Quaint Speech Of

Niue

(Niue is an Upheaved Mass of Broken Coral, between the Cook Islands and Samoa )

By W. W. Bolton, M.A.

rE Niuean tongue is peculiar, and differs in many ways from other Polynesian dialects. It stands alone, even as does the isle itself; and, lo acquire it, is not to feel at home when roaming, as the writer has these many years, among other groups or lonely specks in the South Pacific.

In the long hours of study and of acquiring some little fluency in the lan guage, one comes across much that is both interesting and curious. The Niue ans have been hard put to it to express things unknown till white men came, and their word-building is certainly ingenious and to the point.

They had “cups” from time immemo ial; half a coconut shell did the busi ness to perfection and what did they want with a handle! But a “jug” got them. They looked at it with a scruti nising eye and evolved the name “Kapi-