OF LANGUAGES. 



53 



absence of any particular dialect which is understood 

 everywhere and by everybody, promotes this singular habit. 

 Even nowadays the different dramatis personce speak in 

 the modern Tamil or Telugu dramas their own vernaculars. 

 Occasionally one can find in South Indian dramas all 

 the Dravidian dialects besides Sanskrit and Hindustani. 

 This peculiar feature in Indian dramas which aims at 

 representing the realities of life reminds one of a Chinese 

 picture, where the objects are painted according to nature 

 without regard to perspective. 



The so-called language of the Kaffir women, which is 

 known as the Uhu Hlonipa 60 has a totally different origin and 

 supplies a special want ; but it is altogether at variance with 

 the above-mentioned expressions used in certain languages 

 by men or women, when speaking to each other. The Uhu 

 Hlonipa arises from the repugnance which Kaffir women have 

 to mention the name of their fathers or fathers-in-law, 

 or any word which resembles such names. In its tendency 

 it reminds one of the custom of Tabu prevalent among the 

 South- Sea islanders, though the anxious avoidance of the 

 names of the king and of, members of the reigning family 

 and of all words resembling them is not confined to one sex, 

 but shared by men and women alike. 61 Such peculiar 



(60) See "A Dictionary of the Kaffir Language," by the Rev. William S. 

 Davis, Part I, page 80. " The Kaffir women have a superstitious fear or shame 

 of being near their father-in-law or any male relation. They, and their chil- 

 dren, avoid mentioning their own father's name. The women also avoid the 

 cattle kraal, and in passing the kraal gate they make a circuit, so as to avoid 

 going too near. They also refuse to pronounce or use words whidh have for 

 their principal syllable any part or syllable of the father's or father-in-law's 

 name, or that of their paramount chief. This custom of Uku Hlonipa is 

 thus always coining new words, such words are known as JJkuteta Jcwabafazi, 

 the language of the women." 



(61) The meaning of the word Tab u is " sacred." It is originally a religious 

 ceremony. The idols, temples, persons, and names of the king, and members 

 of the reigning family, the persons of the priests, canoes belonging to the 

 gods, houses, cloths, and mats of the king and priests, and the heads of men 

 who were the devotees of any particular idol, — were always tabu, or sacred. 

 See : Polynesian Researches by W. Ellis, Vol. IV, page 383. The word 

 tabooed now in common use, is derived from this custom. 



