An example search has returned 100 entries
aiyu
adj. sweet; shady
bookmarkaj
[aj] v. fly
bookmarkalwa
v. to bud; to put forth leaves
bookmarkepigjai iran
n. last quarter of moon
bookmarkimraig
n. tomorrow
bookmarkimtiat
inciñpiñti
indinbev
n. Blue-spotted large-eye bream
Example: Photo by Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinhalav imtinjap
n. wind-related term; no definition provided. Possibly referring to "inhalav" ’child’.
bookmarkinhujah
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinmeranauunse
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinmobolhat
inp̃a
inrosi
n. a clearing of bush or reeds
bookmarkinta eled
intaig cap
n. kind of taro
bookmarkintal has
n. kind of taro
bookmarkintowosjei
inwai
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarklelceije
v.n. to walk abroad
bookmarknafan
n. the name of a species of seaweed
bookmarknafirama
nagdajija
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarknahed u paralecei
nahoai
n. a plant from which twine is made
bookmarknamakapasi
nam̃caca
n. vine climbing in understory, growing in rainforest along river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4057)
Example: 1. This plant is named in relation to a winged fish. The leaves are rough and resemble the body the fish. 2. The leaves of this plant are used to wrap grated taro or manioc. After it is fastened with rope and boiled or baked.
bookmarknapaeicei
napayu
n. kind of tree
bookmarknapun nitai caig
n. the skin or rind of food
bookmarknap̃ojev
natimihas
n. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4095)
Example: 1. The name means "cranky person". If someone fastens this plant around his head as a deocrative lei, it means that this person is not happy. He does not want to talk or communicate with anybody. The use is no longer common, and now many people do not know the signficance.
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necemas moso
n. terrestrial plant on forest floor, growing in disturbed forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3483)
Example: 1. This is a "message plant" that signifies that there has been a death. The person holds it or puts it on their head, goes to another person’s house and hands it to the person they wish to convey the message to, without saying anything and that person knows that someone has died. It can also be handed to that person. The person receiving the message then asks "who" and is told the deceased person’s name. 2. Use it to produce more fog on top of mountain – use w/ another plant, nap̃at (GMP 3268) – put these in a hole on the sacred stone to ferment as it fills with water. After it rots there will be a lot of fog. Name of stone = NAEMOSO. So the fog helps keep the plants moist and growing well.
bookmarknecsap
n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4887)
Example: The stem makes a good digging stick to plant taro. Also branches of this tree are cut to tie the canoe to the outrigger. Used for the small sticks that sit at the base of the larger sticks that hold the outrigger (see photos).
bookmarknecñopod
n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3512)
Example: This plant is used as fertilzer to place on bottom of the taro patch in the same way as GMP #3456 to help "feed the ground" for next year. The leaves are used to wrap food. When a person is chewing kava, pile the chewed kava roots on the young leaves of this species. Also, an unspecified medicinal use.
bookmarknedjap
n. kind of tree
bookmarkneduon
n. low mountain
bookmarknehevaig
n. kind of tree
bookmarknelaijo
n. wind-related term; no definition provided
bookmarknelkasau
n. shrub to 4 m, fruits green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4987)
Example: This leaf is used as the upper layer of leaves on the earth oven. If the leaves of #4986 are in short supply, people cover the first layer of stones in the earth oven with these. The stems of this plant are used as tinder to light fires. The seeds are poisonous.
bookmarknemek
n. yellow leaves for making petticoats
bookmarknerop
n. Black jack
Example: Photo by John Turnbull, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknese
n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white. forest near house. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4871)
Example: A handful of flower buds are collected and put into water with 1-2 pieces of papaya roots. Heat the water and drink it hot for the treatment of hypertension or vein problems, or to promote circulation in overweight people. Do this treatment 1x a month. The white sap is collected and used to soften octopus flesh for eating. Put sap, fruits and chopped leaves in a bowl and add the octopus, allowing it to remain in the bowl for 1 hour--this will soften the flesh of the animal. The sap can be used to wash the skin of tough beef or wild pig--it helps to "burn" off (remove) the skin. When cooking tough meat, take young fruits of this tree and cut them up and put them in the pot with the meat, boil it to soften the meat which can then be cooked.
bookmarkneteukin
n. the name of a poisonous plant
bookmarknetit tidai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkneudan tauoc nohos
n. the center sprout of the banana plant
bookmarkniditau
nijcel
n. tree, 10-12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4061)
Example: 1. When cooking "Naura" (freshwater prawns), the leaves are used to wrap them before they are roasted in a fire. 2. When making lap-lap (a traditional dish made of grated root crops), and the lap-lap leaf is unavailable (Heliconia sp.), use the large leaf of this species to wrap the taro.
bookmarknijeuc nijeuc
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknohos aiyu
n. the sweet banana
bookmark
nuarin eptu
n. meadow
bookmarknugep
[nugep] n. Mackinlay’s cuckoo dove
Example: Photo by David Cook Wildlife Photography / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
bookmarknuhlinevai
n. kind of banana
bookmarknunyepec
n. understory tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4049)
Example: 1. The name means "knife of sandpaper", a type of fish. The leaf base resembles the fin of the fish. 2. In the past, a spear was made from the sapling wood of this plant for tribal warfare. Today, spears are made from this plant for fishing. First, a relatively straight spaling is chosen and then heated over a fire. The pliable portion of wood is straightened and then decorticated. When cool, a portion of wire can be affixed on one end to aid in the spearing of fish.
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näüsärop
n. unidentified species
Example: Fresh leaves: special Kastom ceremony used to treat severe abdominal pain during pregnancy
bookmarkpahai
adj. inland
bookmarkpospos
n. a small red berry used as beads
bookmarkubos
adv. by land; on land
bookmarkuvid
n. three days ago; three days hence
bookmark
There 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.
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