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INDONESIAN LINGUISTICS
of them. It is otherwise with Nias. No one has as yet said anything about the phonetic laws of Nias, and therefore I must be more discursive on that matter.
I. Common IN ĕ becomes o in Nias.* Hence:
Common IN ĕnĕm, “ six ” | : | Nias ono |
Common IN tĕlĕn, “ to swallow ” | : | Nias tolo |
Common IN kĕna, “ hit ” | : | Nias gona. |
II. Common IN final consonant disappears in Nias.† Hence:
Common IN ĕnĕm, “ six ” | : | Nias ono |
Common IN tĕlĕn, “ to swallow ” | : | Nias tolo |
Common IN takut, “ to fear ” | : | Nias taqu. |
III. Common IN initial k appears in Nias as g.‡ Hence:
Common IN kaka, “ elder brother ” | : | Nias gaqa |
Common IN kima, “ shell-fish ” | : | Nias gima |
Common IN kĕna, “ hit ” | : | Nias gona. |
IV. Common IN k in the interior of a word turns into q.§ Hence:
Common IN takut, “ to fear ” | : | Nias taqu |
Common IN buku, “ knot, joint ” | : | Nias buqu |
Common IN kaka, “ elder brother ” | : | Nias gaqa. |
V. Common IN initial p becomes a spirant.‖ Hence:
Common IN pitu, “ seven ” | : | Nias fitu |
Common IN puri, “ behind ” | : | Nias furi |
Common IN panah, “ shooting weapon ” | : | Nias fana. |
VI. In conformity with these phonetic laws the formatives show the following changes:
Common IN -ĕn | : | Nias -o |
Common IN ka- | : | Nias ga- |
Common IN paka- | : | Nias faqa-. |
* [See also Essay IV, § 5, IV.] | † [See Essay IV, § 205.] | |
‡ [But see Essay IV, § 349, II.] | § [See also Essay IV, § 143.] | |
‖ [See also Essay IV, § 112, II.] |