The Indo – Aryan languages and dialects constitute a dialect continuum characterised by variable non – discrete boundaries between speech communities. In order to reconstruct linguistic history it is necessary to take stock of this sociolinguistic context and adjust the methods of reconstruction accordingly. This study presents a theoretically robust sociolinguistic framework for historical reconstruction which supplements a traditional comparative reconstruction of phonology and morphology.

The language varieties examined in this book are known by a number of names including ‘Kamta’ ‘Rajbanshi or simply the ‘deshi bhasha’ of north Bengal and west Assam. This study provides evidence for a protolanguage termed ‘proto Kamta’ (c. AD 13 – 16 century) which was the point of common origin for these lects and defines them as a subgroup within Indo – Aryan.

Linguistic abbreviations and conventions used ;Abbreviations for languages locations and social groups ;Chapter 1: Introduction ;Chapter 2: Research design ;Chapter 3: Theory and method of reconstruction ;Chapter 4: Phonological reconstruction ;Chapter 5: Reconstruction of nominal morphology ;Chapter 6: reconstruction of verbal morphology ;Chapter 7: historical sociolinguistic reconstruction ;Chapter 8: Conclusions and implications ;References