bombast, as in the instance of Pengunchang bumi,
or Shaker of the World, the title of a pangeran of Manna. But a climax is
not always perceptible in the change.

FATHER NAMED FROM HIS CHILD.

The father, in many parts of the country, particularly in Passummah, is
distinguished by the name of his first child, as Pa-Ladin, or Pa-Rindu
(Pa for bapa, signifying the father of), and loses in this acquired his
own proper name. This is a singular custom, and surely less conformable
to the order of nature than that which names the son from the father.
There it is not usual to give them a galar on their marriage, as with the
Rejangs, among whom the filionymic is not so common, though sometimes
adopted, and occasionally joined with the galar; as Radin-pa-Chirano. The
women never change the name given them at the time of their birth; yet
frequently they are called, through courtesy, from their eldest child,
Ma-si-ano, the mother of such a one; but rather as a polite description
than a name. The word or particle Si is prefixed to the birth-names of
persons, which almost ever consist of but a single word, as Si Bintang,
Si Tolong; and we find from Captain Forrest's voyage that in the island
of Mindanao the infant son of the Raja Muda was named Se Mama.

HESITATE TO PRONOUNCE THEIR OWN NAME.

A Sumatran ever scrupulously abstains from pronouncing his own name; not
as I understand from any motive of superstition, but merely as a
punctilio in manners. It occasions him infinite embarrassment when a
stranger, unacquainted with their customs, requires it of him. As soon as
he recovers from his confusion he solicits the interposition of his
neighbour.

ADDRESS IN THE THIRD PERSON.

He is never addressed, except in the case of a superior dictating to his
dependant, in the second person, but always in the third; using his name
or title instead of the pronoun; and when these are unknown a general
title of respect is substituted, and they say, for instance, apa orang
kaya punia suka, what is his honour's pleasure for what is your, or your
honour's pleasure? When criminals or other ignominious persons are spoken
to use is made of the pronoun personal kau (a contraction of angkau)
particularly expressive of contempt. The idea of disrespect annexed to
the use of the second person in discourse, though difficult to be
accounted for, seems pretty general in the world. The Europeans, to avoid
the supposed indecorum, exchange the singular number