the Melanesian groups, and some for further illustration from within those limits, enough has been done to carry out this purpose. In this I have been particularly indebted to Mr. Ray for the assistance he has kindly afforded me.[1]
The vocabulary of this Dictionary by no means exhausts the stock of words belonging to the language; there are certainly very many which we have not learnt; and we cannot hope that all we give are correctly interpreted. The language is a living one, and is free to use its own resources of prefixes and suffixes, for enlarging the vocabulary now furnished. Everything presented to the eye, every action, has its proper name in native use appropriated to it; and these words intercourse with Europeans tends rather to diminish than to increase in number.
The examples which are given with some words are almost all written or dictated by natives. A keen interest was taken by those with whom the vocabulary was last revised, and their help has been much missed in the compilation of the Dictionary in England.
No English-Mota Dictionary is given; but an Index is added to facilitate reference to the Mota words. The student of language will probably be content with this, and to those who wish to speak the language it is no gain to have more. The first care of one who desires to use the language should be lest any Mota word should be taken to be the equivalent of the English word which it appears to represent. To avoid 'dog' Mota is the great thing. It is probable that some corruption of a native language is inevitable in Mission work, in which the language must be used before it is known; and no great harm is done. But great mischief is done when a native language is weakened and impoverished for teaching and translating by the use of an incorrect and narrow vocabulary. It is not only that the usefully effective richness of the native vocabulary is lost, but with it is lost, too probably, some of the activity of the native mind, for natives will follow their teachers.
- ↑ Mr. Eay has selected the following words as good examples of the wide extension of a common vocabulary. Aka, asu, av; Gana, gau, gil, gima; Iga, ima; Lan, lano, lava, lisa, lum, lumuta; Manu, mana, maran, mata, matagtag, mate, matur, maur; Nana, namu, nat, naui; Pepe, pul, pun, putoi; Qon; Ronotag, rova; Sus; Tae, tali, tano, tanu, tani, tas, tir, toliu, totou, tou, tul, tun; Ulo, ului, uma, ura, utoi, uwa; Vanua, var, vat, vatiu, vava, vavine, vitu; Wose.
