Kapingamarangi English

n. foam

adj. brilliant (used only with the color red)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. white biblical dove

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

adj. windy

paternal grandfather

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

v. dribble

fish species

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. mahi mahi or common dolphinfish

Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus

n. prepared food; raw soft breadfruit mixed with water

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

rough play, rough-and-tumble

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. dumb

Shiver

n. rabbitfish species

Scientific name: Siganus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

tooth brush

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. hard working man, especially a fisherman

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. spider lily

Example: Photo by angeliathatsme July 1, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Scientific name: Crinum asiaticum,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

kill

n. box

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. never flies (e.g. a kite)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. blind

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. forgetful, absent-minded

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. mother

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

natural mother

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

phrase What’s your name?

vt. to kindle (a fire or lantern)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. house post

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

to appear unhealthy from overwork

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

tired

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. ladder

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

laugh

n. spadefish and batfish species

Scientific name: Chaetodipterus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

copra dried in the wind

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

v. wash self

n. green sea turtle

Example: Photo by prilfish July 20, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Chelonia mydas,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

fish innards

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

noun sand

Example: Photo by Matt Kiefer October 6, 2006 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

white sand

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

disk-like sand particle

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. hives

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

place having many depressions (e.g., corrugated surface)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. broad, open place

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

reef flat

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. filthy, disgusted (with smelly objects like feces)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. to limp

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. multi-colored

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

chest

Speaker: Hawortson Heinrich

think

to cool off by a breeze

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. think

vi. stumble

vt. add more coconut meat

vt. get drunk

vi. pout

vt. try to make (something) stand up

vt. to try to formulate (e.g., an idea or plan)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. try to formulate

ai. swelling periodically

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. always keeping someone company

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. tidy, to keep clean

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. be quiet

at. to tangle up

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. to sear (e.g., meat)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

v. be fast

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

vt. lengthen

help

vt. move with the extremeties spread out

vt. feast, party

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

fish:white marlin

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. manta ray

Scientific name: Manta alfredi,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. bath house

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

carving/scraping noise

n. foreign lands; the earth; the world

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. beard hair

both

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. mirror

swimming

roasted

Musky smell of sex

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. short jawed bonefish

Scientific name: Albula glossodonta,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

cold

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. mimic octopus and similar species

Scientific name: Thaumoctopus mimicus

n. starfish

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 24, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. starfish

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 24, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Asteroidea sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. hurricane lantern

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. mother

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

worm

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

first

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited, reserved for use by fishermen only)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

have breakfast

n. longnosed emperor

Scientific name: Lethrinus olivaceus

To chew or masticate

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. a three pronged fishing spear

v. to hit

n. place name: heavily populated central islet

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

sister

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

wooden pounder for pounding breadfruit

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. mollusk sp.

Scientific name: Nerita picea,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

floating

burned

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich