Nukuoro English

noun a type of coral which grows on the lagoon bottom

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 4

dawn

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 5

noun one’s first spouse

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 6

noun dawn

Speaker: Kurt Erwin

noun the part of a coconut’s meat next to the sap

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 10

noun drizzle

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 11

fingernail

Speaker: Maynard Henry

noun fish sp., squirrelfish

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 17

noun rain

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 19

noun fish sp., parrot fish

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 19

noun hanging basket made from coconut palm

Example: Photo by Emily Drummond, 06/10/15

headache

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun sow

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

noun cage; fence

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun a trip for a festive or recreational purpose

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 30

verb (transitive) carve (something)

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

noun third stage of a green coconut

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

noun dollar bill

Speaker: Mina Lekka

good evening

noun the youngest child of a couple

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 57

grass skirt

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun the manner in which one looks at one’s reflection or appearance

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 59

blood

Speaker: Maynard Henry

noun tool used to soften the pandanus leaf

Example: Photo by Emily Drummond, 06/11/15

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun apodous sea cucumber

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 70

noun baby

Speaker: Kurt Erwin

noun breast, bosom

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

the grains in the trunk of wood of the coconut tree which are hard, dark, and sharp

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 82

noun plant species whose leaf is used for cooking

sand

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 87

chin

Speaker: Kurt Erwin

verb to make a child urinate

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 155

verb make many thousands

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 181

take special care of, cherish

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 189

adjective mean; inconsiderate

a sky covered with rain clouds

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 221

verb breastfeed

noun bath house

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun toilet

Source: Johnny Rudolph

noun diarrhea

Speaker: Mina Lekka

atoll (literally, sand island)

Speaker: Mina Lekka

eyebrow

Speaker: Kurt Erwin

noun eyelash

noun second stage of a green coconut

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

noun hair (not on the head); fur

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

the flower of the coconut tree

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 247

sorcery (made with chants)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 248

adjective plenty; a lot, many

Speaker: Ruth Rudolph

adjective wide

Speaker: Ruth Rudolph

overripe coconut apple

Speaker: Ruth Rudolph

noun serving dish basket made from coconut palm

Example: Photo by Emily Drummond, 06/10/15

verb fly

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

noun the making of sounds repeatedly; talking

Speaker: Ruth Rudolph

adjective dexterous; quick

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun pinky finger

trembling

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 266

noun tool used to grate coconuts

Example: Photo by Emily Drummond, 06/10/15

verb identify tentatively; to think that one recognizes but not be sure

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 277

verb, adjective feel cold, shivering (from cold); flow (of tide)

Speaker: Mina Lekka

adjective frequently magalili

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 279

adjective happy

Speaker: Johnny Rudolph

noun areola of the breast; a boil on the body

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 284

lizard fish

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 284

noun crack (of a whip)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 284

noun fish sp.: goatfish

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 284

adjective scattered

Speaker: Mina Lekka

adjective balding

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun fish (generic term; children’s speech only)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 285

adjective breathing

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun small red insect that sucks blood

Speaker: Mina Lekka

more and more; diminshing rainfall

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 288

noun carved object; the act of carving

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun male genital organ

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 292

noun stage between a young green coconut and a mature brown coconut

Example: Photo by Emily Drummond, 06/16/15

Speaker: Mina Lekka

to carry things repeatedly / in multiple trips from one place to another

Speaker: Mina Lekka

adjective round, clear in outline

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun puddle

Source: Johnny Rudolph

balls of grated taro (for making huaahuu)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 298

damselfish

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 300

noun first stage of a green coconut; youngest coconut; type of huaamee

adjective repeatedly ngavali (as a diving board in use)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 311

a wave of sufficient force to wash over normally dry land; tidal wave

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 307

noun an overindulgence in fatty foods, leading to a loss of appetite

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 315

verb to wander around continually (from past time to the present)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 319

verb to wander around continually (doing so at present and likely to be doing so in the future)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 319

verb to be continually walked upon

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 319

bleed

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 321

lion-fish

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 323

noun coins

Speaker: Mina Lekka

verb to walk off-balance

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 323

a fine jet of water

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 328

adjective stopped, ended

Speaker: Ruth Rudolph

noun plant species with white fragrant flowers

Example: Photo by Emily Drummond, 06/11/15

Speaker: Mina Lekka

not homogenous or smooth (as lumpy dough, or the grated surface of taro)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 331

wrasse (fish)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 337

defecate (children’s language)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 337

noun capillary

nurse (at the breast)

Source: Vern & Soulik 1973, p. 343

adjective. evil, unscrupulous, immoral

Speaker: Mina Lekka

noun female genital area