“the effect would not be only the poor result you see, fine though that is, but ever so much more!”
Konàt-tòng = konàt-ching, “wherever?” Kopi-āthē = kopi-āpòt.
Pai-pē-lo: this idiom is illustrated by the following phrases: klèm-dàm pai-pē-lo, “he is not working gratis, for nothing”; là āklèng pai-pē-lo, “he is not the elder for nothing”; i.e. he can do better than his younger brothers. Ingjār-èt-dàn-lo: the element dàn gives the force of returning to her own place whence she came. Jō, verb, “to bend a bow,” ràng, particle of continuance. Thā, “wait!” Assamese loan-word. Phō, verb, “to touch, arrive at,” as a boat comes to the shore with chi, “to touch one another, to meet” (see p. 112, lines 1 and 2).
Akhī-lō-du; ākhī, “something to eat,” lō, “leaf,” du, “wrap up,” = “so much food as can be wrapped up in a leaf,” a morsel.
Ē-joi, “one draught”; joi is perhaps Ass. jol, “water.” Ō, verb, “to leave, set down.”
Mòn Rēchō-ātum; notice that here tum has its original sense of “company”; “Mòn Rājā’s company, or following.”
Pu-hur-lo: hur is one of the particles indicating plurality.
Nē dun-īk-nòn: īk, “elder brother,” used as a respectful form of address; observe its place in the compound imperative. Māthā-thuròng, lit. “you had another (thu) meaning” (viz. to make me lose my life). Notice how -sī, the mark of the conjunctive participle, is affixed to the reported utterance of H. K. Chērbàk = che-ārbàk; ārbàk, the lap or bosom; also a verb: osō kārbàk, “she holds the child to her bosom.” Kràp is said to be used only of a child climbing up into its mother’s lap.
Ingring, used as homonym of theràk, “to be ashamed,” also means “to be afraid, disturbed in mind.”
Chērju-lo = che-ārju-lo. Phār, “to order”; nàng nē kephār āling-lo, “as you order me”; nē phār-dun pemē-sèn-lo, “I gave him careful instructions.” Bīdā = Ass. bidāi, “leave to depart.”
Che pē; notice that pē, “mother,” is used as an affectionate term of address to a daughter, exactly as pō, “father,” is used above to a son or grandson. Lō-thui-hàn-thui, “a bundle of vegetables, with a leaf wrapped round it.” Chòk and thèng mean literally “to beat,” but are here jocularly used for getting rid of a person. Pālār causal of lār, “to be changed or exchanged,” also apparently used jocularly of giving in marriage.
H. K.-ātum: notice the plural affix used to indicate H. K. and his wife. Chō-lo, “he became”; this seems to be a different verb from chō, “to eat.” Notice ā-rēchō “his kingship”; rēchō stands for rāj as well as rājā. Thīr, Ass. thīr, “steady, stable.”