Languages
pp. 21-22 · Read in the full issue
A Master of Melanesian Languages
THE announcement in the April ‘ P.1.M.” of the death in England, after a paralytic stroke, of Mr. Sid ney Herbert Ray has brought to light interesting details of the career of this former schoolmaster whose study of Melanesian languages won him a fore most place in scientific circles.
Mr. J. H. L. Waterhouse, F.R.G.S., F.R.A.1., who corresponded for some years with Mr. Ray, paid the following tribute to him in a recent issue of the “Rabaul Times”: — The passing of the Grand Old Man of Oceanic linguistics—Sidney H. Ray—will be received with regret the world over.
This wizard of Islands languages could take any one of some 50 Oceanic or In donesian tongues and not only translate their vocabularies, but dissect and explain them word by word. Numerous langu ages of Papua and of New Guinea came under his review; in fact the first link with N.G. was forged some 40 years ago.
In 1898, Cambridge University, ever alert to the value and possibilities of Oceanic research, despatched an expe dition to Borneo, Torres Strait and New Guinea, and in the party was the eager young London schoolmaster who was, in due course, to become the doyen of Ocea nic linguists. He was in Torres Strait again in 1907, with another Cambridge Expedition.
Ray’s achievements have ever carried the hall-mark of a devoted and enthu siastic scientist, and long years have seen
an almost continuous flow of books, mono graphs and reviews from his pen. At the time of his passing, at the age of 80, he had been solely responsible for over 70 publications, apart from another 50 in which he had collaborated. In 1926, his monumental work appeared ‘‘A
Comparative Study of the Melanesian Is land Languages” (600 pages).
He was an active and honoured Fel low of the Royal Anthropological Insti tute for many years, and rendered in valuable service on the Council. A mem ber of the Polynesian Society, he was also associated with various learned so cieties in Europe. The R.A.I. awarded him the Rivers’ Medal and Cambridge bestowed its honoured M.A. honoris Imperial recognition came, too when Mr.
Ray was placed on the Civil List by his late Majesty, King George V.
Monsieur Casimir, who was Acting French Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides prior to the arrival in April of Monsieur Sautot, has gone to France on leave. He has been in the Con dominium Service since 1927.