An example search has returned 100 entries
ahlaujai
v.n. go up
bookmarkaj
[aj] v. fly
bookmarkehgin
adj. afar
bookmarketti
v. to split leaves
bookmarkincanaij yohon
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkincet edwa
incipinti
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.
bookmarkinewosneiak
n. herb to 1 m, flower bracts yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4921)
Example: Introduced species, used for decoration. Planted near houses and roads. Use the flower for decorating hair.
bookmarkinhoam̃a
n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3441)
Example: Flowers put in hear as an ornament that has power because it is so beautiful. Leaves are burned and added to a bamboo pipe and mix with a foam that forms in fresh water, when people go to a traditional dance, men paint part of their face eyebrows and beard to attract attention, hence the name, pone part of which "am̃a" means "staring", because it will cause people to stare at the one wearing it.
bookmarkinhos i mijan
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarkink
n. vine, growing in disturbed forest. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3470)
Example: A man named Johnnie (Reuben’s grandfather) brought this vine to Aneityum to use it as a rope to tie objects. The ripe fruits are used to paint the face and hands and children make drawings from this dye.
bookmarkinmadidi
n. tree to 7 m, dbh 30 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4870)
Example: This plant is used for spiritual purposes. When fruits are young, the children take the fruit, cut it open and take coconut leaf midribs, impaling the seeds on the midribs and painting themselves with the fruit.
bookmarkinmeraducai
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinmerimri
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinmeripciv
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkintaig apig
n. kind of taro
bookmarkintaji
intate a nelgo waj
intinan
n. a bed, a foundation, a plantation
bookmarkintinan nopoi
n. the wicker-work bed (constellation?)
bookmark
isji ariko
v. to gather beans
bookmarkkalmapig
n. kind of banana
bookmarkkidie ~ kithi
n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3205)
Example: 1. Plant this tree at each of the four corners of a fence to keep your pigs in and protect against a type of bad luck. If a man sleeps with his wife who is having her period, and then the man goes to see the pig, the pig will suffer and not grow strong and not have many piglets. So the presence of this plant controls against bad luck that others can bring to your pig farm. 2. This is an ornamental plant grown around the home. Sticks of this plant are planted around the outside of the garden and grow to create a fence, to protect the crops and keep them healthy, as well as protect the crops from people that are not cleansed in the ritual way. 3. This species is also planted around the house to add color and is very decorative in general. 4. For fertilizer in taro holes for water taro. For baly(?) taro and water taro, lay these flat on the surface of the charcoal, then lay the food – taro, cassava – on this and cover with another layer, add hot stones and cook. 4. Pig food, goat food.
bookmarkmac
n. cup (mug)
bookmarkmak
adj. smooth, applied to sugarcane-leaf thatch
bookmarknagedauyag
n. kind of taro
bookmarknahojcei
n. scrambling vine, growing in coastal strand vegetation. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3436)
bookmarknama u niprij
n. herb, growing along garden area. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3595)
Example: 1. As a medicine for dengue fever, take a handful of stem apices of this plant, boil in 1-2 cups of water and drink this amount 3x daily, cold, until the fever goes away. This treatment is said to give a person strength during the course of the illness. 2. Take top branch – 2 leaves and put under baby’s pillow, baby will fall into a deep sleep.
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.
bookmarknamniañia
napalhat
n. vine, growing on rocks at end of strand near coastal forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3690)
Example: As a medicine to treat toothache, the latex from this vine is put into the tooth as soon as the person feels pain. Use 3x daily until the pain has subsided. The flower is used as a decoration behind the ear. When there are rough seas because someone has trespassed in a tabu area you can take 12 leaves from the napalhat and put them in a pond for about 1 week until they start to stink. Then use we leaves from the naojapdak and drown those leaves in either a fresh water pond or salty water. (No further information given). Can also take an armful of napalhat and place on top of a stone in the tabu area with a smaller stone on top of the napaphat. The stone must be a large permanent stone. Has also heard people say it can be used for toothache if you put the leaf on the tooth.
bookmark
natuu
n. withered banana leaves
bookmarknausakrai
n. thorn
bookmarknausecrai
n. a species of thorn
bookmarknauun
n. a stem
bookmarknegna
n. Bluespot mullet
Example: Photo by Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknehep
n. tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3590)
Example: 1. Used as a medicine to help stop bleeding. Take the inner bark, mash it, and dip in water. Then apply the poultice to the bleeding wound to help stop the bleeding. This treatment will also promote healing of the wound. When the poultice dries it becomes hard and sticks to the wound. At that point leave it on the wound until the pain goes away and then it can be peeled off of the wound. 2. Wood good for making canoe.
bookmarknejomti
nepig upni
neri
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknetehmu
n. kind of banana
bookmarknidman tal
n. a top of taro
bookmarknijinga
n. shrub to 2 m, flowers blue-purple. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4878)
Example: A stem of this shrub is sharpened and used to dig a hole for planting kava. When a person plants kava in a hole made from this stick, there is the belief that it will make kava root stems strong and large. The fruits are edible when ripe and said to be sweet.
bookmarknilupau
n. a species of seaweed
bookmarknipjin
n. branch (tender)
bookmarknipjinamesei
n. Honeycomb grouper
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknisiug
n. a tree, the leaves of which have no center rib
bookmarknithwunitei
tree fern, trunk 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4102)
Example: 1. There are kinds of this plant. This is considered the white one. See GMP # 4100, textit{Cyathea sp}, which is considered the black one.
bookmarknofowai
n. river
bookmarknohoaig wai
n. the duck (constellation), the Southern Cross
bookmarknohos aiyu
n. the sweet banana
bookmarknohos futuna
n. the Futuna banana
bookmarknohwan nefara
n. kind of taro
bookmarknoragidi
numurumu
pahai
adj. inland
bookmarkridiau
n. kind of taro
bookmarktatau
n. Yellowtail barracuda
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarktehtehin
n. an open blossom
bookmarkupasin
n. first shoots of old roots
bookmarkwudwud
n. kind of tree
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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