DATA AND NOTES. 349 



not appear independently, but only in composition with another element, 

 ba-pa-pwa: Wango, barisu; Fagani, barusu; Ulawa, Bululaha, palusu; Saa, 

 pwalusu. The value of this prefatory member is at present unknown. As 

 regards the lisu-lusu member of the composite we are by no means certain. 

 We may choose to regard it as a mutant form of ngusu, but it should be 

 noted that neither in Polynesia nor in Melanesia have we confirmatory 

 evidence of ng-l mutation. 



We have already seen the interchangeability of isu and usu. The Mela- 

 nesian material shows also the interchangeability of ngisu and ngusu, Usu 

 and lusu. As to the former of these pairs Efate shows that usu and ngusu 

 are not only broadly interchangeable, but that they may exist as alternates 

 in the same language. Now ngusu of Efate is clearly Polynesian ngutu. 

 Accordingly we are now to pass the homogenetics of that stem under review, 

 not stopping to distinguish in sense between mouth, snout, lips, beak, bill, 

 all of which are found : 



Samoa, Tonga, Futuna,Uvea, Niue, Fakaafo, Moiki, Maori, Rarotonga, 

 Mangareva,Rapanui,Paumotu: ngutu. Hawaii :nuku. Tahiti: 

 utu. Fotuna : rangutu. Marquesas : kiikutu, kiinutu. Aniwa : 

 tangutu. Nuguria: launutu, launuhi. 



Viti: ngusu. Rotuma: nuchu. 



Mota Maligo : ngusiu. MotaVeverau, Merlav: ngusui. Gog: ngus, 

 ngusun. New Georgia : ngusu. Baki : sunu. Guadalcanar : 

 ngisu. Pokau: nutu. Motu: udu. 



Saparua: nuku. 



In this latter collation it will be seen that the Polynesian is altogether of 

 the ngutu type, the Melanesian of the ngusu type, except that Motu with 

 the very same which reappears in Tahiti serves as the transition phase. 



We may lay out this material in a degenerative series, ngutu-ngusu-usu- 

 isu. Yet it seems to me far more consonant with that we now know of the 

 spirit of Polynesian to present them in the other as monuments of progress 

 from a broadly diffuse primitive su root in the direction of higher speciali- 

 zation in use by modulant coefficients, u, i, ngu, ngi and li. In that view 

 of the case we need recognize no difficulty in the fact that Usu does not 

 readily derive from ngisu, lusu from ngusu; they do not have to, they stand 

 on their same plane of specialized evolution and they stand independent. 



And with this primal root su the Semitic presents not the slightest 

 resemblance. 



299. 



ngum i, urn i, ngu i, ngw i, mw i, to seize, to grasp, to catch, to hold (with 

 or in the hand). 

 Tonga : kuku, to clench the fist, to hold fast in the hand ; kukukuku, 

 to hold and carry in the hand. Futuna: kukumi, kuku, to 

 clasp in the hand. Niue: kuku, to hold fast, to grasp. Uvea: 

 kumi, to grasp after; kukumi, to throttle; nima kuku, the fist. 

 Mangareva: kukumu, to close the fist. Samoa: 'u'u, to take 

 hold of, to grasp, to clutch. Fotuna: no-kumia, to grasp. 

 Viti: kukuva, to hold a thing fast; nggunggu, clinched; nggumi, to 

 clench; nggunggutha, to hold in the hand. 



