29 
Closed syllables are by no means rare. Occasionally doubled 
consonants are used, but there is a tendency to introduce a 
slight vowel sound between them. In all of these particulars 
there is an approximation towards the Papuan. Most words 
take the accent on the penult. Iu some languages there 
appears to be no true article. In the Gilbert Islands language 
we find the Sawaiori te used in place of both the definite and 
indefinite article. Gender is sexual only. Number in the 
noun is either gathered from the requirement of the sense, or 
is marked by pronominal words or numerals. Case is known 
by the position of the noun in the sentence, or by prepositions. 
In the lauguage of Ebon — one of the islands in the Mar- 
shall archipelago, nouns have the peculiarity which I mentioned 
as being characteristic of the Papuan languages ; viz., those 
which indicate close relationship — as of a son to his father, 
or of the members of a person's body — take a pronominal 
postfix which gives them the appearance of inflections. I do 
not know of the existence of this peculiarity in any other 
Tarapon language ; but would not make too much of negativo 
evidence. 
Many words may be indiscriminately used as nouns, adjec- 
tives, or verbs, without any change of form. In some 
languages the personal pronouns are singular, dual, and plural. 
In others there are no special dual forms, but the numeral for 
two is used to express the dual. In the Ebon languago there 
are inclusive and exclusive forms of the personal pronouns 
which, as far as I have at present been able to ascertain, do 
not occur in the other Tarapon languages. The verbs usually 
have no inflections to express relations of voice, mood, tense, 
number or person, such distinctions being expressed by parti- 
cles. In the Ebon language, however, the tenses are some- 
times marked — but even in that, the simple form of the verb 
is frequently given. All have verbal directive particles. In 
Ponape — one of the Caroline Islands — many words of ceremony 
are used only to chiefs, exactly as they are used so largely in 
Samoa. The custom of tabooing words which occur in the 
names of chiefs is also found there.* 
I come now to consider the affinities of the Tarapon people 
and also of the Sawaiori race with other portions of the 
human family. 
Both peoples may, I believe, bo traced to the Indian archi- 
* Most of the above particulars respecting these languages, and also those 
respecting the Sawaiori languages, I have taken from my paper already 
mentioned. 
