The Identity of the Indus people : Part 5

The Underplaying Language of Indus

The Karen language, along with their origins, has long puzzled linguists and other social scientists. The Karen languages and culture are also considered unusual for not having any Chinese influence.

They are unusual among the Sino-Tibetan languages in having a subject–verb–object word order. The Karen language is a smooth, rolling language, sometimes referred to as the French of Asia. The Sgaw dialect has six different tones.

The Karen language is monosyllabic. A good start that I could get roots of the character where every word has a meaning. There I was struck with many surprises when words sounded so familiar that my great grand ma used and I didn’t understand them. I prepared a list of words. I explored their language to find words that have relation with the topography of India. 

That’s interesting to know that many times a root stand for god and commerce and honor. 

Mehta : Mehta last name found in India which means chief. In Hindi, Gujrati, Rajsthani etc. respectful title is added at the end. Saw, Gaw are also a respectful title for the head. Karen use it before the noun. ‘Thaw Meh Pa’ the mythical founder of the Karen race: Thaw a respectful title address. It is use before name. Meh: old, learned etc., Pa is a father, so thaw meh is Mehta.

Thar : In the Karen language salt is called “ E Tha’. ‘Thaw’ a respectful title address. Thaw is a designation. r means ancient kingdom, many, lots of it, Rukhada tree, Desert teak or Marwar teak. There are salt mines and lakes in Thar and salt was mined from there. 

Maru : Meh means sand. r means lot’s of it. It becomes Maru or Mar Bhumi.

That’s Thar Maru (The Thar Desert)

Turban : Rajasthan: Pag, Pagdi, Safa. Karen: La Pha 

pgha : The Karen use a designation ‘pagha’ to show them a different race from rest of the races in Burma. There must be some one in the antiquity who called them pgha. They are excellent weavers. Men and women both wear turbans. They don’t go out without it.

Sathiya : Seven line of generation of ancestors are called Saw thi in Karen. Swastika is called satihya in Malwa, Rajasthan. The Swastika stands for the continuity of progeny. 

Phul : God of the seasons: Law:god, Phu : flower: that is Phul in Hindi and many languages but to make this word god we now say Phul Dev!

Maya : Ma: make, make it happen. Ya: me, myself, : so Maya and MAyA: I make myself

Narmada: N: a desolate, uninhabitated wilderness; used to denote the separate parts or intervals of things, as the bends of streams, r: many, maw: a place where wild animals assemble.

Meluhha In the Karen Language, we can find real trace of the prehistoric region Meluhha. “The black highland country.”

Meh : great, lu ha: dark color, ha : land: “Melahha: 

(Karen is a tonal language and in Sumerian changes occur like ancient city Helmati was called Elam in Sumerian.) 

*I watched several YouTube videos of Karen, Persian, Panjabi music and dance to compare tone.

for more roots see appendix: table two

[ Photo creadit : Biplov Bhuyan / Indus Images ]