Handbook of the Fijian Language
By Rev. William Moore
Contents
Preface
I-The key to the Language
II-The Alphabet
III-The Articles
IV-The Nouns
V-Adjectives
VI-Numerals
VII-Pronouns
VIII-Verbs
IX-Adverbs
X-Prepositions
XI-Conjunction
XII-Interjections
XIII-Useful words to be learnt first
XIV-Useful sentences on landing
XV-Household words, &c.
XVI-Words for garden, plantation, &c.
XVII-Words for boating and canoes
XVIII-Words for part of the human body
XIX-Words for relationship
XX-Words for naturalist and botanist
XXI-Words requiring care with AI
XXII-A short vocabulary
Preface
The first edition of this little book owed its appearance to a request from HBM Consul (Captain HM Jones, VC) that I should prepare a small "Handbook for Immigrants, more simple and less expensive than our present books." In sending out the second edition, I may say that I make no pretensions to originality, except in plan. Although I have made preparations for greatly enlarging and otherwise improving this little "Key," yet, in deference to the opinion of others, it is now reprinted with only some few corrections and additions, to meet a pressing want.
Excerpt from Chapter I
"A cava oqo?" What's this? You have the Key wherewith to open your way into the language in the above sentence, pronounced in English "Ah thava ongo?" If you can procure a native, do so by all means, and, placing the Alphabet before you, ply him with your Key "A cava oqo?" until you get the proper sounds. Be careful of B, C, D, G, Q, and do not proceed until you have mastered your Alphabet. This done, begin at once to note down everything around you. Pointing at a stone, use your Key, "A cave oqo?" The answer will be, "A vatu." "Oqo," this. "Oqori," that (near). "Ko ya," that (distant) Keep...
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