238 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
The modification of some of these prefixes, 
especially the nominal ones, which frequently 
occur, thus merges this principle of formation 
into that of composition. Hence ideas consider- 
ably modified and extended, are often expressed 
in the united and compact form of a single word. 
Essentially, therefore, the Kaffir language is a 
polysyllabic one, the occurrence of monosyll- 
ables, either in words or roots, being compara- 
tively rare. 
Another most singular and unique idiom, in 
this language is, that the women haye many 
words peculiar to themselves^ arising from a 
national custom among them, called " upuh- 
lonipa." 
This forbids a woman to pronounce any word 
in the expression of her ideas, which may hap- 
pen to contain a sound similar to any in the 
names of their nearest male relatives. This 
usage, as may readily be supposed, occasions a 
very great difficulty in interpretation ; for no 
being the prefix used to denote possession. And this is the character- 
istic peculiarity of the Kaffir and its family of languages, that the 
dependency of words one upon the other, and their inflexions of 
number, case, and tense, are expressed not, as in the European 
languages, by changes of termination, but by means of certain prefixes 
which all depend upon that of the noun, or nominative of the sentence. 
Each noun takes its proper prefix, corresponding to its form and cha- 
racter, according to rule ; and the other words, which depend upon 
it, take their prefixes with reference to that, and so as to produce a 
curious kind of alliteration with it. 
E. Gr. Kose, is Chief, m-Kose ^-Kulu, is great Chief. 
