26 
exception. Some words consist entirely of vowels. Phonetic 
changes have taken place according to law, so that a given 
word in one language may have its form in any other lan- 
guage, if it be found in it, predicated. As a rule the accent 
is on the penultimate syllable; but in a few cases (chiefly 
when the last syllable ends in a diphthong or a long vowel, 
which is really a double vowel) on the ultimate. Very rarely, 
in some languages, the accent may be on the antepenult. 
There is an indefinite as well as a definite, and in some 
languages a plural article. Many words may be used as 
nouns, adjectives, verbs, or adverbs, without any changes of 
form. But some nouns are formed from the verb by taking 
a suffix, and some adjectives are formed from the noun in the 
same way. Gender is only sexual. There is some variety in 
the way of indicating number in the noun. In Samoa many 
nouns have special plural forms. The cases are indicated by 
prepositions. Proper names in the nominative case take a 
prefix, as 0 Tahiti , 0 Samoa , &c. Adjectives follow the 
substantives. The pronouns are numerous. Personal pro- 
nouns are singular, dual, and plural. The form of the plural 
in some languages shows that it was originally a trinal. In 
the«verbs the distinctions of tense, mood, and voice are indi- 
cated by particles prefixed or postfixed. Number and person 
are generally regarded as accidents of the subject, and not of 
the verb. To this, however, the Samoan forms an exception ; 
in this language many of the verbs have a special plural form. 
In all the languages there is a causative which is formed by a 
prefix to the verb. There are also intensive or frequentative, 
and reciprocal forms of the verbs. The intensive is usually a 
reduplication of the active verb ; the reciprocal is usually 
formed by both a prefix and a postfix. Verbal directive par- 
ticles are freely used, to direct towards, away from, or aside. 
In some languages, especially that of Samoa (1 have already 
given examples above), many ceremonious words are used to 
persons of rank. Words which form part of the name of a 
^.chief are often disused during his life; and in some places 
hey are disused after his death. 
These languages are fairly copious, considering that they 
have been isolated and used by a people in small islands ; 
and that until lately they have had no opportunity of gaining 
accretions from the outer world. Of the affinity of the people 
with other races, and the relationship which their languages 
bear to others, I will speak after describing the next people. 
The Sawaiori race is, I think, very pure. In a few places 
it is, doubtless, a little mixed with Papuan blood; but this 
is only to a small extent. The people consider themselves 
