An example search has returned 100 entries
ahtowan
v. to weed
bookmarkarijai
v.n. to go ashore, to go from sea, to arise or overflow, as sea over land.
bookmarkdaute
n. kind of banana
bookmarkecetaig jai
v. to come out, as banana fruit
bookmarkeloah
v. to blossom, as reeds; also "elwa"
bookmarketi laulau
adv. soon
bookmarkincipinti
n. shrub, 2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3471)
Example: 1. The fruit of this species are poisonous. In ancient times the ancestors used the "fork" (branch growing out of main stem) of this wood to catch lobsters between the two parts of the stem. 2. Fertilizer for taro, in case you are not cleansed, it is ok as this plant as fertilizer will cleanse you.
bookmarkinhachac
inhai
n. kind of taro
bookmarkinhos i mijan
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarkinhujah
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinhuterau
n. a rainbow
bookmarkinjivij
n. Titan triggerfish
Example: Photo by Leonard Low, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinlelitai
n. bush land; uncultivated land
bookmarkinmahim nakowai
n. kind of taro
bookmarkinmerisiahau
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinraurua
n. coconut leaves for a net
bookmarkintal milmat
n. kind of taro
bookmarkintelopse
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkintisiancai
n. blossom (open)
bookmarkintisianmop
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarkintop̃ asiej
n. herb, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3221)
Example: This plant is used as a wild cabbage. The leaves are used to cover fish when baking in an earth oven and then these leaves are eaten. This is another "calendar plant" of Aneityum. When this plant flowers it means that turtles are very fat, so it is the indication that it’s time to go fishing for turtles. Also a "message plant." If a person wishes to break an agreement then the person puts the top leaves of this plant on another individual’s doorstep to indicate that the agreement is broken.
bookmarkinwaj
Reef needlefish, Reef longtoms
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinwouasan
n. liana climbing on Syzygium, growing along ridge in dense rainforest. Latex white (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4079)
bookmarkinyebec
n. Bluespine unicornfish
Example: Photo by Ross D. Robertson / Shorefishes of the Neotropics, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinyirigwai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkjigkom
[ʧiŋkum] n. chewing gum
bookmarkkorari
n. herb growing to 2 m tall, flower white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4974)
Example: Put the leaf in seawater for two months, this will rett t he fibers. Then collect the fibrous strings and dry them in the sun, and use them for weaving. In the past this plant fiber was used to make rope but not at present.
bookmarkkuava atamañ
laulau
adj. long, applied to time
bookmarknabou
n. Yellowmargin triggerfish
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknaheñ
nahtancai
n. shrub; small plant
bookmarknamlau
n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3485)
Example: 1. The larger stems of this plant can be used to build houses, for rafters. 2. It is also a good source of firewood. 3. Ancestors, before go to chief’s canal and want to talk about a complicated issue – a person would cut a branch and bring it to the sea and tap the water surface and would say what he wants, ask that he would want that issue to be solved and that others would follow his ideas and then go back to the meeting place and take stick, keep wind at his back, moving stick in all directions and then he will convince the people of his ideas. This is done by the chief’s spokesman. Helps convince the opposition. Helps keep power in hands of parent(??) chief rather than subchiefs who might have other ideas.
bookmarknanec
n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3633)
Example: To cook Alocasia (wild taro), use the dry wood of this plant as firewood. The leaves of this plant are also used to line the earth oven on top of the food and on bottom of the food to insulate it from the high heat of cooking.
bookmarknanini
narasinipjin necsei nupu afrika
narecheno
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknasjiralcau
nasjiñaho
nathat uwun jap
nattri
n. Canarium vulgare
Example: leaf--cold maceration in coconut milk and seawater, taken internally against diarrhea or ciguatera. Cold maceration of chewed leave, spat into a cup and mixed with coconut water: taken internally against ciguatera
bookmarknaurakiti
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkneau
n. a small water-plant
bookmarknegejwaj
nehtet upaipai
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknerin cat
n. green pandanus leaf
bookmarknete
n. kind of tree
bookmark
nilidie
n. leaves to put food on
bookmarknipji nomu
nipjid aiyu
n. orange
bookmarknipyipei
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknohmunjap
n. beach
bookmark
nohos u nekrei
n. the flying-fox banana
bookmarknopwag
nosocrei
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknuarin
n. plat (a map, drawn to scale, showing divisions in a piece of land)
bookmarknuei
n. vine climbing up a dead tree, growing in dense rainforest. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4056)
Example: 1. The stems are used as a traditional rope to fasten house posts. First a length of stem is coiled in a figure-eight pattern. It is then heated to render it pliable. Once heated, for several minutes, it is immediately used to fasten the posts. When cool, it is set and inflexible. Such a fastener can last 20 years.
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.
bookmarknuputreiki
n. kind of tree
bookmarknuwuneto
nähiväing
n. Macaranga dioca
Example: Inner bark: bathe in cold infusion, wounds. 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 a
bookmarkubos
adv. by land; on land
bookmarkugnyiv
adj. rich; good, as applied to fruits
bookmarkwudwud
n. kind of tree
bookmarkäminäkäi
n. Marattia smithii
Example: Frond: bathe in infusion, neurodermatitis and infantile eczema
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
