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JULY, 1894.]
BOOK-NOTICE.
195
of the languages of the Far East adopted by de la interesting and important information regarding Couperie, who has studied them, however, from them, been furnished by Mr. George, Deputy the Chinese point of view."
Commissioner of Bhamo. Mr. Eales rightly states The Karens, who are closely allied to the Tibeto
that there is no evidence of a special connection Burmans, are, as usual, divided into the Sgaw,
between the Karens and Kachins; but it seems Pwo, and Bghai, which are undoubtedly the main probable, nevertheless, that both came from North tribes, though other and smaller ones exist in Tibet, the Burman nation coming from further Karenni. It would, by-the-bye, be better to write south Sgan, Sgaw and Bghai, Bgè or Bwè. The latter Coming to the Mons, or Talaings, we have a is on the analogy of Pwo, which is really written most remarkable increase of 32 per cent. since Pgo. The minute sub-divisions urged by certain the last census, instead of the slight increase or missionaries have been rightly discarded.
even diminution, which might have been expected In the languages classified under the Tibeto- from the present circumstances of this people. Burraan group, "Thet" (as the Burmese pronounce This abnormal percentage is probably correctly
Sak'), has been accidentally included under the accounted for partly by more careful enumeraChin-Lushai sub-division, though Sak is rightly tion, but chiefly by the fact that, since the included under that of tbe Kachin-Nagns.
kingdom of Ava has been finally conquered by Besides classifying the various languages of
the British, the fear of being ground down by
their Burman masters has been for ever dis. Burma, which have been returned in the Census
pelled." This is a significant commentary on Schedules, Mr. Eales has given many interesting
the treatment the Môns received after the first facts concerning each, a large portion of this information being now for the first time 'made
Burmese war, when they had performed the part public. The slight decrease amongst those
of "friendlies," and had suffered the usual fate
of these, when the "scuttle” policy happens to returned as speaking Arakanese, is, it appears, due
be in the ascendant in to the fact that “no return of dialects was en
British councils. In forced," though, nevertheless, "enumerators were
spite, however, of their nominal increase in the not ordered to enter those who returned Arakanese
present census, it seems pretty clear that their as their parent-tongae as speaking Burmese, as this
language is doomed, and that the final supplant. might hurt the susceptibilities of the Arakanese
ing of it by Burmese is only a question of time. needlessly." The anti-Burman feeling, which is
It is interesting to learn that, as stated by thus noted as prevailing amongst the Arakanese,
Mr. Blagden of the Straits Civil Service, the Môn is undoubtedly still strong in some parts of the
kingdom once extended far south of Burma, its Western province, and is due to the memories of
influence being still traceable in some of the the conquest of Arakan over a century ago, which
languages of the Malay peninsular. conquest was carried out in a characteristically A careful classification of the Shan race by Burmese manner.
Dr. Cushing in a note on the Selons or Selungs With regard to the Yaws, a legend of their
(froin which it appears that this most northern descent from a clan (Parawga) of the Palaunge
of the Malay tribes possesses many now Malay is mentioned. It is easy, however, to shew that
words in its vocabulary), close the Chapter on the relationships of tribes of the Tibeto-Burman Languages of Burma, which might truly be called stock, founded merely on resemblances of their
a model one, but for the unfortunate theory names, rest on the flimsiest foundation, the names
concerning the primitive nature of tones. by which they call themselves and those by which As stated above, it would have been better it they are known to the different neighbouring Mr. Bales had contented himself with a clear and tribes varying in the most arbitrary manner. detailed summary of the facts regarding the inter
Under the heading of the Chin-Lushai group relationship of the languages of Burma, so far as is Mr. Eales has been good enough to print a note i at present known; but he has unfortunately gone of mine on the language of the Southern Chins (in beyond this, and attempted a new theory regarding which, however, several errors have occurred in primitive language. It is briefly that the sounds the printing'), whilst a classification of the chief of human speech were originally few and simple. Kachin tribes has, together with much other and thus the differences of shades of meaning had I See" The Kudos of Katha and their Vocabulary,"
The particular word noted by Mr. Eales as not being in which was written in ignorance of what de la Couperio
accordance with the Government system was unfor: had already done in this matter.
tunately incorrectly written. This word, which is now • The Burman words have been transliterated in the pronounced bitpin, should have been transliterated note as they are spelt and not as they are pronounced. "sach-pang."
