| Research Abstract |
The aim of this study is to prepare basic data for comparative study of the Burmese and Maru-Lashi-Atsi languages. Linguistic data, collected by the present investigator himself and published by other Japanese and foreign scholars, were classified according to a linguistic questionaire and fed to a computer partially incompleted). The languages, including dialects, dealt in this work are as follows: Burmese ( Rangoon-Mandalay, Arakanese, Tavoyan, Merguiese, Intha, Danu, Taung'yo, Yaw dialects); Maru, Lashi, Atsi, Pala; Achang; Hpon; Marma.
The semantic domain of Burmese words used as media in the field-works was re-examined. It has become clear that there may be a slight gap in the meaning between some words of Burmese and the language concerned. Consequently some parts of lexical system of each language could be well- described.
Some parts of description in the lexical and grammatical system of the language could be revised by using materials published both in Japan and abroad in case that the description might be uncertain because of the shortage of my own materials.
Mon loanwords in Burmese were re-examined. Those words found in other Burmish languages could be judged to be not cognate but borrowed.
The proto-Burmish can be reconstructed successfully in phonological level. Morphologically if cognate forms are not found among Burmish languages, they can be traced, more or less, among Loloish languages. This linguistic data will be published in future.
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