Question to Polynesian expert

[Ross Clark]

> Date sent:      Wed, 20 Jan 1999 13:26:53 -0500 (EST)
> From:           Roderick G Orlina <rorlina at ic.sunysb.edu>
> To:             Ross Clark <DRC at antnov1.auckland.ac.nz>
> Copies to:      AUSTRONESIAN LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS <AN-LANG at anu.edu.au>
> Subject:        Re: Question to Polynesian expert

> Well, did he have any Malay shiphands on board the ship?
>
> Rod Orlina

I don't believe so, but it would be easy enough to check, if one
thought there was any point. The Cook voyages are extremely well
documented.

I'm puzzled at this reluctance to accept a quite straightforward
etymology. The word does not appear in English before Cook's
narrative; Cook is quite clear that he is introducing a native
Polynesian word for this novel practice; and the word thereupon
becomes established in English (the OED has at least four citations
from other writers before 1800). Where's the problem?

Ross Clark