An example search has returned 100 entries
ategnaijaig pok nelcau
v.n. sail from shore
bookmarkelwa
v. to blossom or bring forth flowers; "alwa", to bud or bring forth leaves. "Et elwa nieg": the reeds blossom. "Et elwa intisiaicai": the flowers are come out.
bookmarkereuc
v. to shake a branch; to make fruit fall. pl: "ereucereuc"
bookmarketuko, cai
v. to split wood
bookmarkigcahi
n. landward
bookmark
incetevak
n. Pink Squirrelfish
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkincipñekrei
incispev
n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #19)
Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4 young leaves of nafanu and mash and squeeze the juice into a small bamboo (1-1.5 inch diameter) The nafanu is important because it is a plant that connects to the sea. Use wildcane leaves cover the bamboo closed. Go to the sick person and unwrap the snake from her. Start from the top and let the woman drink a small part of the potion then wash her with the mixture, making sure to wash head, elbows, knees, feet, and belly. Then take a leaf of naha and break it over the woman’s belly button to break the snake off. Smash the bamboo vessel to pieces. Leave the woman there until the wash dries on her. This takes one whole day and the ceremony in the evening so she can sleep and she must not eat. This ritual is performed by men.
bookmarkindroumu
inhakli kwori
inmoijeuv adpoig
inpakanhas
inrukdum nohos
n. kind of banana
bookmarkintejed
n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #22)
Example: 1. Timber for houses, hard wood. 2. Fruits have a highly desirable nut that is edible when fresh after cracking the fruit. 3. Medicine – 5 young tips, boiled in 3 cups of water, and steam eyes when have conjunctivitis. 1x. 3. Calendar plant – When the leaves turn red and are ready to fall off from the tree – the lobsters are ready to be harvested – best time to harvest lobsters. Firm tasty meat. This was a traditional population management so that lobsters were not harvested year around but only during this season, Oct–Nov, for a month or 1.5 months.
bookmarkintejed gal
intesyanam̃a
intinan tal
n. a plantation of taro
bookmarkintit plen
n. herb, growing on roadside in open disturbed area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3605)
Example: 1a. This is an invasive weed that was brought to Aneityum by aircraft. Name means "aircraft mess". 1b. Means “planes waste” refers to white trails as this has lots of white seeds that fly.
bookmarkintopasyejitohou
n. herb to 50 cm tall, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4947)
Example: To treat toothache, collect the uppermost young leaves, rub them in your hand, put mass of crushed leaves into the area of toothache to lessen the pain. Do this as needed until the pain goes away. Keep it in your mouth for 10 minutes then spit out, then add a new one, keep going as needed.
bookmarkintop̃asiej
n. herb. Grows on the coast. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #18)
Example: 1. For painful urination - The first way to prepare this it to take four big leaves and pound them with some water to get out the juices and squeeze this into a cup and drink. This can also be given to babies and children. The second way is to take two small leaf tops and two that are slightly larger tops. Chew these leaves and try to swallow all of it, if you can’t swallow the leaves then spit out the fibers and only drink the juice. 2. Calendar plant – when it flowers, turtle has fat in them, hang turtle to dry, fat melts, and can collect and eat it. Past practice – not eaten now. 3. Young parts of leaves can be cooked as a cabbage with coconut milk. 4. Wrap fish, especially those from the sea, with this leaf – first take lap lap leaf, then layer with this leaf, then wrap fish tie with pandanus for cooking on charcoals. Also with reef fish can wrap and cook directly on charcoal. Then eat leaf with the fish. 5. Medicine – top unrolled leaf tips, – new baby put this in his mouth and then take it out again – believe that it will make the baby talkative – 1x only when 1-2 days old. Put tip on tongue – shut mouth for a few seconds then pull it out. 6. Tips of leaves for diarrhea – remove old leaves, take 1 tip for baby, adults 2-3 tips, chew it, swallow juice and spit out fiber. 1x day, 3 days.
bookmarkinwai meteuc
n. the sweet potato
bookmarkinwai yah
n. brook
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.
bookmarkkiliek nahpu
n. kind of taro
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.
bookmarklaulau
adj. long, applied to time
bookmarklopot lopot
n. Oriental sweetlips
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknaceijo
n. half tide when rising
bookmarknafakaka
n. a blossom; the spathe of a coconut used as light; also "nafaketa"
bookmarknafanu
n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3530)
Example: This plant grows in coastal areas, and is a good source of firewood. It can be used for house posts. The leaves are used as an unspecified medicine. There is a belief regarding the black and white sea snake, that represents a seawater spirit. Mix this with other unspecified leaves, mash together, squeeze into a bamboo tube and fill it. Give it to a woman to drink to keep the evil snake spirit away. The same preparation can be used to treat toothache, caused by the seawater spirit. "The spirit can trick you into going to fish every day."
bookmarknahoj
n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3646)
Example: The ripe fruits of this species smell very nice and people eat the inside part, which tastes similar to a banana. When fruit is ripe the outside is yellow and the inside is purple. The wood can be used for poles to make house rafters. When kids go fishing for shrimps they use the fruit to catch the shrimp by throwing the shrimp into the water which attracts the shrimp.
bookmarknala
nalvi pece
n. isle, island
bookmarknalvimtinjap
n. a light wind; the beginning of a wind
bookmarkname cedo
n. epiphytic liana climbing up several canopy trees, growing on slope in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4023)
Example: 1. The roots of this plant are used to make "Nopoy"--a traditional trap used to catch fish and lobster. The outer bark of the roots are removed and sun-dried. The roots are then split into several pieces and they are woven in an open fashion similar to a "noporapora"--a type of market basket fashioned from coconut leaflets.
bookmarknamlau
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.
bookmarknapuleman
n. kind of banana
bookmarknarecheno
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknasieij
n. kind of tree
bookmark
nau
n a plant, with upright clumping. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #25)
Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4young leaves of nafanu and mash and squueze the juice into a small bamboo (1-1.5 inch diameter) The nafanu is important because it is a plant that connects to the sea. Use wildcane leaves cover the bamboo closed. Go to the sick person and unwrap the snake from her. Start from the top and let the woman drink a small part of the potion then wash her with the mixture, making sure to wash head, elbows, knees, feet, and belly. Then take a leaf of naha and break it over
bookmarknauhwa
n. kind of tree
bookmarknaurakiti
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknauras
n. kind of tree
bookmarknauwai
n. kind of banana
bookmarkneducai inhujid
n. kind of tree
bookmarknegrecreipek
nejev
nekro
nepig u wara
n. wind-related term; no definition provided
bookmarknetcetas
n. well branched tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4084)
Example: 1. The name means "explosion". Further information about the plant withheld.
bookmarkniau
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknijeuc nijeuc
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkninja
nodieg
n. a bundle of reeds; also "nohudieg"
bookmarknokoko
n. large well branched tree, 18-20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3216)
Example: 1. The trunk of this plant is used to make canoes. 2. It is also a good timber for the inside part of houses. 3. Mix the sap from the stem with other unspecified leaves and rub them into dreadlocks. 4. To attract shells in the sea, scrape a branch and drop in the sea where shells are attracted to the branches and they can be collected for sale to the Island’s visitors. 5. Seeds are used to make beautiful black necklaces. Said to be a lot of work as it is difficult to remove the seed. Rub with sandpaper or soak in water and then make the hole in the seed. 6. Fruit is a children’s toy – used as a whistle to make a nice sound.
bookmarknomotmot ijis
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarknomyatamain
n. Thumbprint emperor, blackspot emperor
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknoyeiwow
n. vine to 4 m, cultivated (collection: Michael J. Balick #5013)
Example: This is a cultivated, edible tuber. If a cyclone comes and blows the vines, the tuber will still be intact. The vines of this type of Dioscorea are very strong. Normal yam vine tears in high winds and the tuber will not grow for food but will die; this one will not. It is very good for places with strong winds and storms.
bookmarknuae
nugnas iran
n. a bunch of taro
bookmarknumnava
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknupsin hudain
nupyihet
n. new moon
bookmarknwujvaeñ
n. vine climbing on Myristica fatua, growing in primary rainforest. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3615)
Example: This vine is used to make rope. Collect the stem, roll it in a figure 8, heat it on a fire and tie it on a house while the vine is still hot. Weave a ?? net to catch fish.
bookmarkpassion fruit
n. liana climbing on broken mango tree, growing in forest at edge of wide tidal stream (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3515)
Example: 1. The ripe fruit of this plant is edible. It was introduced to the island and is considered a foreign vine. 2. 4 leaves of this and 4 leaves of Annona muricata and boil in water and let get warm and wash children when they have measles and fever. Edible fruit – very sweet.
bookmarkse
adv. downward
bookmarkuriicai
adj. made of branches
bookmarkyah
n. a creeping plant
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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