None na, aña tamwaleko.This food tastes bad. |
Uña ngaten' na, kape i-vio tev' eo.All those things will be yours. |
Noma, ni-ajau nabene; basavono na ka tae.I used to smoke in the past; but now [at this moment] it's over. |
Na nganae?!What's this? |
Ei! Dapa! Na toñaki ae na?Hey, people! What sort of ship is that? |
Na, piene adapa Teanu a-ko ae?How is this called in Teanu? [lit. this, in Teanu language, you say what?] |
En’ na dameliko tae, ene na ka mwaliko pine.with 1sgI'm not a child, I'm a grown person! |
Kupa na kupa mwaliko tae. Ka kaipa mwaliko na ia kupa na ngatene nga na.with 1plWe are not human. You people are human, but we are creatures like this. |
Eo na a-te vele?with 2sgWhere do you live? |
Eo na ai-ovei !Now that's something you know. |
Idi na dapa li-tau jebute peini po li-kila idi.with 3plPeople have cooked taros for the wedding. |
Kape ne-te na labiou mijaka.I'll stay here for a little while. |
Aero iupa i-vio vitoko na.Our (pig) pen is very close [from here]. |
Ne temaka kula nga ponu; na, engaiote.It's the case in some places; but here, it's different. |
Eo na kape u-waivo ñe ene.Well, you're the one who's gonna tell me. |
Dapa Tetawo, dapa ponu na li-abu dapa.It's the Tetawo people who killed them. |
Dapa wopine iupa na li-ovei ebel’ ini.Our elders are the ones who’d know the proper (word). |
U-nabe na moe iono.You mark the location of your (future) house. |
Na moe enone i-vio re.Here is the location of my (former) house. / Here is where my house used to stand. |
Dapa li-romo na kulumoe iadapa Mouro.They saw the remains of the Elves' village. |
U-vio beiuko na u-tabau!Stand firmly, don't fall down! |
U-nabe na moe iono.You mark the location of your (future) house. |
Basa i-abu i-ka i-vesu mijaka, i-nabe i-wene, i-ko pon Toplau ie da viñevi pon.There's a place where the mountain goes down and then up again? well, there's a (visible) spot there: they say that's where the women's secret house is found. |
Ini i-le i-la voko. I-lui i-la i-teli ne temaka na ini po i-tuku ini i-abu pon, i-nabe ñe voko.He took a stone, and carried it to the location where he had been going down (in the forest); he marked it with the stone. |
Dapa ka li-sube nuduro pe uña teliki li-la li-mini dapa ka li-ke li-da tanoe pe li-nabe li-mini dapa.They have committed an infraction: while our chiefs had granted them some land, they crossed the limits of that territory which had been defined for them. |
Ni-nabe jokoro lea iune ka kula.I measured the bamboo to be one fathom and a half. |
Kupa pi-nabe emele iamela i-ka teve men’ iaba.We are betrothing your daughter to our son. |
Ka li-nabe keba ia mamote ba-kila keba tae.We're engaged [lit. they've ‘marked’ us] but we aren't married yet. |
Nga mwaliko i-bu, dapa le-le le-iu ebele ini. N' adie, dapa abia ne kulumoe kape le-bei bete.When somebody dies, people bury their body. Afterwards, everyone in the village will hold a funeral ceremony. |
namolo | clothes |
vilisa | clothes, costume, dancing gear |
bele vilo | tapa skirt |
tekume | women's tapa skirt |
tolosai | men's loincloth |
lusa | shirt |
tekau | trousers |
labaro | shoes |
~koene | put on, wear |
~go | ‹man› gird oneself |
~ativi | ‹woman› gird oneself |
namolo ie daviñeviwomen's clothes |
Ini i-koene namolo 'none.He is wearing my clothes. |
La-loko ngatene ada i-le: namolo iada, buioe ada me puluko, none ada.They took all their things with them: their clothes, their betel nut and lime, their food. |
Namolo, noma, li-ejau ñe bele vilo.In the olden days, clothes used to be made with tree bark. |
die | fishbone |
anes | flesh |
ngava | scales |
dekele | tail |
ava ①▻② | pectoral fin |
bea | guts |
~oma | to fish, forage for seafood |
mouro | shoal of ‹fish› |
anes namukofish meat |
luene namukoa catch of many fish |
Ni-ago namuko i-kovi.I speared a fish but it escaped. |
Kape le-la teuko ne jokoro me le-katei ñe namuko.We'll take a fishing rod and go angling [for fish]. |
Netebe pon, nara u-viane!This is mud here, make sure you don't stumble! |
Nara sa i-meli!Make sure you don't end up heartbroken! |
Nara le-langaten' tae!with negationWe might be unable to work! |
Le-la i-avo korone nara i-sabu.We must hook (the bait) firmly for fear it might fall off. |
Li-avi ñei, nara sukiro peini ma dapa i-wene ene.They're using tongs, for fear that the dirt on their hands might touch it. |
Noma li-madau pe moe moboe abia ene, li-ko na kape idi le-wete dapa ne visone me puro.Our ancestors used to avoid having too many openings in their houses, for fear of being shot with arrows. |
Li-loko nasu idi po li-bu me le-su.We collect the belongings of the person who died, and set fire to them. |
Epu 'none na ta!This is my grandmother. |
Dapa gete 'none na ta ene!My boys, here they are! |
ne sekelein the garden |
ne lema inside |
ne to in the middle |
Kape i-ka ne kulumoe na.She'll come to this village. |
I-sabu i-abu ne ero.He fell down in the river. |
Noma, li-apinu ne mwoe.In olden times, people used to cook in the house. |
Poi pe li-womanga ne kulumoe, vao i-moloe ne ngogoro.Domesticated pigs are fed in the village, but wild pigs wander about in the forest. |
Ene li-waivo ene ne “National University” ne Solomon islands.I did my studies at the National University in the Solomon islands. |
abo ne enemy blood |
panavono ne enemy sweat |
I-katei ero ne et' iape.He's sucking on the milk of his mother. |
nga nelike this |
Okoro pon i-wene vele? – Ene! Ene ni-labu ne.And where is that knife? – Here! I'm holding it here. |
Tepapa, li-toe kara nebe li-bo nga kulaña metele.To make a stomping board, you cut a root of rosewood tree, and carve it in the shape of a semi-circle. |
nengele kuothe elements of a canoe |
nengele moe elements of a house, carpentry |
Kape le-toe langasuo peini, ka nengele wamitaka.canoeYou cut out the big rail, and then the smaller pieces. |
bali | overhanging pole, eaves |
bali peini telemoe | plinth pole |
iuro | main central pillar |
iutego | corner pillar |
digo | secondary pillar |
basadigo | tie-beam |
otovo ; sodo otovo | sago thatch roof |
womoe | main purlin |
dienebe | light purlin |
lo | rafter |
pumene | ridgepole |
pumene aplaka | secondary ridgepole |
busumoe | ridge-flashing |
Dapa Niteni li-ejau viko ñe viavia mamdeuko.The people of Santa Cruz make money using feathers of the Myzomela bird. |
Nom’ NomianuCape Nomianu |
Nom’ LevesuCape Levesu |
Nom’ LabiouCape Lambiou, Nomlambiou Point |
Nom’ LoubaidoCrab Cape |
Nom’ NogureCape Nongure |
Nom’ ViouCape Fiou, Astrolabe Point |
Nom’ NaguluNomnangulu Point |
viabasa ini ka noma ini ka mata iniher hair, her face, her eyes |
Ni-aka noma.I'm washing my face. |
Noma li-katau ñe metele.calendarIn the old days, people would just refer themselves to the moon. |
kulumoe pe nomaa historic village |
iepiene pe nomatraditional legends |
Piene adapa Teanu, ia vesepiene pe noma.This is Teanu language, but with some archaic words. |
Dapa noma li-vo kangele kome li-ia kome.People in the past used to break giant clams and grind them into axes. |
Dapa iakapa noma li-ovei pe li-pwalau.Our ancestors used to practice navigation. |
Laperusi vana i-moloe ne nom’ ole take ne.Lapérouse used to stroll around along that sand beach over there. |
none | food; meal |
~womanga | feed ‹s.o.› |
~e | eat (tr.) |
~vongo ; ~labu ngatene | eat (intr.); have a meal |
~apinu ; ~ejau ngatene | cook, prepare food |
~tau | cook ‹food› |
~vai | bake ‹food› in oven |
~wapono | reheat ‹food› |
awene | stone oven* |
motoe | raw, uncooked |
moioe | cooked, done |
aña | taste |
enaka | my [food]* |
None na, aña tamwaleko.This food tastes bad. |
A-mene pe u-e none ponu?Aren't you tired of eating that food? |
nuduko 'nakamy glasses |
nuduko peini mata idi tamwaleko[glasses for bad eyes] prescription glasses |
Li-romo ñe duduko we damala pe Franis.in times of LapérouseThey were watching using the spyglass of the foreigners from France. |
Li-ngago woworo awoiu ka li-kila li-ko nuduro.We tie together rattan stems, and call it a nuduro (scareline). |
Mobo kape le-lui nuduro me l-abu namuko.Tomorrow we'll carry the scareline to get some fish. |
~vi nuduro set a taboo leaf; reserve s.th. for o.s. |
Gi' one i-la nuduro i-vio ne sekele / moe / moko… (ñe uie luro).My uncle put up a taboo in his garden / in his house / on the reef… (using a coconut palm). |
Dapa li-woi nuduro ne touro, me i-botongo temaka (ñe/mina idi).They put up taboo signs on the seashore, to protect the area (from poachers). |
Mwalik' iote i-ka i-vokoiu nuduro.Someone came and tore out the taboo (leaf). |
abwa nga toloto [colour like the lagoon] turquoise colour |
Noma ini nga et’ iape!His face is just like his mum's! |
Li-toe kara nebe li-bo nga kulaña metele.You cut a root of rosewood tree, and carve it in the shape of [lit. like] a semi-circle. |
Basavono na ka tae, ka li-vesu bavede ñe kuo nga noma tae.Nowadays it's over: people don't sail any more like they used to [lit. like before]. |
Ne tomoro nga na tae: bwogo!It was not during the day like this: it was night! |
Biouro iape nga ne –It was long like this – |
Tetawene kape le-si nga ne –The tattoo designs, they would draw them like this – |
Nga aña ene tae, ni-le ni-wene, awoiu ni-lengi wako.Whenever I feel tired, I take a nap, then I feel better. |
Nga mwaliko i-bu, le-iu ebele ini i-wene ne kie ini.When somebody dies, their body is buried in a grave. |
Nga ne tomoro nga le-romo ngiro wako, le-vesu i-katau.If they found the wind to be fine, they would sail along. |
Nga u-romo leka, kape u-kila.Should you have any eye contact with your cross-cousin, you will have to marry her. |
Da viñevi kula nga awa dapa li-ko li-anu kava, mijaka, me le-lengi.Some women, if they want to drink kava, [they can] do so, a little, to get a taste of it. |
Nga i-abu mata, kape bwara mata ini kilo ñei.counterfactualIf he had hit her eyes, she could have turned blind. |
Li-makui Ngabe pon, temaka po toñaki tamwaliko.underwater archaeologyThey've been diving around Ngambe, at the site of the wreckage. |
Li-ngago woworo awoiu ka li-kila li-ko nuduro.We tie together rattan stems, and call it a nuduro (scareline). |
Ni-la bele vilo, ni-ngago ñe waluko ene.I took a bark cloth and wrapped it around my thighs. |
Webwe iape ngaliko i-vene i-wene ne ma ini.His armands, they were, like, they went all the way up his arm. |
In’ na, nga ebele l’ko Teliki Makumoso, ai’ akapa, i-waivo idi ñe telepakau, ñe piene, i-waivo idi ñe ngatene pe li-ajau : nga ebele ko i-waivo idi pe li-vo mwoe, i-waivo idi pe li-bo vilo, kuo ngatene nga pon, wele, ngaten’ abia pon na…And that's him – how shall I say – that's Elderly Lord, our father, he's the one who taught us our culture, our language, everything we do: for example, he taught us how to build houses, how to create things with wood, how to cut canoes, how to make paddles, all those things… |
N' adie Laperus dapa li-ka Ngama susuko.Then Lapérouse and his men arrived precisely where Ngama is. |
li-vete ngapieneannounce the festival |
Ngapiene ka i-sali pon ta — bwogo tili.Then the festival comes to an end, after five days. |
Nga ponu na susuko.It's perfect like that (like you're doing). |
Pi’ on’ ka i-vete nga pon tae.My grandfather never said anything like that. |
Li-toe iuro, ae, digo, we uña ngatene nga pon.They cut out pillars, beams, and other pieces like that. |
Ni-ovei mijaka nga ponu.I only know a little. |
Ponu kava pon, piene peini kuledi nga pon.And so, the story of kava is just a short one like that. |
Sande, moro pine, pe li-langatene tae, pe li-tamava, pe li-te ne moe nga pon.Sunday is an important day – one when we don't work, when we pray, when we just stay at home. |
Telepakau pe noma, basavono po li-ve dameliko, nga emele kape li-abu dapa. Kape le-loko ne i-te iune ngapon, li-abu dapa.According to an ancient practice, when female children were born, they would be killed. People would keep only one daughter; others would be killed. |
Pine ngapwae?How big is it? |
Buioe amela, kela bai-odo ngapwae?Your areca nuts (for you to chew), how will you find them? |
Dapa ka li-romo i-katau kape li-ejau ngapwae.The people had had the time to figure out how exactly they were going to proceed. |
Ene ngasune nga eo.I am just like you. |
Ka vitoko ngasune nga piene akapa.It's nearly the same as our language. |
“Menu aplaka 'none”, we “men’ one aplaka”, da-tilu ngasune susuko.“Menu aplaka 'none”, or “men’ one aplaka” [my little baby], both (word orders) are equally correct. |
Ni-toe jokoro iote me susuko me ngasune semame jokoro iote.I cut a bamboo rod to the same length as the other one. |
Li-le pe ngaten' ae?Why did they go? [lit. they went due to what thing?] |
Uña ngaten' na, kape i-vio tev' eo.All those things will be yours. |
Li-makui li-odo ngatene peini toñaki ie Laperus.They search underwater for objects from the wreck of Lapérouse. |
Uña ngaten' enaka i-wene tev' iu re.My stuff (bags+) is up over there. |
Le-le le-labu ngatene?Shall we go grab something? (=food) |
Li-e ngatene pe mie, li-ko “te masi”.The food they eat is smelly, they call it “te masi”. |
Ngatene ponu, li-romo nga mwaliko, ia mwaliko tae.SpiritsThose creatures look like they're human, but they are not. |
Ka kaipa mwaliko na, ia kupa na ngatene nga na.You people are human; but we are just non-human creatures [lit. just things] like this. |
Ngatene pon etapu tamwase pe li-vet’ piene ñi.This topic is very delicate to talk about. |
Vesepiene iune, i-vete ngatene tilu.polysemyIt is the same word, but with two distinct meanings. [lit. it says two things] |
U-do ngava, awoiu u-ia bea mina.You scrape off the scales, and then gut it. |
Dameliko li-nge to.The kids are chewing some sugarcane. |
Lekele i-nge wa vede.Flying-foxes chew fruits of pandanus. |
Ngele? Sintia pe Niteni?Who? Sintia from Santa Cruz? |
Ngele i-wablei kupa?Who is teasing us? |
Buluko ie ngele ponu?Whose flashlight is that? |
Enga eo ngele?What [lit. who] is your name? |
Ka dapa ka li-odo ngele, Laperusi.So they went to search for, er, Lapérouse. |
Ngogoro ka i-maili.The bush has grown there. |
Li-le li-toe longe ne ngogoro ka li-tabe li-kamai li-wapio i-vio ne moe.They went to chop firewood in the bush, then brought it back and piled it up in the house. |
Poi pe li-womanga ne kulumoe, vao i-moloe ne ngogoro.Domesticated pigs are fed in the village, but wild pigs wander about in the forest. |
Ka ngogoro tamwase.with perfect ka ②This place is totally overgrown. |