BY FRITZ NOETLING, M.A., P.H.D. 67 



by two different names, it is more than probable that. Jor- 

 gensen must be wrong if he calls the "waddie" "I'ocah" and 

 the spear "raccali." In fact, if it were not for the testi- 

 mony of Dove, who also uses the word "rugga" to designate 

 a spear, I should feel inclined to think that this word is an 

 error altogether. 



As it is, I do not think that it means a sjDear — all the 

 vocabularies agree as to the chief word for spear as we will 

 presently see — ^it may be possible that it means a special 

 kind of a "waddie. " The evidence of the sjDecimens pre- 

 served in the Tasmanian Museum seems to support such 

 a view, but it is not sufficient to decide on anything defin- 

 ite. On the whole, I am not inclined to think that, though 

 the hunting sticks may have differed m the finish, they 

 were not distinguished by different names. For the pre- 

 sent, I therefore consider the words "rocah — i-unna^ — 

 rugga — raccah" as doubtful (5). 



The lughrana has been designated by the early settlers 

 as "waddie" or "throwing stick." The word waddie or 

 waddy is apparently of Australian origin, and most 

 probably borrowed by the early settlers from the New 

 South Wales Aborigines. I am unable to say anything de- 

 finite as to its origin, except that it is a foreign word which 

 does not convey a better meaning to the general mind than 

 the word lughrana. I therefore prefer to discard it alto- 

 gether. 



(5) Mr. Ritz, with whom I frequently discussed these questions has 

 kindly supplied the following remarks: — 



"According to my classification of th.e Tasmanian speech-sounds, we 

 have in the names given two ideas represented, viz., 'motion' and 'send- 

 ing forth,' or 'motion from.' We have also pena (Koth, p. xxxvi., sub. 

 spear (wood), which contains the idea of 'aiming at' or 'motion towards." 

 Win'i is phonologioally identical with jjena. Simple motion is express- 

 ed by the liquids: r, 1, n, m. 'Motion from' is expressed by gutturals: 

 k, g, ng. 'Motion to' is expressed by labials : p, b, w. We may then 

 classify the names of the spears, etc., as follow: — 



"Simple motion: Lilla, runna, lo-rinna; also, muna Una (lioth., 

 p. Lxvi.. Lix.). 



"Motion from : Lerga, lugh-rana, rocah. 



"Motion to: Penna. 



"As the spear or the simple stick might be denoted by any of the 

 above names, the divergencies in the vocabularies were probably due 

 to the accidental circumstance that in each case the aboriginal gave 

 the word that occuriei to him first. This does not exclude his having 

 the other names in his vocabulary as well as the one given to his 

 questioner on a particular occasion. Therefore, I cannot see the co- 

 gency of 'Jorgen.-en must be wrong' (at foot of p. 4), and must regard 

 the whole argument on this point as doubtful. 



"It is evident that any of the words for 'spear' did duty for the 

 designation of any other things possessing the qualities indicated by 

 the sounds." 



I am unable to say how far Mr. Tlitz's theories are acceptable or 

 not; to me they seem to be interesting enough, but I must decline 

 all responsibility for the views expresed by Mr. Ritz. 



