Kava & kava kava

[Ross Clark (FOA DALSL)]

The same form occurs in Futuna, Uvea (Wallis) and Niue, all near Tonga; in
the Outliers Tikopia, Emae, Imere-Ifira and Futuna-Aniwa; and in northwest
Marquesan, Tuamotuan and Rarotongan in the east. (This is not necessarily a
complete list.)

I don't know of any language where <kava kava> is a synonym for <kava> in
this sense. Where the reduplicated form exists, it is either an adjective
"bitter" or (sometimes with a following modifier)refers to a different plant
with some similarity to Piper methysticum. I had always assumed that the
reduplication was added for exotic effect by the health-food marketers. But
I have a vague recollection of possibly seeing such a form in 19th century
pidgin. It would take a while to confirm this, as my notes are difficult of
access.

Ross Clark

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Rader [mailto:jrader at Merriam-Webster.com]
> Sent: Thursday, 12 September 2002 4:11 a.m.
> To: AUSTRONESIAN LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
> Subject: Kava & kava kava
>
>
> Dear AN-LANGers--
>
> I am aware that <kava> is general Polynesian, with some
> languages dropping the [k]--but aside from Tongan, from which the
> word may first have been recorded in English, in what other
> languages does the specific form <kava> occur?  And what is the
> significance of reduplicated <kava kava>?  Is it possible in some
> languages alongside <kava> and not in others?
>
> Thanks, as usual--
>
>
> Jim Rader
> Etymology Editor
> Merriam-Webster, Inc.
> 47 Federal St., P.O. Box 281
> Springfield MA 01102
> http://www.merriamwebster.com
>