Early Assamese or Proto-Eastern Kamarupa is an ancestor of the modern Assamese language. It is found in the literature from the 14th century to the end of the 16th century"The history of Assamese language, as preserved in literature, may be conveniently divided into three periods:- (1) Early Assamese: from the fourteenth to the end of the sixteenth century." in the Kamata, Kachari kingdoms as well as the rest of the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam.
Literature The early Assamese literary period can be split into: a) the Pre-Vaishnavite period and b) the Vaishnavite sub-periods. The Pre-Vaishnavite period covers the period before the advent of Sankardeva, and the Vaishnavite period was initiated by his literary activities. The earliest Assamese writers, viz. Hema Saraswati and Harivara Vipra, who composed Prahlada Charitra and Babruvahana parva, respectively, wrote under the patronage of King Durlabhanarayana of Kamata-mandala, who ruled sometime between the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The next two important poets of the same period are Rudra Kandali and Kaviratna Saraswati, who composed Drona parva and Jayadratha vadha. But the towering poet of this period is Madhava Kandali, who is respectfully referred to by Sankardeva as his predecessor. Madhava Kandali flourished towards the end of the 14th century and translated the entire Ramayana under the patronage of Mahamanikya, the then Kachari king of Varāha lineage whose territory covered parts of Central Assam.
Writing system
Early Assamese was written in the Eastern Nagari script.
Morphology and Grammar
Pronouns Person Singular nominative Singular oblique Plural nominative Plural oblique 1stmai, maĩ, āmimo-, moho-āmi, āmarāāmā-, āmhā-, āmāsā- 2nd informal tai, taĩ to-, toho- torā torā- 2nd familiar tumi tomā-, tomhātomarā tomāsā- 3rd inf., prox., m. i, ito ihā-, ā- ārā ārā-, esambā- 3rd inf. dist. f. ei ei- ārā ārā-, esambā- 3rd hon., prox. ehe, eho ehante, ehanto esambā- 3rd inf., dist., m. si, sito tā-, tāhā- tārā tārā-, tāsambā- 3rd inf. dist. f. tāi tāi- 3rd hon. dist. tehõ, tehẽ, tehã tehante, tehento, tesambe tāsambā-
Notes
References