Kapingamarangi English

adj. brilliant (used only with the color red)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

earing

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. white biblical dove

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

bottom fishing

vi. defecate

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. flatfish (flounder, halibut, etc)

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

fish species

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. prepared food; raw soft breadfruit mixed with water

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. octopus

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

basket for serving portions at a feast

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. rabbitfish

Example: Photo by Jan Messersmith November 29, 2006 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Scientific name: Siganus puellus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. tooth brush

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. embrace

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

trumpet shell

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. hew

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. pull; drag

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

kill

n. shark sucker

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 12, 2013 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Echeneis naucrates,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. teacher

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. box

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. always late

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. to misunderstand, not able to understand

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. unsuccessful

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. constantly having to urinate

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. too small, misfitted

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. house post

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

school of surgeon fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. soft meat of green coconut

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

v. wash self

fish innards

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

disk-like sand particle

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. smoked fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

v. be somewhat fast

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. outrigger float connecting stanchion

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

to feel about in the dark, to grope

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. rocks for pounding

snore

vt. cause to repeatedly have free time

vt. think

vi. stumble

vi. be similar

boundary of taro plot

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. keep conversing

vt. make up (after fighting)

vt. to seat (e.g., person’s at a feast)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. scream periodically

vt. always lying (someone) on a pillow

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

mother and daughter relation, a mother and her children

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. to approach circumspectly; gingerly

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

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

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. lengthen

vt. feast, party

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. skinny

near

n. light sprinkling rain

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

bark (dog)

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. rib

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

sand

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Stick used for pushing the boat out

n. olive-scribbled wrasse

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. heat up

n. flame

n. shouting wood used for making houses on Kapinga atoll

v. speak

Run

escape

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

vt. sizzle

Meek in spirit

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

tallest

long

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

vt. pick with a breadfruit picker

n. red warrior ant

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. short jawed bonefish

Scientific name: Albula glossodonta,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. open area around the house

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. hurricane lantern

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

dull

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. bird

Example: Photo by tropical.pete September 28, 2007 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

first

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

once upon a time, first time

phrase a triple hook

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

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

vi. urinate

n. rectum

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. tin roofing

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. brain

Speaker: Hawortson Heinrich

n. longnosed emperor

Scientific name: Lethrinus olivaceus

n. a knot that unties when pulled

scraping soda can on table noise

noise of multiple claps

vomit

n. slipper lobster species

Scientific name: Scyllaridae sp.

n. three pointed fishing spear

n. guardian

n. ghost crab

Scientific name: Ocypodinae sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Skirt

personal name of a Kapinga man who lived in the first half of the 20th century.

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

bleed

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

name of coral head in Kapinga lagoon

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

tongue

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

an islet of Kapinga Atoll (one of only two that is inhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich