84 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
In Tongan the plural, in the case of things inanimate, is mostly 
denoted by the particle e, combined with a numeral, as, togi e¢ ua, axes two ; 
falle e tolu, houses three, ete., or, when an indefinite number is required, by 
lahi, many or several; as, lahi e vaka, many canoes.+ In animate objects, 
a distinction is made, as to whether they are rational or irrational beings, 
the particle toko being used with a numeral, in the former case; as, for 
instance, tangata te tokotahi, one man only; fafine toko toru, three women ; 
tokotahi e tangata, many men. Two other words (probably old collective 
nouns) sometimes occur, viz., kaw and tunga, as, kau or tunga tangata, & 
body of men; kau tangata tokoterau, a body of men, a hundred. In 
Hawaiian, the Plural is shown by na, pue, mau, with article te, hut, feia 
according to Buschmann, and, in Marquesan, by mau. There are, no doubt, 
many other modifications—as the Rarotongan au and kau both in Tongan 
and Hawaiian (Buschmann), taw in Nukuhivan (Mosblech) ; but these are 
sufficient to show the resemblances between the Dialects in this particular. 
The cases in Polynesian (if, indeed, there be any, which Dr. Maunsell, 
I think rather unnecessarily, calls in question) are clearly indicated by 
prefixing various particles, generally prepositions. Thus the Nominative 
is denoted in Maori, Tongan, Rarotongan by ho, aud, in Tahitian, 
Hawaiian and Nukuhivan, by o. This particle is found before the article 
te,* and the possessive pronouns, as well as before Plural particles, which 
precede the substantive. According to Buschmann, o occurs sometimes in 
Nukuhivan texts to mark the Accusative. The Genitive is, usually, shewn 
by the prefixes of no, na, o and a. Of these, o is the most common; 
while a is used, in a restricted sense, before living things. To and ta, also 
occur, and, in Hawaiian, ko, ka. The same pairs of prepositions serve to 
form the possessive pronouns by union with the personal. M. Buschmann 
remarks that those with a generally indicate a dependent, those with o an 
independent relation, and, further, that the genitival form in a, 0, na, no 
follows the governing word, while ta and to precede it. 
In all the Polynesian languages, when two nouns come together without 
any particle between them, the second is considered to be in the genitive 
case. 
The Dative is very regular. Thus, in Maori, Tongan, Rarotongan, 
and Mangarevan it is shewn by the prefix of Ai; and, in Hawaiian and 
: * The older form of the Island names Otaheite, Owhyhee, illustrate this ; “being 0 
Tahiti, O Hawaii—so, also, the native name of the island Dominiea—Hivaoa—which is 
written by Marchsand, Ohivaroa (O Hivaroa), and by Krusenstern, Ohivaoua (O Hivaoua). 
