An example search has returned 100 entries
achachadaliek
adj. tempestuous at sea
bookmarkaraparap
n. sunset
bookmarkeloah
v. to blossom, as reeds; also "elwa"
bookmarkfara
n. pineapple
bookmarkianiv
n. yesterday
bookmarkinceimu
n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3464)
Example: This is a sacred plant. The wood is used for rafters in house building. To plant taro, take an 8 cm diameter stick, sharpen it and use to make holes for planting. The stick is as long as needed for a person to stand while making the hole.
bookmarkinceslum
n. vegetables; herbs, as taro, bananas; every vegetable planted for food
bookmarkincet tal
n. a basket of taro
bookmarkincipiñti
incopau
n. a coconut with a sweet husk
bookmark
inhai
n. kind of taro
bookmarkinhundain
inja
n. Moorish idol
Example: Photo by Ian Shaw / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinjañad
inlepei u inpoded atamaiñ
inmauwad itoga
n. a foreign convolvulus
bookmarkinmejei
inmohtan nohos
n. kind of taro
bookmarkintate a nelgo waj
intinan nopoi
n. the wicker-work bed (constellation?)
bookmarkintisian
n. a flower
bookmarkinwowityuwun
murimuri
na elmai
n. cloth (related to nelmai)
bookmarknagagnit
n. Harlequin sweetlips, many-spotted sweetlips
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknahaigjopdak
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknahed u paralecei
naheñ
nairek
nakautefa
n. kind of tree
bookmarknalak mideuc
n. kind of plantain
bookmarknamaj
n. kind of taro
bookmarknamakapasi
nanad
n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3553)
Example: 1. A stimulant plant. If a person is going to their garden early in the morning before the sun come up, break 2 top young leaves and chew and swallow the liquid, spitting out the fiber. This makes the person able to work harder and not feel tired while in the fields. It was noted that "a person can do the work of many people if they chew this." 2. The leaves are used for fertilizer for taro--put a bunch of leaves in a hole were taro is to be planted as a compost/antibiotic. This practice is said to kill all of the bad organisms such as bacttively impact the health of the taro plant. 3. This one collected from coastal area, ?? one collected in forest area. People take 4 leaves, chew leaves, swallow juice, gives energy to work hard the entire day. For fishing, take lots of ripe fruits and put in pocket, you will be able to catch a lot of fish. It brings good fortune when fishing. Roots – take one root, wash where a woman is giving birth to a newborn baby, give a drop of the juice from the root to clear the mucus in the throat.
bookmarknapupwi a darumea
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknatcai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknauaneig
n. a reed
bookmarkneaig aged
n. a spotted coconut
bookmarknecñap̃it cei
nedwodou
n. tree to 6 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4865)
Example: To bring luck when fishing. Take 4 leaves with stems still on them-- first thing in the morning, when it is cool and quiet and there is not much noise, break the left hand side from two leaves and the right hand side from two leaves (total 4 half leaves) and take those pieces and put in the bag containing your fishing gear. The meaning of the local name is that "these leaves will please the Sea God" who will not understand it if a fisherman does not have leaves with them on their trip. There are groups of people who are part of the Sea Gods and you must notify these people before you go out to fish. If you have these leaves in your bag, you are said to get many fish. In the past certain people were responsible for the harvest from the sea; these people used to know this ritual. Not much known at present. Birds eat the fruit of this tree as does the flying fox.
bookmarknefesgamtan
n. Humpnose big-eye bream
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknegna
n. Bluespot mullet
Example: Photo by Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknejeg
n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3514)
Example: 1. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use these for this purpose on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood. 2. People eat fruit, split fruit in half, carefully scrape the inner part into a pot of water, keep over night – next day rinse, fry or cook with coconut milk and can add tinned tuna for example, very hard work.
bookmarknejev
n. Skipjack tuna
Example: Photo by Krw130lm / Fishes of Australia, License: CC BY-A-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknemered
nepnou
neroa
nese
n. herb to 4 m tall, male flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4977)
Example: The fruits are edible and eaten when ripe. To soften beef or octopus, or other meat that is tough, chop green fruit and put in a bowl with meat/fish and then add some water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes or if the food needs to be softer, then leave it in longer. The leaves are used to feed lobsters that are being kept in cages underwater, following their harvest. The leaves are used to cover stones on the earth oven. To treat a person with Ciguatera illness, wash many very gren fruits of papaya, the smallest ones that form at the top, and eat these to help relieve symptoms.
bookmarknetcetas
n. well branched tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4084)
Example: 1. The name means "explosion". Further information about the plant withheld.
bookmarknetvo
n. a species of fruit
bookmarknigya
n. a plant like a banana
bookmarknijeuc nijeuc
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknilbuthou
niri atga
nispeheñ
n. sparsely branched tree, 2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3628)
Example: This plant is used to make a grass skirt for women. There are two different methods decribed. In the first, collect the leaves, tear off 1/2 of the leaf and pleat the halves. Then dry these in the sun by hanging them from the midrib. After they are dry, weave them into a skirt. In the second, take one leaf at a time, tear the leaf down the center and throw away the midrib. The soft part is used in making the skirt by holding a piece of twine between your toes and under your armpit. Weave the length of the twine with the leaf. The let the pieces to dry in the sun for 2-3 days. The skirt can be thrown in the sea before drying to make the skirt white. Bark of inhao is usually used as twine. Retted strips of leaves, later sun dried, can be used to make pillows. When dogs or humans have fish poisoning this plant can help. Take 2 leaves and pound them (use 1 leaf for dogs) and mix with 1/4 cup of water. no further instructions given. (OR - Leaves to cure ciguatera, chew 1 leaf and swallow juice and spit out fiber. Or extract juice into a cup to drink 1x. Give juice + water in cup for dog that is sick.) There is also a belief that you can use the whole stem of this plant as a digging spade to plant sugarcane so the sugarcane is soft and sweet.
bookmarknitatel (a nelco)
nititan cei
nofowai
n. river
bookmarknohmun wai
n. bank (of a river)
bookmarknohos esjig inwai
n. a banana
bookmarknohwan nuputu
n. kind of taro
bookmarknomropom
n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4874)
Example: This plant is an indicator of rich soil, especially up on the hills from the coast. Therefore, this is where people choose to do their gardens. This specimen is in red soil that is not rich so it does not grow tall, but in the mountains it does grow tall and that is where gardens are planted. Wood from the tree is used for carving.
bookmarknucsei
n. kind of taro
bookmarknuhujcei
n. liana, growing at edge of forest. Fruit. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3475)
Example: 1. When the stems of this plant are older, and it is a vine, is used to tie thatch on roof rafters as it bends well. 2. Burned leaves and rubbed on fishing line and spear to increase catch – used with other unspecified leaves, that are forageable. When you are fishing and if you set a basket or mat it means danger and you have to return to shore – the spirit is telling you that it is enough fishing.
bookmarknupsin itai
n. seed
bookmarkuleme
adj. sour, applied to the water in coconuts
bookmarkwud yi encreucaig
v.a. beat so as to shake a tree
bookmarkThere are currently 2431 entries, 1543 audio files, and 860 images.
All content copyright © Aneityum community. (2015)
Talking Dictionary produced by K. David Harrison, Gregory D. S. Anderson and Jeremy Fahringer. Botanical consultants: Michael J. Balick, Gregory M. Plunkett and Sean Thackurdeen. (2015-2018)
Aneityum language contributors include Kirk Keitadi, Tony Keith, Titiya Lalep, David Nasauman, Osiani Nerian, Ruben Nerian, Chris Nevehev, Romario Yaufati and others as credited within the dictionary entries. Based in part on materials from Inglis, John (1882) A Dictionary of the Aneityumese Language: In Two Parts. I. Aneityumese and English. II. English.
The Aneityum-English Talking Dictionary was made possible by award no. 1555675 from National Science Foundation for “Collaborative Research: Plant, Fungal and Linguistic Diversity of Tafea Province, Vanuatu.” This support is gratefully acknowledged.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
All rights reserved. Do not distribute or reproduce without permission.
how to cite:
K. David Harrison. 2015.
Aneityum Talking Dictionary.
Swarthmore College.
http://www.talkingdictionary.org/aneityum
Interface and database design under the direction of Jeremy Fahringer and Swarthmore College ITS.
Supported by
