I lO Proverbs in the Hausa Language It is possible that the terminations lii and slio were originally the same, and that when the Songhai termination Izi or Itoi became common the origin of the lil of doki was forgotten, and it was added to the old plural. (c) Akwia. Hausa. Bolewa. akwia ohsho (pi. oo-wi) How aliicia reached its present form it is impossible to say ; possibly olisho-iceh {iceh or tcey = woman in Songhai) thence oli-hi-weh, and so akwia. The plural is oowa-hi or awahi, the M being retained for the same reason as in doki. 5. Ireegular Plurals. The following are a few examples : — ido idanu mutum mutane mache mata hannu hannua kafo kafoni zanne zanua sa shanii rakumi rakuma shekarra shekarru Of these plurals rakuma may be a reminiscence of the Arabic plural. (^Vide note on Camel and Giraffe.) The anu and ane of ido and mutum may be a survival of a long lost dual form, but are more likely connected with the Kanuri plural termination aanyi, etc.
