Page:An introduction to Indonesian linguistics, being four essays.djvu/363

Rh I. Original IN t in Bimanese:

II. Original IN k in Nias:

350. Regularity in the occurrence of phonetic phenomena is greater in some languages than in others; it is greater, for instance, in Minangkabau than in Bimanese. It is also greater in some sounds than in others: in the nasals very much more than in the liquids, so that Bopp in his "Ueber die Verwandtschaft der malayisch-polynesischen Sprachen mit den indisch-europaischen", p. 66, 1. 15, rightly speaks of a "fluctuation of the liquids".

351. When we observe the phonetic processes of the IN languages we often get the impression that the movement is still going on and tending towards some end, which it has not yet attained. Such a presumable end, for example, is that "in Bugis initial tenues are endeavouring to disappear".

I. Initial k has to a great extent disappeared already, as in uliq, "skin" < Original IN kulit.

II. Initial p has disappeared in two words, viz. uso, heart" < Original IN pusu and uro,  quail" < Original IN puruh

III. Of the disappearance of initial c and t there are no certain instances.