366 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 40 



This method of reduplication ma}^ be considered as duj)lication modi- 

 fied by phonetic laws. Monosyllabic words terminating with a con- 

 sonantic cluster retain onl}^ the first sound of the cluster, thus avoiding 

 a great accumulation of consonants in the middle of the word. The 

 same causes probably affect polys3dlabi(5 words in such manner that 

 the whole end of the word is dropped. This seems the more likely, 

 as the repeated syllable has its vowel weakened. This process would 

 easily reduce the terminal parts of polysyllabic words, when repeated, 

 to consonantic clusters. 



The weakened vowels have a tendency to change to e or t. The 

 great variability of the vowels makes it difficult to establish a general 

 rule. 



(«) Monosyllabic words, beginning and terminating either with a 

 vowel or with a single consonant: 



