m Deithor, who were then pursuing their studies in Shillong (1970-71), and Mr. Harbamon Ingti Kathar (then in AIR’s Karbi Section) and Langtuk Teron, both from Tika (1973), guided him to the interior of Hamren, Tika and Deithor areas. The book, which deals in great length on the language’s grammatical aspects, is widely quoted by foreign researchers, but as usual, precious little has been done by both the official or unofficial language administrators in Karbi Anglong to work on Karbi grammar.
Another ‘Karbi Grammar’ by V J Jayepaul of ‘The Central Institute of Indian Languages’ (CILL), published in 1987, too has remained largely ignored and unknown to laymen.
Two decades later, Longkam Teron came up with another ‘Karbi Lamtasam’ in 1998. This Karbi-Assamese ‘Lamtasam’, besides having the same name with that of Prof. Terang’s book, is not a dictionary, but a grammar. To avoid the confusion, the author himself had clarified that the term as approved by the apex Karbi literary organization, ‘Karbi Lammet Amei’, meant ‘grammar’ and not ‘dictionary’. The author, despite being a laymen not trained in linguistics or the art of grammar writing, has indeed contributed to the cause of the language immensely. In 2001, he edited ‘A Modern Tri-Lingual Dictionary’, (Karbi-English-Assamese) published by the DPEP (District Primary Education Programme), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. This ‘dictionary’ contained 5303 words.
Khoyasing Hanse’s ‘Sankur Karbi Lamkuru lapen Lamseng’ came out in 1998 published by the ‘Karbi Cultural Society’ is a lengthy and voluminous grammar compared to its predecessors in the Karbi language. The author seems to have used all his teaching experiences to come up with the book but remains ignored as well.
There are other equally important contributions such as Biren Keleng’s ‘Bhoiyam Karbi Byakoron’, ‘Karbi Alam Charlinang’ (2nd Edition 2004), and Academy Award winner Bidorsing Kro’s dictionary ‘Akemi Karbi Lamthe Amarjong’ (2002). The latest addition to the steadily growing list of Karbi dictionaries is the ‘Karbi Lamarjong’ (2007), inaugurated at Guwahati Press Club on 25th August by ‘Asom Sahitya Sabha’ president Kanaksen Deka in presence of ‘Karbi Lammet Amei’ president Khorsing Teron and his colleagues. The book saw the light of day posthumously for Manik Teron whose efforts were continued to fruition by his associate Rajendra Timung (Tumung). And thanks to the laudatory works by various Karbi writers under the auspices of the ‘Karbi Lammet Amei’, the language can boast considerable growth of written materials representing the life and culture of the tribe. ‘Nepi Alam Ne Chinghon Chenam’ (ne/pi= my/mother, a-lam=language, chinghon=love/respect, chenam=ardenty/surely) — these words sum up the ideology of the ‘Karbi Lammet Amei’ (KLA) and one may hope that the organization takes up the process of digitally storing all the published materials at right earnest before usual unconcern devour them to total oblivion.
The Bible in Karbi, completed in 1954 under the active supervision of WR Hutton, probably remains till date one of the most voluminous works in the language, in terms of the number of words and pages used. Hutton, in his zeal, had not only translated great portion of the gospels himself, he even ensured that the Karbi Bibles reached every doors at affordable price. Thanks to the efforts of the likes of Hutton and his team of translators that had ensured that the Karbi Bible still survive as the ‘living words’ for many Karbi Christians in areas where the language is falling to disuse and death. The Karbi Bible of WR Hutton has already achieved a landmark by completing 50 years and yet, there is no effort to celebrate the occasion.
It is therefore evident that it is not the lack of a ‘grammar’ that has hindered the development of the language, but more of a lack of vision and direction on the part of the leading Karbi organizations and the successive leadership in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). Between 1908 (since the grammatical sketches of Lyall and Stack) till date, near about dozen