Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/417

 Supplementary Notes. TO GCHAPAER TV: Asa result of the conquest of Bengal by the Muhammadans and their settlement in the country, a number of Persian and Arabic words were mixed with the dialect current in Bengal. In the official and business-life this foreign element naturally predominated. Sanskritic words were replaced by those imported by Moslem settlers. As the Hindus sradually lost administrative functions, the language of the court became full of Arabic and Persian words. Articles of luxury and the customs of high life bore foreign names, and the fact of a conquering nation gradually monopolizing all power, together with all the important and profitable activities is evidenced in the indelible marks left on our lan- guage,—this importation of foreign words having commenced so early as 1203 A.D. when the Muham- madans invaded Bangal. It. is a sad history for Hindus. The words inspector), 7'¥4 (minister), ¢44 (soldier) and similar words denoting functionaries high and _ low, which we often meet with in our early litera- ture, were gradually replaced by the words কাজি, কোটাল, উজির, পাইক etc., shewing that the courts of the Hindu Kings were being thrown into } ॥ ঢু ॥ Mixture of Arabic and Persian words in Bengali.
 * 1) aifxsta (Justice of the peace), fastayq (the town-