Page:An introduction to Indonesian linguistics, being four essays.djvu/170

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.]