An example search has returned 100 entries
ateucradi se an namilvai
v.n. get off the reef
bookmarkehgin
adj. afar
bookmarkidi
adj. stringy, watery, as taro; also "ede"
bookmarkincai upunupun
n. bramble
bookmarkincauinja
inholai mobo
n. Brown Chub, Grey Sea Chub, Grey Drummer
Example: Photo by John Turnbull, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinhosamu
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarkinhujah
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinma
n. Artocarpus altilis
Example: shoot: Mix heated over fire and taken out during sunset. Healer clenches the package in his fist, then gently punches the patients left, then right knee, then his forehead and finally squeezes over his head, migraine and headache.
bookmarkintal i Santo
n. kind of taro
bookmarkintal milmat
n. kind of taro
bookmarkinteses
n. parasite in tree, flowers orange with reddish base. Growing in secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5000)
Example: This plant is said to have a type of magical use. Young men take one node of the stem of this plant and use it in an unspecified way to attract young women.
bookmarkintesyan numarei
n. Longspine emperor
Example: Photo by Museum of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa, License: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinyade
n. kind of banana
bookmarkkateupen
n. kind of taro
bookmarkkidie ~ kithi
n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3205)
Example: 1. Plant this tree at each of the four corners of a fence to keep your pigs in and protect against a type of bad luck. If a man sleeps with his wife who is having her period, and then the man goes to see the pig, the pig will suffer and not grow strong and not have many piglets. So the presence of this plant controls against bad luck that others can bring to your pig farm. 2. This is an ornamental plant grown around the home. Sticks of this plant are planted around the outside of the garden and grow to create a fence, to protect the crops and keep them healthy, as well as protect the crops from people that are not cleansed in the ritual way. 3. This species is also planted around the house to add color and is very decorative in general. 4. For fertilizer in taro holes for water taro. For baly(?) taro and water taro, lay these flat on the surface of the charcoal, then lay the food – taro, cassava – on this and cover with another layer, add hot stones and cook. 4. Pig food, goat food.
bookmarkkuava atamañ
mure
adj. ripe, as arrowroot; also "murre"
bookmarknabuthwä
naevas
n. sparsely to moderately branched tree, 6-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3220)
Example: 1. Wood is used for carving as it is a nice black wood. 2. Also used for house posts. 3. Use sapwood – cut a piece of wood, long one 1-2 m. Put it in front of the house or take a smaller piece on top of the entrance door – protects against bad spirits.
bookmarknahaijcai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknahojcei
n. low-growing vine, growing next to airstrip just beyond coastal vegetation. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3544)
Example: To trap fish, the vine of this plant is rolled in large quantity and put on the reef in a circle at high tide in order to corral and trap the fish. At low tide the fish are then speared and harvested. Placement of the circle depends on the rocks and the reef. Children fold the large leaves and bite parts of the leaf to make designs as a craft object. This is a "message plant." If a person wants to build a house or garden in a specfic place, put a piece of the vine on a stick near the area to tell others that they should not build a garden or house hear this area--this is a Tabu message. There are a few other unspecified leaves added to the stick, not only this one.
bookmarknakwei
n. large palm, 20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4080)
Example: 1. Children eat the nut of the ripe fruits. 2. The leaf bases can be used, when tied together, two at a time, to create a bowl from which to drink. 3. In the past, the trunks were used to fashion a hunting spear used in tribal warfare. Further context withheld.
bookmarknamop
n. kind of tree
bookmarknamotmot
n. grass; also "namutmut"
bookmarknarayag
n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #20)
Example: 1. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpounatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 2. Plant used to check with fish has ciguatera, in same way as other collection – GMP #4768. Stick white – OK to eat. Stick black or brown – not good.
bookmarknariko
n. lentils
bookmarknataimu
n. Brassy trevally
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmark
natji
nehep
n. tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3590)
Example: 1. Used as a medicine to help stop bleeding. Take the inner bark, mash it, and dip in water. Then apply the poultice to the bleeding wound to help stop the bleeding. This treatment will also promote healing of the wound. When the poultice dries it becomes hard and sticks to the wound. At that point leave it on the wound until the pain goes away and then it can be peeled off of the wound. 2. Wood good for making canoe.
bookmarkneijip
n. a mat of coconut leaf
bookmarknekro
nerumut
n. a hollow place in taro
bookmarknese
n. the takoma or tekma, a tree with white flowers
bookmark
nete
n. kind of tree
bookmarknetumtehi
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknididao
nihkanwai
n. brook
bookmarknijinga
n. shrub to 2 m, flowers blue-purple. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4878)
Example: A stem of this shrub is sharpened and used to dig a hole for planting kava. When a person plants kava in a hole made from this stick, there is the belief that it will make kava root stems strong and large. The fruits are edible when ripe and said to be sweet.
bookmarknimtac
n. kind of tree
bookmarkninja
niperap
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknipjid acen
n. citron; lemon; lime tree
bookmarkniseuc
n. kind of taro
bookmarknisiug
n. a tree, the leaves of which have no center rib
bookmarknitidae
niyeg
n. grass, 2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4071)
Example: 1. Dried leaves are used to make the thatch roofs of traditional houses. The same leaves are woven to make the walls of traditional houses. 2. When a large torch is required, many dried stems are bundled to form a flambeau. 3. The leaves of this plant are used to demarcate tabu areas. Further information about the practice withheld.
bookmarknohap
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknohoanma
n. breadfruit; also "nohwanma"
bookmarknohor
n. kind of taro
bookmark
nomotmot
n. grass
bookmarknopou
n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4881)
Example: The wood of this tree is used to make house-posts, it is strong. The leaves are used as a compost for the taro patch; line the hole with the leaves of this tree, then place soil over that and plant the taro. When the fruits are ripe, local people say that the hermit crabs are "fat" and ready to collect and eat. When a person is in the forest and there is no coconut fruit fiber to start a fire with, use a dry stick, shave it and use a match to start a pile of this tinder to make a good fire. The wood is said to be "oily." This gives it a nice aroma. To perfume coconut oil, drop the dry flowers in it--use 1 handful of dried flowers added to a pot of oil boiling on the fire while making it. Strain out flowers and the oil smells good. Flowers can also be added to the oil once it is bottled to perfume it.
bookmarknuei
n. vine climbing into the canopy on Sarcomelicope, growing in primary rainforest. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3620)
Example: This plant is used for local rope. Coil it in a figure 8, heat on a fire, when it is soft, use it for tying poles on a house. It is very strong when cool and dry.
bookmarknugyaubod
n. kind of tree
bookmark
nuueced
n. a brook that is dry in dry weather
bookmarknälmaha
n. Ficus septica var. cauliflora
bookmarkpuke
adv. seaward
bookmarksuko
adv. downwards or westwards
bookmarktedtedwaleg
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
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
