Kapingamarangi English

adj. brilliant (used only with the color red)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

flower blossoms

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

bottom fishing

n. bluefin trevally

Scientific name: Caranx melampygus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

phrase I am supposed to be a high school student

n. floor (house)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. flatfish (flounder, halibut, etc)

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. basket made with coconut leaves with carrying handle

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. mahi mahi or common dolphinfish

Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus

raise

save

n. prepared food; raw soft breadfruit mixed with water

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,

vt. embrace

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. sorcerize

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. pull; drag

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

kill

n. sorcerer

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. box

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. to worry about

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. unable to stand (e.g. in high tide)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. too small, misfitted

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

trawling

n. moorish idol

Scientific name: Zanclus cornutus

bosom/breast

Speaker: Hawortson Heinrich

n. mother

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. sister

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

sweep

roughness

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

to appear unhealthy from overwork

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. sand spit

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

cloudy

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. intestines

n. spadefish and batfish species

Scientific name: Chaetodipterus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

wash hair

tentacles of an octopus

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

white sand

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. hives

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. coral pebbles

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

phrase we roast a fish

disgusting place

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

reef flat

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

adj. multi-colored

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

think

loincloth; makeshift, to do or tie temporarily

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. cause to sink, accidentally or temporarily

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. to add more coconut meat

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. accumulate goods

vt. rock back and forth

vi. pout

vt. to purposely sink or submerge (and leave submerged for some time)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. seat (someone)

vt. tidy, to keep clean

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vi. be quiet

at. to tangle up

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

vt. memorize

n. manta ray

Scientific name: Manta alfredi,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

v. hurry

find

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. bath house

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

noun bird nest

canoe part: float connectives

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. shooting star

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. appendage; fin

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. light sprinkling rain

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Bark

n. kidney

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. rib

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. sponge

swimming

sand

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

vi. heat up

Run

n. a lure for trawling

n. wide-band fusilier

Scientific name: Pterocaesio lativittata,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

sigh

n. red warrior ant

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

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

going any direction

phrase a double hook

n. toy

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. a fiber of coconut husk

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. chin

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. eyeball

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

louse, egg

breadfruit pancake, grilled on a fire

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

second coconut stage; small green coconut

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

vomit

n. blue boxfish

Scientific name: Ostracion meleagris

famine

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. kawakawa tuna or mackerel tuna

Scientific name: Euthynnus affinis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

happy

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

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

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

v. to hit

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

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

sister

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

youngest sister

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. mollusk sp.

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

noun bark

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich