Page:An introduction to Indonesian linguistics, being four essays.djvu/47

 Rh and finally walha; ulas, “forest”, alah and finally alha, etc. The number of instances recognized by the present writer does not suffice to decide whether these cases of metathesis in Kis- sarese are isolated phenomena, Hke those under I. above, or whether they form a group subject to a phonetic law.

III. The two sounds in roots of two sounds change places. This phenomenon occurs quite regularly in Kupangese, in a consecutive context, apparently when certain conditions are fulfilled. Thus “to go” is, according to these circumstances, sometimes lako and sometimes laok; “to be able”, bole and boel, etc. The etymological forms are lako and bole, as is shown by Old Jav. laku and Mal. boleh. — This kind of metathesis is found in quite isolated instances in various IN languages, e.g. Tontb. pair as compared with Common IN pari, “ray” (a species of fish).

56. The concept of homophony:

In Old Jav. there is a word atĕr, “to accompany”, and another, hantěr, “to follow” ; from these we infer a root těr. Further. Old Jav. has a word kĕtěr, “to tremble”, and also gěntĕr, “to quake”; whence also follows a root těr. Both roots have absolutely the same sound, but their meanings do not admit of any identification whatever. This phenomenon we style homophony of the root.

57. Examples from Karo:

First root liṅ: aliṅ, saliṅ, “to hint at”. Second root liṅ: tungalin, “to fall”, lihlin, “to have a steep descent”. Third root liṅ: baliṅ, “to turn”, “giliṅ”, “to rub in a mortar”. Fourth root liṅ: kelaliṅ, “to float in the air”, paliṅ, “to blow away”. Fifth root liṅ: toliṅ, “to hold aslant”, iliṅ, “to ponr out”.