An example search has returned 100 entries
aiyu
adj. sweet; shady
bookmarkapig
adj. black
bookmarkigca pau
phr. on that side
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incacas
n. herb to 0. 75 m tall, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4953)
Example: The young leaves are edible; these should be collected, boiled for ca. 8 minutes and eaten with other foods such as cassava. This is one of the local leaves that is said to taste quite good when cooked and mixed with other foods. Both the ripe (red) and unripe (green) fruits are added to soup and other foods as a spice or eaten fresh. The fruit of this cultivar is very hot. The fruit is also fed to chickens who seem to love to eat it.
bookmarkincat
n. flax
bookmarkincei u nasuantan
n. herb to 1 m, flowers blue. In transitional zone from pine forest to ’primary’ forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4982)
Example: This is used to treat Ciguatera disease when a person eats fish that is contaminated. Squeeze juice from a handful of leaves of this herb into a cup, add a small amount of water, and drink 1 cup once a day for 3 days, or continue until the person feels better. This illness is a problem on Aneityum with the reef fish. It is better to eat fish that are farther out to sea. This treatment is also used for dogs who eat contaminated fish. Make the same preparation and forcibly pour this in their mouth as they will not drink it willingly. Do this treatment once daily until the dog feels better. The dogs get this illness because they are fed the scraps, especially the bones of the fish, and this is thought to be where the disease is found. This is considered to be a dangerous illness and dogs who get it frequently die.
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.
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.
bookmarkingaije
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinhachac
inhaij
n. the candle-nut tree; also "inhaig"
bookmarkinlah
n. light
bookmarkinleuc nipji nakevai
n. a bolt of pandanus leaf
bookmarkinmadidi
n. tree to 5 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4855)
Example: To treat a flu that has resulted in a thick, runny nose, collect sap of this tree, drink 2-3 drops directly (not in water). This is for treating the type of flu that provokes yellow mucus coming out of the nose. Drinking the sap breaks up the stuffy nose. Use once, it tastes very sour. In 3-4 days the mucus will be expelled. Do not use too much! If a person has a new cut, and the bleeding will not stop, place the sap on the cut and the bleeding will stop. If you have a burn that is bleeding, applying the sap will stop the blood and oozing sore. If a person has a sore on their body, cover it with a layer of the sap from this plant. This will ensure that the sore will not get larger from infection, flies, etc. but stay its original size. This plant is also used for unspecified spiritual practices. To determine if a fish you have caught is poisonous, e.g. with ciguatera, take an 8’ piece of small branch from this tree, peel the bark and put it inside the fish before you cook it on the earth oven. If the stick turns black, then you know that the fish is not good to eat--it has a poison so should be thrown away.
bookmarkinmauwad
n. a convolvulus
bookmarkinrigen natmas
n. kind of banana
bookmarkinrowod
n. shrub. Found along village pathways and in gardens. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #15)
Example: 2. To cure headaches casued by bad spirit - Take one top from Nelmaha and one from inrowod (white stripe variety) Combine and chew these then spit them out and apply to the sick persons forehead.
bookmarkintate a nelgo waj
intelecha
n. terrestrial orchid, growing in open area at edge of forest (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3480)
Example: This plant is a "message flower." If a person puts this flower behind their ear or in their hat, and looks at another person, it is an invitation to that person to go with you to the nakamal. Or a man invites a woman to go somewhere with him. Alternatively, you can leave the flower on a table and this is also a message to go with a person. Leaves also used to wrap foods. Decorate yard around the house.
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
bookmarkinyaratmas
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkinyiivac
isji ariko
v. to gather beans
bookmarkkalispeuv
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkkowei
n. herb to 0. 75 m, fruits brown. Growing in cultivated area near village. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5012)
Example: Children use this fruit as a rattle. When parents go to the gardens or fields with their children, they collect the pods for the children to use as a rattle and amuse themselves. Unspecified medicinal use.
bookmarknafakeka
n. coconut spathes
bookmarknagedauyag
n. kind of taro
bookmarknalak cai
n. kind of plantain
bookmarknalak mariaga
n. kind of plantain
bookmarknamotmot
n. grass; also "namutmut"
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nanad itohou
![1. The leaves of this plant are used as a fertilizer when a person plants taro "to help to feed the ground for next year." 2. Sapwood of this tree, and one more [GMP 3591], in old days take from west side and cross mountain to the east, and on red clay mountain, burn it to make spirits to give more sun instead of rain so that gardens will grow well.](/media/aneityum/pix/GMP_3456_MJB_43-scaled.jpg)
n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3456)
Example: 1. The leaves of this plant are used as a fertilizer when a person plants taro "to help to feed the ground for next year." 2. Sapwood of this tree, and one more [GMP 3591], in old days take from west side and cross mountain to the east, and on red clay mountain, burn it to make spirits to give more sun instead of rain so that gardens will grow well.
bookmarknapjis
n. a species of grass
bookmarknapuke
n. a mound or hillock for yams
bookmarknarasincai
n. bark
bookmarknarutu matua
n. wind-related term; no definition provided
bookmarknasiaij
n. a native plant, the leaves of which are used as cabbage
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naupitju
n. treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3622)
Example: People use the leaf of this plant to tie over grated banana, taro or other foods for cooking in an earth oven or boiling in a pot. The root of this species is edible. Cook it for 2-3 nights in an earth oven and then chew and squeeze the juice into your mouth, spitting out the fiber.
bookmarknaurakiti
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkneaig ahi
n. a white coconut
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.
bookmarknecñap̃it cei
nehivaing
nejecjec
n. epiphyte c. 1 m above forest floor, growing in secondary forest above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3650)
Example: The younger,soft leaves are used to wrap local foods, for example bananas. To prepare a type of "local cheese," made from fermented breadfruit and fermented banana, mix a bit of coconut milk and wrap these two fruits in the leaves and cook under ground. Not clear about the way the food is fermented.
bookmarknelas
nepihti
n. kind of tree
bookmarkneroa
n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3513)
Example: 1. The flower is used to make a necklace and the wood used as poles for a house roof. The flower is very fragrant and people put it behind their ear to enjoy the aroma. The leaf is used to bake taro in the earth oven. Use a fire to heat stones, then when the fire burns down and the stones are hot, pile these leaves on top of the hot stones and then place the food being cooked--taro, fish, pig, cassava, banana or other foods--on top of the leaves. Then pile more of these leaves on top of the food and then place additional hot stones on top of that pile of leaves. While the food is cooking--each type of food takes a different amount of time--the leaves give off a very nice smell and help flavor the food. 2. Firewood, flower smells good, put in coconut oil to give it aroma. Grate coconut, add small amount of water, put in bowl, heat until water is evaporated, the oil is on top, take all the coconut cream on bottom save oil in another pot. Drop 2-3 flowers into coconut oil and boil, or more flowers. Try not to burn the oil. Take out flowers and use pure oil. Also used for final covering of large earth oven during feast along with GMP 3503 – esp. wedding feast. Planting pole and hard and heavy wood – sharp end. 3. This is a "calendar plant." When it flowers, people know that the taro is ready to harvest.
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.
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nesgin
n. the pith
bookmarknetemu
neteng
n. Barringtonia asiatica L.
Example: inner bark: ground, added to dug pools in the sea as fish poison
bookmarknevehev
n. current of air
bookmarknigie
n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3537)
Example: This plant is an aphrodisiac. Eat with coconut meat to make the body strong. Take 1/2 handful of leaves and mix with coconut leaves, use as needed. Mostly men eat this combination. It is best to eat with dry coconut that has no water in it. Eat it any time you wish.
bookmarknihivaeñ p̃ap̃
n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3517)
Example: 1. The leaves of the young plant are used to wrap food for cooking on a fire. 2. The wood is used for temporary houses, for making rafters that are said to last a long time. 3. The wood is strong and used to carve paddles for the canoe. 4. It is also grown and used for firewood. 5. Firewood, (6) use as local plate. 7. On west side of island, take old coconut, fill with water, put lead into hole on end, take out and give to baby to drink and it will help the baby talk.
bookmarknijma
n. fallen tree, growing in canopy gap in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3465)
Example: When the flowers of this plant are green, it is an indication that the cool season is approaching; when the flowers are brown, the dry season is coming. The wood is used to make rafters for the roof of houses, on which to tie thatch.
bookmarknijomkan
n. shrub to 1 m, dby 2 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4999)
Example: It is said that if you chew these leaves or boil them in water and drink the tea from these leaves it will spoil your teeth. There is assumed to be something bad for the teeth in this plant. Local name "Nijom" =tooth and "Kan" = break.
bookmarknikam
![1a. This plant is a "message plant." If a person goes to another village with a leaf of this species in their hand, then people know that someone is coming, and this is reflected in the local name. 1b. Message plant – if you pop by someone’s house and drop leaves there, people know someone has visited them. You can ask neighbors who came by. 2. The fruit is a source of a nut that children love to eat raw. 3. It is known in Bislama as "false mango" [kiyaman mango].](/media/aneityum/pix/GMP_3481_MJB_97-scaled.jpg)
n. tree, 8-10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3481)
Example: 1a. This plant is a "message plant." If a person goes to another village with a leaf of this species in their hand, then people know that someone is coming, and this is reflected in the local name. 1b. Message plant – if you pop by someone’s house and drop leaves there, people know someone has visited them. You can ask neighbors who came by. 2. The fruit is a source of a nut that children love to eat raw. 3. It is known in Bislama as "false mango" [kiyaman mango].
bookmarknilidie
n. leaves to put food on
bookmarknillum
n. moss
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.
bookmarknipciv
n. the shark (constellation?)
bookmarknipʧin niri
niri atga
nitit a nelgo waj
nobom
n. Bigeye scad
Example: Photo by J.E. Randall / Fishbase, License: CC BY-A-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknohwan ajimta
n. kind of taro
bookmarknoporo pora
nuhlinevai
n. kind of banana
bookmarknumnyac
n. a kind of bulbous root
bookmarknusjai um legad
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknwujvaeñ
n. vine climbing up ficus wassa, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4016)
Example: 1. The vine is use to lash roof rafters to house posts. The vine is collected from the forest and coiled ina figure 8 pattern. It is then heated over a fire before fastening the rafter to the post. 1 minute of heat is sufficient, before one immediately uses the vine.
bookmarknäthoiatmas
nätiädäl
n. alstonia vitiensis var. neo ebudica
Example: young leaf--cold maceration used as contraceptive in mixture with Apulda mutica, Cyclosorus truncatus, and Dioscorea bulbifera or alone.
bookmarkrap̃ad
[rak͡pad] n. black hawk
bookmarktatau
n. Pickhandle barracuda
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
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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