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60
BIRMAH.
language. It has no inflexions, and depends almost
entirely on juxta-position for the relative value of its
words. Its pronouns and particles are peculiar, its
idioms few and simple, its metaphors of the most
obvious kind, hut it is copious in terms expressive of
rank and dignity ; and the rank of the speaker is in-
dicated by the peculiar phraseology which he employs.
Repetitions of the same turn and expression are affected,
rather than shunned ; and a sententious brevity and
naked simplicity of phrase are
of which the language admits.
the greatest beauties
Too little is known
of the Indo-Chinese languages to enable us to determine
what resemblances may exist between them, but
hitherto it has been considered as having no decided
affinity to any except
the Arracanese.* From the
large portion of Pali which has become incorporated
with it, so as to affect even its structure, it may be
considered as the link between the polysyllabic^and^ the
monosyllabic languages of India and China, -f-
* Among the various dialects of the Birman empire, Dr. Buchanan
mentions one that is spoken by a small tribe called Yo,
(and by the Arracanese Ro,) who inhabit the eastern side of the
Arracan mountains, governed by chiefs of their own, but tributary
to the Birmans. There are four governments of this nation. This
dialect is, in fact, only a slight variation of the Ruk-hing, which
it approaches much nearer than the Birman. The people of Tenasserim
and Tavoy also speak a peculiar dialect; but, as the majority
of the words in common use among them are to be found in
the Birman writings, they are reckoned to use an obsolete dialect,
rather than a peculiar language. See Asiat. Res., voL v. p. 224 ;
vol. x. p. 236.
t " The greater part of my time, for the last six months," says
Mr. Judson, " has been occupied in studying and transcribing, in
alphabetical arrangement, the Pali Abigdan, or dictionary of the
Pali language, affixing to the Pali words the interpretation in
Birman, and again transferring the Birman words to a dictionary
Birman and English. With the close of the year I have brought
thu tedious work to a close; and J find that the number of Pali