Each form of the noun has, as a rule, its special relation to the verb of the same root: thus from dâc, "strike," are derived _dâcâ_, "weapon" or "hammer;", _dâco_, a "stroke" or "striking" [as given] both masculine; _dâca_, "anvil;" _dâcoo_, "blow" or "beating" [as received]; and _dâke_, "a thing beaten," feminine. The sixth form, _dâky_, masculine, has in this case no proper signification, and not being wanted, is not used. Individual letters or syllables are largely employed in combination to give new and even contradictory meanings to a root. Thus _n_, like the Latin _in_, signifies "penetration," "motion towards," or simply "remaining in a place," or, again, "permanence." _M_, like the Latin _ab_ or _ex_, indicates "motion from." _R_ expresses "uncertainty" or "incompleteness," and is employed to convert a statement into a question, or a relative pronoun into one of inquiry. _G_, like the Greek _a_ or _anti_, generally signifies "opposition" or "negation;" _ca_ is, as aforesaid, intensitive, and is employed, for example, to convert _âfi_, "to breathe," into _câfi_, "to speak." _Cr_ is by itself an interjection of abhorrence or disgust; in composition it indicates detestation or destruction: thus, _crâky_ signifies "hatred;" _crâvi_, "the destruction of life" or "to kill." _L_ for the most part indicates passivity, but with different effect according to its place in the word. Thus _mepi_ signifies "to rule;" _mepil_, "to be ruled;" _melpi_, "to control one's self;" _lempi_, "to obey." The signification of roots themselves is modified by a modification of the principal vowel or consonant, _i.e._, by exchanging the original for one closely related. Thus _avi_, "exist;" _âvi_, "be," in the positive sense of being this or that; _afi_, "live;" _âfi_, "breathe." _Z_ is a diminutive; _zin_, "with," often abbreviated to _zn_, "combination," "union." Thus _znaftau_ means "those who were brought into life together," or "brethren." I may add, before I quit this subject, that the Martial system of arithmetic differs from ours principally in the use of a duodecimal instead of a decimal basis. Figures are written on a surface divided into minute squares, and the value of a figure, whether it signify so many units, dozens, twelve dozens, and so forth, depends upon the square in which it is placed. The central square of a line represents the unit's place, and is marked by a line drawn above it. Thus a figure answering to our I, if placed in the fourth square to the left, represents 1728. In the third place to the right, counting the unit square in both cases, it signifies ¹⁄₁₄₄, and so forth.