A Sketch of the Phonology and Grammar of Rajbanshi

This dissertation is a synchronic description of the phonology and grammar of two dialects of the Rajbanshi language (Eastern Indo-Aryan) as spoken in Jhapa, Nepal. I have primarily confined the analysis to the oral expression, since the emerging literary form is still in its infancy. The grammatical analysis is therefore based, for the most part, on a corpus of oral narrative text which was recorded and transcribed from three informants from north-east Jhapa. An informant, speaking a dialect from south-west Jhapa cross checked this text corpus and provided additional elicited material. I have described the phonology, morphology and syntax of the language, and also one aspect of its discourse structure. For the most part the phonology follows the basic Indo-Aryan pattern. Derivational morphology, compounding, reduplication, echo formation and onomatopoeic constructions are considered, as well as number, noun classes (their assignment and grammatical function), pronouns, and case and postpositions. In verbal morphology I cover causative stems, the copula, primary and secondary agreement, tense, aspect, mood, auxiliary constructions and non-finite forms. The term secondary agreement here refers to genitive agreement, dative-subject agreement and patient (and sometimes patient-agent) agreement. The breaking of default agreement rules has a range of pragmatic inferences. I argue that a distinction, based on formal, semantic and statistical grounds, should be made between conjunct verbs, derivational compound verbs and quasi-aspectual compound verbs. Rajbanshi has an open set of adjectives, and it additionally makes use of a restricted set of nouns which can function as adjectives. Various particles, and the emphatic and conjunctive clitics are also considered. The syntactic structures studied include: non-declarative speech acts, phrase-internal and clause-internal constituent order, negation, subordination, coordination and valence adjustment. I explain how the future, present and past tenses in Rajbanshi oral narratives do not seem to maintain a time reference, but rather to indicate a distinction between background and foreground information. I call this tense neutralisation .

Unravelling the distinct strains of Tharu ancestry

The northern region of the Indian subcontinent is a vast landscape interlaced by diverse ecologies, e.g. the Gangetic plain and the Himalayas. A great number of ethnic groups are found there, displayed as a multitude of languages and cultures. The Tharu represent one of the largest and linguistically most diversified such groups, scattered across the Tarai region of Nepal and bordering Indian states. Their origins are uncertain. Hypotheses have been advanced about an Austroasiatic affinity, Tibeto-Burman origins, as well as aboriginal roots in the Tarai. Several Tharu groups speak a variety of Indo-Aryan languages, but have traditionally been described by ethnographers as representing an East Asian phenotype. Their ancestry and intra-population diversity had previously been tested only for haploid (mtDNA and Y-chromosome) markers in a small portion of the population. This study presents the first systematic genetic survey of the Tharu from both Nepal and the Indian states of Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh, using genome-wide SNPs and haploid (mtDNA and Y-chromosome) markers. The results suggest that the 'ethnic' construct of Tharu is likely to have lain in the Tarai region, with a reconstructible radiation to Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh. Despite extensive admixture with other local communities, Tharu sub-populations preserve strong genetic signatures that indicate a common ancestry.

Einführung in das studium der indogermanischen sprachwissenschaft, mit besonderer berücksichtigung der klassischen und germanischen sprachen,

"Bibliographie" p. 1-19.

Beiträge zur kunde der indogermanischen Sprachen.

"Die homerische Odyssee in der ursprüng lichen sprachform wiederhergestellt von August Fick" pub. as a supplement to Beiträge, 1883.

Beiträge zur vergleichenden Sprachforschung auf dem gebiete der Arischen, Celtischen und Slawischen Sprachen.

Mode of access: Internet.

Linguistic survey of India.

"Except in a few trifling instances, each dialect and sub-dialect is represented by a version of the parable of the prodigal son, printed in the vernacular character when such exists, and also in the roman character ... Other specimens of the more important dialects are also given. These are mainly pieces of folklore recorded in the actual words of the persons who narrated them"--Note inserted in vol. V, pt. 1.

Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung.

MLA international bibliography of books and articles on the modern languages and literatures (Complete edition)

Buddhist texts from Japan;

Parts II-III want general t.-p.

Geschichte der indogermanischen Sprachwissenschaft seit ihrer Begründung durch Franz Bopp.

Vol. 2, of the second part have imprint: Berlin, W. de Gruyter.

Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung.

Founded and for many years edited by A. Kuhn.

Discurso pronunciado en la Universidad literaria de Granada en la solemne apertura del curso de 1886 á 1887,

Mode of access: Internet.

The primitive Aryans of America; origin of the Aztecs and kindred tribes, showing their relationship to the Indo-Iranians and the place of the Nauatl or Mexican in the Aryan group of languages,

"Authorities consulted": p. 171-181.

A collection of theses, etc., on philology.

1. Bradke, P. Über die arische Alterthumswissenschaft und die Eigenart unseres Sprachstammes.--2. Wijk, N. Der Nominale Gevetiv Singular Im Indogermanischen.--3. Lommel, H. Studien über Indogermanische Femininbildungen.--4. Ehrlich, H. Zur indogermanischen Sprachgeschichte.--5. Heymann, W. Das L der indogermanischen Sprachen gehört der indogermanischen Grundsprache an.--6. Vesely, A. Wie ist die Schrift entstanden?--7. Michaelis, G. Über die Anordnung der Vokale.--8. Meillet, A. De indo-evropaea radice *Men- "Mente Agitare".--9. Velics, A. Ueber die Einheit Der Sprachen.--10. Egger, J. Studien zur Geschichte des indogermanischen Consonantismus.--11. Torbiörnsson, T. Die vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft.--12. Osthoff, H. Vom Suppletivwesen der indogermanischen Sprachen.--13. Schmidt, J. Die Urheimath Der Indogermanen und das Europäische Zahlsystem.--14. Zürich. Universität. Philosophische facultät. Philologische Abhandlungen Heinrich Schweizer-Sidler gewidmet.

The mythology of the Aryan nations /

First edition, 1870.

The Aryan race; its origins and its achievements.

Mode of access: Internet.