It remains only to add a reference to the curious word mere, which, to quote the words of the Padre, “is constantly heard and is a necessary adjunct in speaking the language colloquially. It may be placed at the beginning of any speech and before any noun or verb in a sentence; it is especially useful in orations, being placed before ideas which are interpolated and which explain or connect the whole account.
“Example: Tsine mere keb e Ronoboi, mere Lian denang!—Now there comes Ronoboi and Lian doesn’t know he’s coming!
“This sentence would be perfectly correct without mere, but strength and eloquence are added by putting it in these two places.”
MEASUREMENTS
Terms used for small measurements:
| Deh | a span of index finger and thumb |
| Bogul | the width of the four fingers together |
| Rif-e-rif | the width of the back of the hand |
| Beridiri | the stretch of the arms, a fathom |
TIME
Terms used in denoting the time of day:
| Kakatabul-ni-kakatabul | dawn |
| Galaial | early morning |
| Kakatabul | about eight o’clock |
| Misi n̄ḡijik | about ten or eleven o’clock |
| Misi | noon |
| Kathik | one o’clock |
| Kapal | about three o’clock |
| Gaunauruk | late afternoon |
| Kainep | night time |
| Lukunalang | midnight |