Kapingamarangi English

n.    butterfly; moth

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Photo by Dirk-Jan Kraan April 14, 2013 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Semantic domains:

• insects/reptiles

n.    metal pot

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Semantic domains:

• tools

n.    starfish

Scientific name: Asteroidea sp.

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

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

Semantic domains:

• fish and marine life

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

   rooster sound

Semantic domains:

• onomatopoeia

n.    gecko

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• insects/reptiles

n.    clam that stands on its own

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• fish and marine life

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

n.    branching coral

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• fish and marine life

n.    mountain

Example: 110616-O-ZZ999-032. Naval Surface Warriors. Flickr. via Flickr

Semantic domains:

• natural world

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

noun    unripe coconut

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• coconuts

   a tree, with small white fragrant flowers, used for fuel

Scientific name: Guettarda speciosa

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Example: Photo by danaleeling / iNaturalist, CC0: via inaturalist.org

Semantic domains:

• botany

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

n.    hen

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Photo by Klaus Stiefel January 5, 2008 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC 2.0

Semantic domains:

• birds

n.    coral formation

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Photo by Matt Kieffer October 4, 2009 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Semantic domains:

• ocean/sea

   channel that connects lagoon to ocean (Kapingamarangi has one of these)

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

   name of coral head in Kapinga lagoon

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

n.    box used for storing eels

Semantic domains:

• tools

   garden

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Example: Photo by tata_aka_T December 2, 2008 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

   A woven-Pandanus bed mat

n.    woven hat for fishermen (lit. hat-weave)

Semantic domains:

• material world

n.    large clam

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• fish and marine life

n.    reef (in lagoon)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Photo by Matt Kiefer October 4, 2009 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Semantic domains:

• ocean/sea

n.    firewood

Semantic domains:

• fire

n.    pushing paddle

Semantic domains:

• tools

noun    bird

Speaker: Hawortson Heinrich

Example: Photo by Eric Savage March 2, 2008 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

n.    outhouse

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Photo by Joel Abroad September 29, 2007 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Semantic domains:

• locations

n.    pandanus leaf for wrapping, sticky

Semantic domains:

• plants

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

   an islet of Kapinga Atoll (uninhabited)

Source: Buck 1950, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

n.    spider lily

Scientific name: Crinum asiaticum

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

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

Semantic domains:

• plants

n.    fish

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 22, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Semantic domains:

• fish and marine life

n.    sprout of coconut

Semantic domains:

• coconuts

   These three pigs

n.    Micronesian starling

Scientific name: Aplonis opaca

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• birds

n.    pond

Example: Photo by Matt Kiefer October 6, 2009 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Semantic domains:

• natural world

n.    plant

Scientific name: Fimbristylis cymosa

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Photo by Forest and Kim Starr February 12, 2001 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Semantic domains:

• plants

n.    scraper for coconut

Semantic domains:

• tools

n.    land crab

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Juvenile Strawberry Land Hermit Crab. Photo by warrenski November 23, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Semantic domains:

• fish and marine life

n.    skink species

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• insects/reptiles

   name of coral head in Kapinga lagoon

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

n.    name of a constellation: Milky Way

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

Example: Photo by andyspictures September 13, 2009 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Semantic domains:

• natural world

v.    to lower a trap from the surface and tie it to the reef rather than securing it to the bottom with rocks, also the wooden beams at the base of the trap that are used to secure it by piling rocks on top.

   name of coral head in Kapinga lagoon

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Semantic domains:

• place names

   money

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Example: Photo by tata_aka_T December 2, 2008 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

n.    rope

Semantic domains:

• material world

   knife

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

Example: Photo by Travis S. December 2, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC 2.0