36 SISSANO. 
connection with the asu stem; mutation of s to its sonant z and to 
the mutes of the same series is familiar in the collation of the languages 
of this general region; we are not to suppose a mutation of palatals 
to labial nasal m, but rather to look upon that as a distinct consonantal 
modulant applied to the common stem. 
In the next chapter we shall recur to the distribution of these three 
stems and shall attempt to trace their broader geographical distribu- 
tion. At this point we draw attention to the fact that both ai and au 
pass through Melanesia and along the track of later and eastward 
migration; ai just impinges upon Nuclear Polynesia in Viti and Rotuma 
after showing a wide use in Melanesia; au with much less frequency 
in the western islands has overrun the whole of Polynesia, and is 
found equally in communities of the Tongafiti and the Proto-Samoan 
migration from Samoa forward. 
3. aieripin wooden shield. 
Since Neuhauss uses the form aie for wood instead of ai it seems 
reasonable to regard this as a composite of aie and ripin and to regard 
the latter as a vocable of undetermined sense (83). ‘This word-list 
is SO exiguous, there is so complete an absence of phrases whereby 
we might uncover the usage, that we are by no means equipped to 
explain the second member of this composite. ‘The only assistance 
which we find is in items 56, 88, 102, and 119 of the word-list in the 
preceding chapter. In 56 we find two words set together; man bal, 
of which the former is unmistakably identified as a common word for 
animal and perticulerly bird, seems to be a case of apposition of a 
general noun with its particular appellative in which may, and presum- 
ably does, inhere a descriptive value; man dopin, however, appears 
to our comprehension as a genitive or adjectival use of man with dopiéin 
as the principal noun, therefore the modifier preceding the theme. 
In 88 we find no assistance on this point, for sel and kabon are equiva- 
lent structural parts of the sago-pounder as being the stone and its 
wooden helve. The arrow designations (102) suggest that the principal 
noun comes in the former position and the modifier follows; this order 
appears also in the analysis of the instances in 119. ‘Therefore we 
may interpret aieripin in the sense that ripin has adjective value 
limiting or describing aie. There remaims the possibility that n is the 
sign of third personal possession and that ripi is the second stem. 
4. ain to eat. 
REFERENCES: Melanesische Wanderstrasse, 53:41. Deutsch-Neuguinea, 188, 199. 
Turner, 370. Ray, 487:41. Subanu, 124. Polynesian Wanderings, 191. 
POLYNESIAN. 
kai Marquesas, Rarotonga, Manahiki, | ai Hawaii, Tahiti, Marquesas. 
Niué, Fakaofo, ‘Tonga, Maori, | ‘ai Samoa. 
Paumotu, Rapanui, Mangareva, | kana Viti. 
Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi, Futuna, | kani Viti. 
Uvea, Nuguria, Fotuna. ate Rotuma. 
