An example search has returned 100 entries
ateucradi se an namilvai
v.n. get off the reef
bookmarkeriseris
v.a. to climb
bookmarketgei
v. to weed
bookmarkethanethan
adj. at a distance; on the other side of the road.
bookmarkeucte
v. to begin to blossom
bookmarkianiv
n. yesterday
bookmarkijumgan nijomcan
n. small tree, 1-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4020)
Example: 1. The name of this plant translates as bad tooth, and relates to its use as a plant used to poison others. If one wants to commit an evil act against another, he or she will rub the leaves together and squeeze them over the targets food. It will make their teeth rotten and fall off quickly. More information witheld.
bookmarkincesmetaig
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarkinhujah
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinhurei
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinja
inmeranauunse
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinmetla
inmohoc onubidou
inpa
n. shrub. Growing in the village. Cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #26)
Example: 1a. To stay healthy while pregnant - grate 1 coconut with nekei leaves, about a handfull (8). And 8 inpa leaves and 8 niditau leaves. Pound all of this together and squeeze juice out and bath in this then jump into a clear river to wash it off. 1b. Handful of leaves mashed with grated coconut and put in a shell, heat stones and put in shell, then take hot liquid to rub on body of woman who have just delivered to make their bodies healthy again, back to normal – when they deliver they are in huts, then wash with this and then come out of the huts and rejoin family. 2. Symbolic plant for peace (name means peace). 3. Message plant – put small tips of leaves in hair or make hat out of it and people know you come in peace. 4. When giving a gift, put this leaf on the gift, as in a basket – people wear them they are happy and peaceful – it is symbolic of Aneityumese people – so even when the people leave the island they will grow this plant. 5. People bathe with this leaf, mixed with grated coconut and cover body and hair to smell good and be strong. 6. Mosquito repellant, build fire, put green leaves on top, smoke and aroma chases mosquito away. 7. Take top of leaf with 3 young leaves and put in hair as there is the belief that this plant symbolizes the trinity. So it protects people. If a person from the island goes elsewhere and is faced with black magic they bathe with a handful of leaves, boil them and bathe with the liquid to remove the spell. 8. Decorate people with this leaf day feasts, weddings, and other events – very sacred.
bookmarkintekes ~ inrowod
intesjao
invid
n. two days ago or two days hence
bookmarkitaho
adj. inland
bookmarkkaradakoal
n. a native pudding made of taro, coconut milk, etc.
bookmarkmanfara
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknadine
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknagig
n. kind of taro
bookmarknaho
n. a plant, the fruit of which is prepared like arrowroot, and used as a food for sick people
bookmarknahoacen
n. vine to 3-4 m, aerial tubers brown (collection: Michael J. Balick #4872)
Example: Normally these fruits are considered poisonous. But, people have learned to peel off the skin of the fruits, put the peeled fruits in a conical basked and place a bamboo tube that is dripping water over it to wash the basket of fruits for 3-5 days. This is said to leach out the poison and the end result is similar in consistency to cheese. Wrap this up with leaves and put it in an earth oven to cook. This plant is eaten as a "starvation food" only, consumed in times of drought and famine.
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.
bookmarknahojcei
nai
n. a plant with red leaves
bookmarknaijema
n. flax
bookmarknakweiwei
n. treelet to 1 m, sterile. In transition zone from pine forest to scrub forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4981)
Example: The wood is used to make a fishing spear. Cut the straight stems, heat it in fire, straighten it as much as needed, cool the stem, peel the bark off of the stem and let it cure for 1 month. In the past, the end of the spear was carved into a sharp point and used for fishing. Now steel rods are placed on the tip to catch the fish. This is used in shallow water (fresh water or sea water) as the wood is heavy and can sink. People making these spears go to older forests that are higher up to collect the wood.
bookmark
nameleahpu
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarknamesei
namohos
n. Green jobfish
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
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.
bookmarknaparap
n. epiphytic fern on main tree trunk, growing in dry forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3504)
Example: This is a medicine to treat fresh cuts. Take the leaf of this species, macerate it and add 1 tablespoon of water and wrap in a Macaranga leaf, and then heat it on a fire. After heating, puncture the side of the Macaranga leaf and drop the hot juice on the fresh cut. This is said to be good before going to see the Dispensary or if you do not have access to a health care professional.
bookmarknapau
n. kind of tree
bookmarknapleañ
narineom
n. hedge
bookmarknauaneig
n. a reed
bookmarknauwatamu
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknauyerop
n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3505)
Example: The young leaves are edible, after boiling for 5 minutes. A piece of coconut and a pinch of salt is wrapped in the leaves and eaten. The mature leaves are used to wrap food such as pig or cow meat and cooked in an earth oven. Tie this bundle with a piece of Pandanus fiber to secure it before putting in the earth oven. Both the green and ripe fruits are edible.
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.
bookmarknecyak
n. herb to 20 cm, flowers blue. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4922)
Example: Roast the tuber of this vine on an open fire for 20-40 minutes, peel off the skin and eat like cassava or taro. Chew it and drink the "juice" while spitting out the fiber. It grows wild, season of harvesting is in May. Very tasty food for people, considered "numba wan" food for this island.
bookmarknegejwaj
negna
n. Bluespot mullet
Example: Photo by Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkneijiv
n. fir; pine
bookmarknelgou waj
nepig u wara
n. wind-related term; no definition provided
bookmarknepiloan
n. tender shoots
bookmark
neroa
nerumut
n. a hollow place in taro
bookmarknetigi
netumtehi
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknigya
n. a plant like a banana
bookmarknijcel
n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3587)
Example: 1. If the preferred banana leaves are not available to wrap food for cooking, then use young leaves of this species and tie taro and fish for cooking. 2. Use leaves to wrap fresh water prawns and fresh water fish and cook them on charcoal. Use as a cup by making funnel out of leaf and drink from it. 3. Used for unspecified ritual activities.
bookmarknijig an nepig
n. midnight; also "nijihgan nepig"
bookmarknirid u numu
n. terrestrial fern on forest floor, growing in disturbed forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3482)
Example: People who go fishing take this plant along with other unspecified leaves, crush them and rub them on the fishing line that the person is using. This is said to attract more fish to the bait. It is also a "message plant" to be put in a person’s hat when they come back from fishing and then people know that they caught fish. Local name means "fish gill." For performing a weather magic ritual to produce fog, this plant is fermented along with another plant (nap̃at) in a hole in a sacred stone (called "Naemoso") at a secret location on Aneityum.
bookmarknisbähäin
n. Dracaena angustifolia
Example: Leaf: cold maceration, emetic, taken internally against ciguatera poison
bookmarknititidei
nohopcop
nohwan nefara
n. kind of taro
bookmarknomotan
n. Spangled emperor
Example: Photo by Richard Ling, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknomotmot ijis
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
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.
bookmarknouras
nupsin
n. seed
bookmarknuputuligighap
n. stem of coconut leaf
bookmarknässa
sepam
adv. down here
bookmarktehtehin
n. an open blossom
bookmarkyecreig
adj. beginning to be ripe, as fruit
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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