An example search has returned 100 entries
cauwan
n. tendrils; small branches
bookmarkdaute
n. kind of banana
bookmarkepigjai iran
n. last quarter of moon
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.
bookmarkincai er hegaig
n. a tree for food; a fruit tree
bookmarkincetevak
n. Bluelined squirrelfish, Tahitian squirrelfish
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkindroumu
inhamese an neaig
n. an old coconut
bookmarkinhodaig et ecro
n. astronomy word, no def. given--possibly referring to a common shellfish "inhudaig". no def. for "ecro" or any feasible alternate spellings.
bookmarkinjedete anawanarin
inmal ahapol
n. a group of cultivations
bookmarkinmanpas
n. kind of tree
bookmarkinmayinepad
n. Squaretail coralgrouper
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinmereijcil
n. kind of breadfruit
bookmarkinpan
n. kind of banana
bookmark
interi amu
n. kind of taro
bookmarkinyapwit
n. kind of tree
bookmarkkaias elauoh
n. kind of taro
bookmarkkaliteg
kiliek nahpu
n. kind of taro
bookmarkmasoa
n. arrowroot
bookmarkmuri muri
nadine
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmark
nahaijcai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknaheñ
nahoai
n. a plant from which twine is made
bookmarknaipom̃yiv
n. terrestrial plant, 60 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3498)
Example: Children take a shoot of this plant and make a whistle from it. However, when children do this, they are told not to, as it will attract the rains, or a snake, that will hear the noise and come to the person. This is a folk belief. The base of the shoot of this plant is chewed and applied to fresh cuts as a styptic. Pull out top growth of plant that has not flowered and blow on it like a whistle. Ancestors used this as a whistle to attract snakes for edible – not today. Name means “balls or heaps of snakes” refer to their attraction.
bookmarknalmupeñ
namlau
n. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 40 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4857)
Example: The wood of this tree is good for carving. The fibers go in one direction so it is easier to carve, for example, to make a kava bowl. In general, this is the species used to make kava bowls. If your kava is not strong, then making it in this bowl will make it stronger. The kind of bowl made from this tree has a handle on each side of the bowl and it is held with 2 hands. The place name Anumwmamlau is named after this tree. There are said to be two types of this tree--one with all green leaves (this specimen) and one with white and green leaves. If a person is going to a Tabu place and is concerned about spirits, they should take a handful of these leaves and wash the body all over with it--take a swim (bath) with it. Then the person can go to the Tabu place without risk. There are other unspecified spiritual uses of this tree.
bookmarknamrad
namrop̃om
n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3582)
Example: Firewood, timber good for bush houses. Calendar plant – when it is in flower, the old people know it is time to harvest root crops, like yam and other vine crops, in the wild, as yet unspecified. Local names = INYAC, NOMODEJ TAL, NOMODEJ WOU, NOU LELCEI… etc.
bookmarknapannopotan
napojev
n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4889)
Example: The leaves are used to cover meat when baking it in a stone oven (inmawum). This will soften the meat and keep it moist. Used when other species of this genus are not available, for example if you are in the bush.
bookmarknasau
n. a crop; fruit which grows spontaneously
bookmarknatcai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknategpece
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknaupitcat
nauun
n. a stem
bookmarknauyan
n. dawn of day
bookmarknecemas
n. terrestrial plant, growing in dry forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3509)
Example: This is a "message plant" that signifies that there has been a death. The person holds it or puts it on their head, goes to another person’s house and hands it to the person they wish to convey the message to, without saying anything and that person knows that someone has died. It can also be handed to that person. The person receiving the message then asks "who" and is told the deceased person’s name.
bookmarknecna
n. Fringelip mullet
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknejoplec
nelgou waj
nepilvan
n. tender shoots
bookmarknesgin
n. the pith
bookmarknidi yebeg
n. Humpback unicornfish
Example: Photo by Ross D. Robertson / Shorefishes of the Neotropics, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknijom arahed
nimtac
n. kind of tree
bookmarknipjin nalmu
niyeg
n. grass, 2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4071)
Example: 1. Dried leaves are used to make the thatch roofs of traditional houses. The same leaves are woven to make the walls of traditional houses. 2. When a large torch is required, many dried stems are bundled to form a flambeau. 3. The leaves of this plant are used to demarcate tabu areas. Further information about the practice withheld.
bookmarknopou
n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4881)
Example: The wood of this tree is used to make house-posts, it is strong. The leaves are used as a compost for the taro patch; line the hole with the leaves of this tree, then place soil over that and plant the taro. When the fruits are ripe, local people say that the hermit crabs are "fat" and ready to collect and eat. When a person is in the forest and there is no coconut fruit fiber to start a fire with, use a dry stick, shave it and use a match to start a pile of this tinder to make a good fire. The wood is said to be "oily." This gives it a nice aroma. To perfume coconut oil, drop the dry flowers in it--use 1 handful of dried flowers added to a pot of oil boiling on the fire while making it. Strain out flowers and the oil smells good. Flowers can also be added to the oil once it is bottled to perfume it.
bookmarknourasjohou
nugnyin jap
n. the ebbing tide
bookmarknuh
n. a yam
bookmarknumlah
n. kind of tree
bookmarknumu yehec
numuyehec
nupsin
n. seed
bookmarknupyihet
n. new moon
bookmarkrohalrohal
adj. rough, applied to sugarcane-leaf thatch
bookmarksepamki
adv. down here
bookmarkupuhas
v.n. to sprout
bookmarkworago
n. Lined surgeonfish
Example: Photo by Erik Schlogl / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
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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