Bishnupriya Manipuri Language - Meitei Elements in Bishnupriya Manipuri

Meitei Elements in Bishnupriya Manipuri

Bishnupriya retains the old eighteen sounds of Meitei. Of them, there were three vowels, such as α, i and u, thirteen consonants such as p, t, k, ph, th, kh, cʃ, m, n, ŋ, l, ʃ,h and two semi vowels, such as w and y. In later stage nine more sounds added to Meitei but Bishnupriya is not concerned with them, because the Bishnupriyas left Manipur during 1st part of 19th century. That is why Bishnupriya retains the older sounds of Meitei, whereas in Meitei itself the sound system has under-gone various changes. The most distinctive influence of Maitei language over Bishnupriya manipuri is formation of words starting with vowel soung ঙ 'aung' such as ঙা, ঙৌবা,ঙারল