An example search has returned 100 entries
ae
dawarivi
elgai
v.n. expand as a leaf
bookmarkfara
n. pineapple
bookmarkincei u nasuantan
n. subshrub, 0. 5 to 0. 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3212)
Example: The common name of this plant means "the plant that belongs to Nasuantan" that being the person who introduced it to Aneityum. He was a person taken from the island as a blackbirder and came back with this plant. It is used for medicine. When a person gets a fresh cut, squeeze the juice from the leaf and put the liquid on the cut to help it heal.
bookmarkincepñekrei
incetevak
n. Pink Squirrelfish
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkincipiñti
incowos yag
n. plant used to make ceremonial head wreath and neck garland
bookmarkinhosumeljag ~ nu inhosumeljag
inlepei
n. native petticoat
bookmarkinlop̃ot
inmeri
n. a stringy bark tree
bookmarkinmerinwai
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinmerisiahau
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinmohtan nohos
n. kind of taro
bookmarkintal has
n. kind of taro
bookmarkinweriwei
inyapwit
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinyitupau
n. kind of tree
bookmarkleyei
n. kind of taro
bookmarkmasoa
n. sterile herb, juvenile form (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3438)
Example: This plant is used as a starchy food. To prepare it, grarte it into a dish, wash with water, the starch settles to the bottom, pour off the water, dry the starch in the sun and make it into a powder. The starch can be cooked with coconut milk and eaten.
bookmarkmurimuri
nahca
n. a burden of pandanus leaf
bookmarknahi ateuc
n. a plant with white flowers; a lily
bookmarknakoai
n. species of palm tree
bookmarknalak ahod
n. kind of plantain
bookmarknalak cai
n. kind of plantain
bookmarknameleahpu
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarknam̃caca
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.
bookmarknanad cop̃ou
n. small shrub, 0. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3219)
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 species is collected in the coastal areas, and is different from the one that looks similar to it, that grows in the forested areas. 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.
bookmarknanad op̃a
n. tree, 4-5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3542)
Example: Some people use the dried leaves of this plant when there is no tobacco. Roll the leaves and smoke them. This is a good plant to lay under as a shade along the coast. Good firewood. The leaves are used with other leaves as part of a ceremony to calm the sea.* Burn leaves in a special place and toss ashes in the sea – sea will be calm.* When you are paddling to another island. Carry them with you and toss in sea as you go. Also goes with fasting and cleansing when traveling in this way.
bookmarknarasincai
n. bark
bookmarknarasitai
n. chaff
bookmarknareram
n. kind of banana
bookmark
natec
n. trees; palms; figs
bookmarknatereuc
n. kind of banana
bookmark
nauhoig yi amud
n. break of day
bookmarknauram milmat
n. kind of banana
bookmarknauwainapit
n. lightning
bookmarkneaig
n. the kernel of a coconut; the coconut tree
bookmarknecjopdak
n. scrambling vine, growing in coastal strand vegetation. Flowers yellow. 1. Medicine: Smash leaves 1 handful, into cup and add a small amount of water to treat constipation—1 cup for children; 1.5 XX for adults. 2. Stomachache: same treatment, will clear bowel. 3. For leg sores, collect whole plant, put in water – a pool of water for 1 week, then use to dip sore as on leg into it for 10-15 minutes cure the sore. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3437)
bookmarknecsap
n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3534)
Example: This tree has very hard wood. 1. Use the small stems to plant dry land or swamp taro, sharpening the end and pushing it into the ground to make a hole. 2. It also is useful for fence, posts for houses. 3. Small stems are also used to make a comb for the hair. 4. Plant pole for taro kava. 5. A branch is shaped and used to husk coconut. 6. The wood is hard and in ancient times people would take a forked piece and put string on one side of it, sharpen the other side and use with the string as a fish hook – need to keep rope tight until it is in the canoe. Do not give it slack – strong use AAM 17.
bookmark
neduon
n. a bone, a foot
bookmarknehpan neaig
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknejeg
n. tree, growing in forest at edge of wide tidal stream (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3535)
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.
bookmarknekro
nete
n. kind of tree
bookmarknidei
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknidin
n. sap
bookmarknighincai
n. the stump of a tree
bookmarknijom̃kan
n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3484)
Example: Name means smash tooth. 1. This is part of an unspecified mixture that can be used as a spell to give another person a toothache. 2. Toothache – chew leaves on the sore tooth and leave it there for a while and spit it out – it will break the tooth and you can take it out, leave on 20 minutes.
bookmarknilpodon
n. herb. Growing along village path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #2)
Example: 1. Take handful of young leaves from the middle of the branch and rub until soft. Squeeze the leaves into a cup to get the juice. This will help with a stomache ache for any woman, but especially women who have been fed a potion. 2. To stop baby crying - take 8 fresh leaves and squeeze into warm water. Medicine, wash the plant, take either the leaves or whole plant, 1 handful of leaves, boil in 1 liter water for a few minutes, let it cool, drink 1 cup 1x day for 3 days, flu, headache, stomachache. Considered a weed that likes to grow in cultivated areas.
bookmarknilpudou
n. herb to 50 cm, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4944)
Example: As a tonic medicine, collect a full handful of leaves, boil in one liter of water until fully cooked, then drink 1 cup 3x daily, warm, to treat a person who has worked too much, who is tired, to help their stomach and to help make them strong. For children and adults. Child’s dose is 1/2 cup, 3x daily until the child feels stronger.
bookmarknipjid
n. the orange tree (117); an orange, a lime, a lemon (102)
bookmarknipjinamesei
n. Honeycomb grouper
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkniri atga
nirom̃gei
niseaig
n. kind of tree
bookmarknohlaig
n. a species of seaweed
bookmarknohos kaletonia
n. the New Caledonian banana
bookmarknokoko
n. large well branched tree, 18-20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3216)
Example: 1. The trunk of this plant is used to make canoes. 2. It is also a good timber for the inside part of houses. 3. Mix the sap from the stem with other unspecified leaves and rub them into dreadlocks. 4. To attract shells in the sea, scrape a branch and drop in the sea where shells are attracted to the branches and they can be collected for sale to the Island’s visitors. 5. Seeds are used to make beautiful black necklaces. Said to be a lot of work as it is difficult to remove the seed. Rub with sandpaper or soak in water and then make the hole in the seed. 6. Fruit is a children’s toy – used as a whistle to make a nice sound.
bookmarknononhat
n. Blue-lined large-eye bream
Example: Photo by Jean-Lou Justine / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknowat
n. Convict surgeonfish, convict tang
Example: Photo by Philippe Bourjon / Fishbase, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknugep
[nugep] n. Mackinlay’s cuckoo dove
Example: Photo by David Cook Wildlife Photography / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
bookmarknumujced
n. terrestrial fern, 0. 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3577)
Example: Join two of the inrolled fronds together at the part where the frond is opening (the tip that is curled) such that the leaves are held together by their unfolding growing tips. Place this along the path that is frequented by a wild pig (they travel along paths) and when the pig passes these two leaves, and is chased by a hunter’s dogs, these leaves in this formation are said to sap some of the pig’s energy and thus allow the dogs to catch up with it. This was explained to Tony by another person who mentioned it as a sort of magical power possessed by this type of fern.
bookmarknupsin
n. seed
bookmarknässa
näüsärop
n. unidentified species
Example: Fresh leaves: special Kastom ceremony used to treat severe abdominal pain during pregnancy
bookmarkupjira
n. a kind of tree
bookmarkupumure
v.n. to fall, as unripe fruit
bookmarkwiwi
n. kind of breadfruit
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.
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