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INTRODUCTION.

as is the case, in a great degree, with the Greek and Latin words incorporated with our own tongue: but even such Sanscrit words as are thus introduced into Telogoo are not allowed to retain their original forms, they undergo changes, and assume terminations and inflections unknown to the Sanscrit, and, except as foreign quotations, are never admitted into Teloogoo until they appear in the dress peculiar to the language of the land.

This brief notice of the structure of the Teloogoo seemed necessary, in order to explain the principles on which the following chapters are founded: the further consideration of the subject I leave to others, as the prolonged discussion of it is foreign to a work of this nature. I am inclined, however, to believe that the Teloogoo will be found to have its origin in a source different from the Sanscrit, a source common perhaps to the Teloogoo, with the superior dialects of the Tamil and Karnatca. But the introduction of Sanscrit words into this language must have taken place at so remote a period, as to be now almost beyond the reach of inquiry. With the religion of the Bramins, the people of Tilingana could not fail to adopt much of the language of that extraordinary tribe; their constant intercourse with each other for a long series of years has necessarily confirmed this intermixture of language, and it must be admitted that the Teloogoo has been as much improved by adopting an indefinite number of words from the Sanscrit, as our own tongue has been ameliorated by borrowing from the more refined languages of Greece and Rome.


Having concluded the few introductory remarks which I had to offer to the reader in explanation of the plan of my work, I avail myself of this occasion to make my public acknowledgments for the assistance with which I have been favoured in the course of its progress.

To my friend Mr. Stokes of the civil service on this establishment, who did me the favour to peruse the manuscript before it was submitted to the Government, I owe many valuable suggestions; and I am under particular obligations to my colleagues in the Board of Superintendence for a most laborious and