Dictionary of the Lepcha Language (An Old and Rare Book)

Preface In presenting to the public the Lepeha-English dictionary of the late General G. B. Mainwaring, it is incumbent on me to explain the stato of the manuscripts he left behind and the part which the editor has performed in making them ready for the press. Owing to a many years' acquaintance with the language of a rare, that was dying out, the General was imbued with predilection for his study, which plainly appears in his grammar), the only work he could publish. In the preface to this grammar (pg. XXI) ho promised that a Dictionary should follow "should his health and circumstances permit". The lamented General was prevented from ex hausting his material by his decease.

The materials of the Lepcha-English dictionary are laid down in two very voluminous manuscripts, which represent the first draught or archetype of the work. They are written in large octavo in 703 pages of bluish and yellowish paper. They contain a huge collection of Lopcha-glosses which were augmented by revising the first entry again and again The single words were written in the so-called Lepcha character but according to the European alphabet But I must say to my great regret that no notice was at hand concerning the method and the sources from which the collections were derived, it was at first impossible to ascertain where the lost clue was to be taken up again. But in sifting the materials it could be stated, that the author had commenced his work by collecting oral and manuscript information from the natives.

This plainly appears in the following passages. Sub v. bro (supply the question what is in English pum-bróm-la!" Answer: md-zů a čum a-tyak a-tim pum-bróm-lä 1) A Grammar of the Rong (Lepcha) language, as it exists in the Dorjiling and Sikim hills. By Colonel G. B. M. Bengal Staff-Corps, Cale. Baptist Mission Press 1876.

**Contents and Sample Pages**