A Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India v3.c19.25

v3.c19.25

In classical H. the adverbial element is धर, as इधर “hither,” उधर “thither.” The dialectic forms are very various. Bhojpuri has एम्हर, उम्हर, as also एने, उने, etc.; in eastern Behar one hears एम्हर, हेम्हर, and many others. Kellogg quotes also a curious form from Rîwâ एहै कैत, एहै कयोत, or एहै मुंह. If we take the original of all these forms to be धर, that is a word of many meanings both in Skr. and H.; but I am disposed to connect the series with M. म्होर “face,” G. मोहडुं id., a diminutive from Skr. मुख, so that the older adverbial element would be म्हर्, as in Bhojpuri, whence न्ह, which would, by a natural process, glide into न्हर and धर. For the Rîwâ form I can suggest no origin.