332 W. G. Ivens : Suffi.xes in Oceanic Languages. 



in "Common Origin of the Oceanic Languages," "The identity 

 of passive and transitive is strengthened by the fact that the Poly- 

 nesian passive i§ used when the action is emphatic rather than the 

 agent, and hence is more frequently used in the case of transitive 

 A'erbs than the active form." This laying stress upon the action 

 is seen in the Samoan Passive Suffix n'hia which is said to denote 

 intensity of action; tuli to drive, tidiaina to drive on; telea'i to 

 run quickl3^ telea'ina to hurry on. The same thing appears in 

 the Gilbert Islands where the Passive Sufhx kina denotes " a fre- 

 quentative use"; matai to look at covetously, mafalakitia to look 

 at with longing for; mutiahina to regard. 



It having been shown that Verbal Suffixes occur in Polynesian 

 languages there is ,no difficulty in drawing the conclusion that since 

 the Verbal Suffix definitely strengthens the action of the Verb (and 

 having regard to the nature of the Passive as explained above by 

 Mr. Ray), the /(/, mi, etc., and the /, r/, v/7^/, «'/, of the Passive 

 endings are identical with the Verbal Suffixes, and that the n, 

 na, of the endings conveys the passive, i.e., tlie adjectival, or par- 

 ticipial, force. 



No rule can be given as to whether the Suffixes with /; are to be 

 used for the formation of the Passive in any particular case, or 

 those without n. 



TJie Passive in Fijian. 



Dr. Hazelwood says that the Passive in Fijian is formed by re- 

 placing the final a of the Verbal Suffix by /, or by adding i to the 

 verb when no Ver1)al Suffix is ordinai'ily used, Init tliis statement 

 is questioned by Dr. Codrington in " Mel. Lang.," p. 191, on the 

 authority of Dr. Fison, who says tliat " no Fijian would use Hazel- 

 wood's example." If Dr. Hazelwood's examples of words used 

 showing a passive meaning, are coi-rcct. tlicn tliev would seem to 

 fall into line witli such words in Maori as hokai spread out; punui 

 close together; irhai settled. These liave been shown above (see 

 Verbal Suffixes in Maoi'i) to l)e Participles formed l)y the addition 

 of Verbal Suffixes. 



