8 4 
FASCICULI MALATENSES 
The most elaborate prohibitions, however, are those placed on conversa¬ 
tion. To begin with, topics regarded as unlucky must be avoided. For 
example, when collecting sea snakes from the boats in Patani Roads, I chanced 
on one occasion to ask whether these snakes were deadly. No direct answer 
was given, but one of the fishermen, laying a hand on either cheek, reclined 
his head on one shoulder, saying, * If a man is bitten, it will be in this way 
with him/ For some reason, it is considered most unlucky to talk, even 
indirectly, of a Buddhist monk, though there is no prohibition against speaking 
in direct language of a Mahommedan imam or kalL If any other conver¬ 
sational prohibition is infringed, it is sufficient for the transgressor to throw a 
little of the dirty water that collects in the bottom of the boat over his back, 
with the words, ( Lepas geros! f (May the ill luck be dismissed !) ; but if a 
man mentions a monk, his companions will fall on him and beat him. No 
beast or reptile may be named at sea, and sea spirits must not be mentioned 
as such ; while peculiar terms are used instead of several common verbs and 
substantives. Sea spirits, monks (if it is absolutely necessary to mention 
them), beasts, and reptiles, are all called cbehweh ; but fish and birds—the 
vulture being an exception—are spoken of in ordinary Malay, unless the 
name of a mammal forms part of their popular appellation. The domestic 
fowl and the domestic duck are also exceptions to this rule, but they are 
hardly regarded as birds by the Malays, who consider the pigeon (burong 
merpati) as the only domestic bird worthy of the name. The following 
vocabulary, though probably far from complete, is sufficiently full to illustrate 
the character of this * roundabout ? {balik) or s prohibition 1 language — 
English 
Malay 
Patani Sea Language 
Buffalo 
Kreban {kerbatt) 
Chthweh mu-ah 
Corpse, or dead man 
Ora fig matt 
Chinerang batang (trunk of the 
C hint rang ?) 
Crocodile 
Buaya 
Chekweh gigs jaram (separated, 
lit. * rare/ teeth) 
Duck (domestic) 
Itek 
Topang 
Dog 
Anj'tng 
Chehwth king 
Elephant 
GajaA 
Chthweh utu (elephantiasis) 
Foot (human) 
Kak't 
Chthweh kura (tortoise) 
Fowl (domestic) 
Ayam 
Bibaw 
Gecko (house) 
Chtchak 
Chthweh thak 
Go fast, to make to 
Kasi dras 
Mara-mara 
Horse 
Kuda 
Chthweh dras (fast) 
Monkey {Macacus cynomo/gus, 
or Scmmpishccus obscurus) 
Krd t or lotting 
Chthweh ekor panjang (long tail) 
Mon key {Macacus nemestrtnus) Brok 
Cbehweh kriah 
Monitor Lizard {Varanus') 
Biawak or behwak 
Ckekweh pedan 
