An example search has returned 100 entries
elum
v. to begin to form, as fruit
bookmarkeriseris
v.a. to climb
bookmarketgei
v. to weed
bookmarkigcahi
n. landward
bookmarkinceiwad
n. the name of a poisonous plant
bookmarkincejev ataheñ
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.
bookmarkincispev
n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3547)
Example: This plant is for medicine to treat a spiritual condition related to the coral snake that is the seawater spirit. When a woman is pregnant, some times she gets sick, so use this leaf with 2-3 other unspecified leaves and mash them together, squeeze the juice into a small cup (bamboo), wave around the woman’s body, and then put a few drops onto her head and body, then she drinks the rest. This will help heal her sickness. This treatment can be used for men who have a toothache from eating too much fish--the seawater spirit of the coral snake makes the tooth hurt. It is used in the same way as for a pregnant woman. If the pain from the toothache is really from the seawater spirit, then this will cure it; if not, it will not help.
bookmarkinholai
n. Blue sea chub, snubnose chub, topsail drummer
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkinhosamu
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarkinmahe
n. the pandanus leaf
bookmarkinmerei
n. tree to 2 m tall,dbh 40 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4877)
Example: To treat a local disease (that causes pain in the stomach) called "Namya," peel off the outer bark, collect 1 handful of inner bark, boil with 1/2 liter of water, drink warm, 3 cups/daily, for 3 days. At that point the person will feel that "the weakness is no longer in the body." After 3 days of treatment the pain in the stomach goes away. Wood is used for posts; leaves for compost for holes that people will plant taro in--line the bottom of the hole before placing soil and taro in it.
bookmarkinpad
n. kind of palm
bookmarkinridjai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkintakedou
n. Redface Squirrrelfish
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkintate a nelgo waj
intekes ~ inrowod
intinan mese
n. dry land planted
bookmarkintisianmop
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarkinwai meteuc
n. the sweet potato
bookmarkinwau an nadiat
n. the Milky Way
bookmarkinyac
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkitu acen
adv. a long time ago
bookmarkjumasjuma
leucen
adj. ripe, as taro
bookmark
naha
n. Crinum asiaticum L.
Example: subterranean part used as mouthwash for toothache (Crinum asiaticum)
bookmarknala
n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3217)
Example: 1a. When traveling past a community you can place these leaves in a basket or walk with it in your hand. In this way people in the community know that you are traveling in peace and will cause no harm to people in that village. 1b. Message plant – if you go to visit someone and they are not there, you leave a branch of this on the door or somewhere they can see it and they know that some relatives have come and tried to visit them.
bookmarknala
n. tree to 7 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4860)
Example: This is a common tree. If a person travels from one district to another on Aneityum, and you see the tree planted in that other district, a person knows they are free to come into this area. When the leaves are yellow, as in a young tree, the local name is nala’gay. If a person carries a branch of this tree into a village it is a symbol that the person is coming with peaceful intentions.
bookmarknala
naligaj
n. herb to 10 cm, sterile (collection: Michael J. Balick #4985)
Example: This plant is a very important food during a famine. People dig up the roots and roast these on the embers of a fire for 25 minutes, then check the root to get out the starchy material, and spit out the fiber. There is said to be little taste; this is a bland food that a person eats to survive. People on Aneityum have harvested it for a very long time so there is not as much of a supply left as in the past.
bookmarknamehe
n. kind of taro
bookmarknamop
n. kind of tree
bookmarknapupwi
n. kind of sugarcane
bookmarknasahas
n. a small water-plant
bookmarknasanhac
n. the poison of the inhac
bookmarknasjiñaho
natuh
n. a sweet-smelling plant
bookmarknaupitju
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. It is a survival food.
bookmarkneaig milmat
n. a green coconut
bookmarkneduon
n. low mountain
bookmarknehivaing
nejeg
n. tree, growing in forest at edge of wide tidal stream (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3535)
Example: 1. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use these for this purpose on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood. 2. People eat fruit, split fruit in half, carefully scrape the inner part into a pot of water, keep over night – next day rinse, fry or cook with coconut milk and can add tinned tuna for example, very hard work.
bookmarknelkasau
n. shrub to 4 m, fruits green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4987)
Example: This leaf is used as the upper layer of leaves on the earth oven. If the leaves of #4986 are in short supply, people cover the first layer of stones in the earth oven with these. The stems of this plant are used as tinder to light fires. The seeds are poisonous.
bookmarknepjen epjen
nepjenepjen
n. epiphytic vine climbing on trees, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4091)
Example: 1. When a child is between 1 mos. and 1 yr. if the father persists too soon in resuming sexual relations with the mother, the child can become sick. In preparation for the sickness, green leaves are collected. When the sickness occurs, the leaves (now dry) are burned and the baby is washed with the charcoal. 2. After visitors leaves one’s house, one must not hurry to return to their gardens. One waits a few days, then swims with the rachis of this fern tied about their waist. If this practice is not followed, it is believed that the plants in one’s gardens will grow weak.
bookmarknerero
n. calabash
bookmarknerin nujipsotan
n. blade, as of corn or grass
bookmarknerop
n. Black jack
Example: Photo by John Turnbull, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknetit tidai
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkniau
n. kind of plant, grass, or fern
bookmarkniegred
nimtinjap par alau
n. wind-related term; no definition provided
bookmarknipjin nalmu
nipjinamesei
n. Honeycomb grouper
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknipnyineuc
n. another name for "masoa"; arrowroot
bookmarknirinat erefera ran
niseaig
n. kind of tree
bookmarknohos yau
nomyatamain
n. Thumbprint emperor, blackspot emperor
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknoporo pora
nop̃oi
n. sprawling, vine-like herb (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3215)
Example: 1. The flower of this plant is used for decoration, for Christmas in particular, in church and home. 2. To attract a mate, put the flower in your hair. 3. This is the introduced one that is named after the wild type.
bookmarknuarin adalamak
n. plain
bookmarknuhujcei
n. liana, climbing on fallen tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3500)
Example: 1. When the stems of this plant are older, and it is a vine, is used to tie thatch on roof rafters as it bends well. 2. Burned leaves and rubbed on fishing line and spear to increase catch – used with other unspecified leaves, that are forageable. When you are fishing and if you set a basket or mat it means danger and you have to return to shore – the spirit is telling you that it is enough fishing.
bookmarknumuyehec
näthoiatmas
puke
adv. seaward
bookmark
ubos
adv. by land; on land
bookmarkwamhau
n. kind of taro
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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