HAMILTON, Robert Clifton.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

An Outline Grammar of the Dafla Language as Spoken by the Tribes Immediately South of the Apa Tanang Country. First edition, inscribed by the author on the inner front cover, "R. L. Turner 1921. From the author." Sir Ralph Lilley Turner was an expert on Indian linguistics and philology who taught at SOAS from 1922 to 1957. Of this study of the Sino-Tibetan Nishi language, only 300 copies were printed.Hamilton (1872-1942) joined the Indian civil service in 1891 and serving in various postings across a four-decade career, including in Assam. As often with linguistic guides produced by colonial officers, it reproduces phrases, dialogues, and short stories gleaned from officialdom's dealings with local communities. A lengthy vocabulary list, including a section of Nishi words without an English equivalent, is found at the end.

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.