HE WOMBAT. 9 
Proposition I.—The Melanesian languages, and to some extent the 
Polynesian, have forms of the Personal Pronouns which serve t0 
indicate that two, three persons or things are spoken of each 
time; and these binal and ternal pronouns contain the common 
words for ‘two’ and ‘ three.’ 
r ‘two’ and ‘ three’ aré 
As may be expected, these words fo 
hat it is difficult to detect 
often so broken down in the pronouns t 
them ; in other cases they are unmistakably manifest. One of the 
plainest examples is from Fiji, thus :— 
FIJIAN PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 
(NOMINATIVE CASE.) 
Pron.-Singular. Binal. Ternal. Plural. 
Ist, — Koi-au Koi-keda-ru Koi-keda-tou Koi-keda 
2nd. — Ko-iko, Koi-kemu-drau| Koi-kemu-dou | Xoi-kemu-nt 
3rd, — Ko-koya Ko-ira-u Ko-ira-tou Ko-ira 
Now in the Binal of these, Zeda is the pronoun ‘ we,’ and it 
is followed by ru, which is the Fijian numeral rua, * two ?; in the 
third pronoun rua is represented only by uw to avoid the 
cacophony of saying ira-rua ; the second pronoun has drau, which 
is the Fijian word for ‘ double ’ or * twin.’ In the Ternals of these 
three pronouns, fow is the Fijian and Polynesian tolu, ‘ three.’ 
Examples from other parts of Melanesia are :— 
(1) ANIWA, an island of the New Hebrides. 
Pron.-Singular, Binal. Ternal. Plural, 
Ist. — Av-au Keta-ua Ape-kita-tou A-kitea 
gud. — A-koi Ako-rua A-kou-tou A-kou-a 
rd, — A-ia Ki-rua A-kra-tou | A-kre 
(2) MALO, an island of the New Hebrides, 
Pron,-Singular. Binal.! Ternal, Plural. 
Ist. — I-au Hida-ka-rua Hida-ka-tolu Hida 
2nd. — N-iko Kamim-ka-rua | Kamim-ka-tolu] Kamim 
8rd. — N-ia N-ira-ka-rua N-ira-ka-tolu N-ira 
(3) TANNA (Weasisi Station), an island of the New Hebrides. 
Pron,-Singular, Binal, Ternal, P 
Ist. — I-au, iya Ki-lau | Kita-hal Kita al 
gna, — Ik, yik Itu-lau | Itu-ma-hal Itu-ma 
8rd, — In, o‘ni I-lau Tla-hal Tla, ola, yela 
(4) FUTUNA, an island of the New Hebrides. 
Pron.-Singular. . Binal. Ternal 
Ist, -— Av-au A-kita-ua A-kita-tau Nee 
2nd, — A-koi A-ko-rua A-kau-tau A-kaua 
3rd. — Hia A-kira-ua A-kira-tau A-kiria 
