A Dictionary Of The Classical Newari

Classical Newari language is the modern language mainly known from the works of Hodgson, and of which traces are to be found in the Manuscript. The main characteristics of it are considerable phonetic changes in the final consonants. The author has taken all pure Newari and all loanwords from IndoAryan languages, the meaning of which he has been able to ascertain with a satisfactory degree of certainty. He has endeavored to explain all loanwords, as far as possible, but has abstained from too hazardous guessing. With our present knowledge it seems impossible to find the exact sources of the loanwords from IndoAryan languages. At the outset it would appear most likely that a good deal of them have sprung from that form of OldMaithili which before the conquest was used in Nepal, but unfortunately this language is unknown. From Parbatiya we cannot expect to find loanwords till after the conquest, and as most of the works found in the manuscript, at all events as regards their origin, date from earlier times, the amount of loanwords from this source is, after all, perhaps not so very great.