[Assam] Place names

[Rajen & Ajanta Barua]

Dear Hazarika:
Thanks for the enlightenment.
I was under the impression that Di is a Bodo word only. Did not know that it is also a Dimasa name.
What may the word Dimasa may mean?
What do you a place name like Ti-ok may mean?
Rajen Barua
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Pracheng Hazarika 
  To: barua25 at hotmail.com 
  Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 9:18 AM
  Subject: Place names


  Mr. Rajen Barua,

  Just a few comments on place names in (mostly) uper Assam.  The river names that start with "Di" as in "Dikhow", Dihing, Dibru, etc. are Dimasa in origin. Di is associated with water in Dimasa, and it is simiral to the Boro word for water.

  On the other hand, "Nam" is a Tai word for water, "Ti" is a Tai word for "place".  So the place names like Namruk is a Tai word which became Namrup.  Ti-hu is a place where there are lots of cows in Tai. Ti=place, hu=cow.  So, Namti is a place associated with water. Why water, I do not know?  In Tai like other Asian languages, in composite words, the classification come first as in Nam-Lao= Lao-paani, Cheng-Dao= star-light. Cheng=light, Dao=star. 

  Best,

  P. Hazarika







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