Ambulas dictionary

173 Pages·1.515 MB·Ambulas, English

by  John Kundama, Adéru Sapayé, Patricia R. Wilson

AMBULAS
DICTIONARY
Index
Introduction
Ambulas – English –Tok Pidgin dictionary
English - Ambulas dictionary
Tok Pidgin – Ambulas dictionary
Symantic domains list
NAMES Sample Selection

PREFACE FOR AMBULAS DICTIONARY - JULY 87
AMBULAS DICTIONARY - PREFACE

Introduction

Ambulas (spelling within the language is Abulas),
alternatively known as Abelam, is a member of the Ndu language
family, of the Middle Sepik Stock. There are approximately 44,000
speakers, who live mainly in the Maprik District of the East
Sepik Province, in the foothills of the Prince Alexander
Mountains and extending south towards the Sepik Plains, in Papua
New Guinea. There are three main dialects. The data upon which
this dictionary is based was collected from several language
helpers, mainly from the village of Nyamikum, in the Maprik or
northern dialect. The data was collected between May, 1968 and
April, 1985. The material recorded is as it is spoken in Nyamikum
sub-dialect and in the published New Testament. Some note is made
of village differences.

I acknowledge the help in the compilation of this dictionary
of materials by the following: P. Davidson, N. and S. Draper,
H.Baker (nee Wearne), and G. and J. Wohlgemut. I acknowledge also the help of
ornithologists, W. Glas, D. Pearson and M. Stringer in the
identification of some bird species, of K. and A. Close in the
naming of some plant and tree species and of M. McKenzie in
further information about string bags. John Kundama worked with me as
co-editor and Andrew Sapai gave valuable help in the final stages of
polishing. I acknowledge also the help of several Nyamikum people, especially
of Nambasil Gilinge, Leo Kitiman, Kwapalik, Gwande, Bulmarek, Kisnyora, John
Kilimu, Gwaawi and Cletus Kwarukitnya, and also of Andrew Klasimbi of Nyelikum
Village, Sam Kimbuti of Yamelikum Village and Paul Sapok of Wambak Village.

12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 2
Ambulas has 24 phonemes, seven vowels and seventeen
consonants: a,e,i,o,u - pronounced as in Pidgin
aa pronounced as in Australian English <f_a_ther>
é pronounced as in English <riv_e_t>
k,l,m,n,ng, p,r,s,t,v,w,y pronounced approximately as in Pidgin
b pronounced _mb_ as in <me_mb_er>
d pronounced _nd_ as in <Mo_nd_ay>
g pronounced _ng_ as in <fi_ng_er>
j pronounced _nj_ as in <da_ng_er>
ny pronounced as in Pidgin _ni_ in <_ni_us>

The combination _ayé_ is pronounced _ai_ as in Pidgin <t_ai_m>.
The combination _awu_ is pronounced _au_ as in Pidgin <h_au_s>.

Entries are listed in the following order:
a,aa,b,d,e,é,g,i,j,k,l,m,n,ng,ny,o,p,r,s,t,u,v,w,y.

In certain letter combinations slight labialization (i.e. the
insertion of the sound, <w>) occurs in some words. The sound is
very slight, so slight that vernacular speakers do not want the
letter to be inserted in the spelling. Therefore the
pronunciation of such words is shown in brackets by the use of an asterisk
before the letter labialized, after the main entry. Such labialization may
occur in the following cases:

<b> + <i> or <e>, <m> + <i> or <e>, <p> + <i> or <e>.

In some cases the difference in sound between <a> and <aa>
seems to disappear. However, there are several minimal pairs
which indicate that the difference is important and should be
maintained. If the reader is having difficulty locating a word
in the dictionary under the one letter, he should double check
under the other letter.

This dictionary has been compiled making use of terminology
and analysis used in _Workpapers in Papua New Guinea Languages_
Vol.26, Ambulas Grammar (Wilson, 1980). The reader would find
pages 45 - 80, the sections on affixation of nouns, pronouns,
demonstratives and verbs, helpful in recognizing the stem of a
word and pages 19-22, the section on morphophonemics, of
assistance in identifying spelling changes.
12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 3
The main morphophonemic changes are as follows:
1. When the following suffix starts with a vowel-
stem final <p> adds <m> before the suffix
stem final <k> adds <n> [@] before the suffix
stem final <s> adds <ny> before the suffix
stem final <t> becomes <r> before the suffix
stem final <é> plus <é> becomes <a>
stem final <u> plus <é> usually becomes <a>
other stem final vowels plus <é> lose <é>
stem final <i> and <e> plus <e>, <o> or <u> add <y> at the
border
stem final <o> and <u> plus <e> add <w> at the border
For loss of other vowels before the following suffix and
for exceptions to the rules see Ambulas Grammar

2. When the following suffix starts with <k> then
<k> + <k> becomes <kg>.

Because of the frequency of spelling changes in the supplement
form of noun or pronoun, the supplement form is given in brackets
when the addition of the supplement suffix alters the appearance
of the stem.

Where verbs are concerned, the spelling of the stem
may similarly appear to change before certain suffixes. Therefore
the present tense (adds suffix <-o> or <-u>), relational same
actor partially consecutive form (adds <-e>), and, when the verb
stem ends in <-k>, the intentive same actor form (adds <-ké> which
then changes to <-gé>) are shown in brackets after the verb stem.

For a list of verb suffixes see Ambulas Grammar. Preceding
pages will also show the variety of inner suffixes that can be
added to a verb following the main stem. When looking up a word,
therefore, it is advisable to concentrate on the first few
letters of the word.

Nouns have masculine or feminine gender. Gender is natural of
people and larger animals and so is not indicated. Gender of
objects and small creatures is indicated. Also indicated by the
numbers 1,2 or 3 is the natural state of the object, whether it
1.sits (ro), 2.stands (tu) or 3.lies (kwao). All living plants and
trees stand (tu). All birds sit (ro). For further information see
Ambulas Grammar.

Verbs are recorded under the stem. This is the basic form, to
which suffixes are added, and also the form which is used with the
imperative marker.

12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 4
Reduplication, usually with a slight vowel or consonant
change, seems to be a feature of Nyamikum speech. It is used to
express intensification, e.g. _yéknwun_ <good>, becomes _yéknwun
yaaknwun_ <very good>. It seems likely that certain individuals
delight in such forms and use them frequently in everyday speech,
while others use them seldom. However, it seems that outside
Nyamikum reduplication is less used and less acceptable.
The triglot dictionary, _Kudi Kupuk_, to be published in late 1987, is an
abridged version of this dictionary. At the back of it are topical lists, a
simple grammar introduction and a list of Pidgin words in transition.

Abbreviations:
adj adjective
adv adverb
alt alternate form
ant antonym
cross-ref cross reference
dem demonstrative
deriv derived form
eg for example
exc exclamation
f feminine
Gram grammatical category
i.e. that is
inf additional information
int interrogative
lit. literally
loc locative
m masculine
n noun
num numeral
pl plural
prn pronoun
pron pronunciation
quan quantifier
redup reduplicated form
s singular
sp. species
subf subfile
temp temporal
v verb
1 takes positional verb, _ra_ <sit>
2 takes positional verb, _té_ <stand>
3 takes positional verb. _kwaa_ <lie>
12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 5
BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Close, Kevin and Ann and Gelege, Nabasel. Medicinal Plants of the Maprik
Area, in _Papua New Guinea Medical Journal_, Vol.18, No.3, Sep. 1975
• Holdsworth, David K., Gelege, Nambasel, Close, Kevin and Close, Ann. Some
Traditional Medicinal Plants of Papua New Guinea in _Science in New Guinea_
3 (3), Dec. 1975
• Iredale, Tom. Birds of New Guinea Pearson, D. The Birds of New Guinea Rand,
• A.L. and Gilliard, E.T. Handbook of New Guinea Birds Wearne,H., and
Wilson,P., 1969 Abelam People, _Essentials for Translation, Anthropology
Section_ (manuscript)
• Wilson, Patricia R., 1980 Ambulas Grammar, _Workpapers in Papua New
Guinea Languages_ Vol. 26
12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 6
a. . . x, a. . .x agérap

A - a

a. . . x, a. . .x [Note: call to pigs] daunbilo. Gwalmu adaki gaba dé ro. The
aakgéro (aakgéro, aakgérowe) See: talakna. things are in the house which is down a little
v. (be) bigger than. Wunat dé aakgérok. He way.
is bigger than me. adati See: ada. loc. down and over.
aang (aangu, aange) See: kudi. v. open adatiké See: adati. adj. Adatiké saknwu Down
(mouth). opim maus. Ména kudi aangménu and over the other side
wuné véké yo. Open your mouth and I will adawuli loc. down steep slope. daunbilo. Matu
look. SD: medical. nak yatbalaakuwuru tépétba dawuliye
aapegas n. SD: fungus. [Note: on rotting wood and adawuli jaaguba raké dé yo. I will push a
in kunai grass, small, white, edible] stone down the slope and it will rest on the
aatmu See: raatmu. level place below.
aawiwuré (aawiwuru, aawiwure) v. (be) adawuliki See: adawuli; adaki. adj. down steep
sarcastic, degrade. daunim. Kaaménén gaké slope. daunbilo. [Note: some distance away]
méné wunat aawiwuru. Concerning the ade See: ada.
house that you built you downgrade me. adé See: adéko.
[Note: 'put down' a person by saying the adé biyaak cockroach. kokoros. See: agérap
opposite of the truth] yakutnyé. SD: insect. [Note: old term, not
abal n.m. SD: banana. [Note: cooking] widely used now]
abé See: mi abé. n.m. bandicoot sp. mumut. SD: adégubal SD: mosquito. [Note: white and black]
animal. [Note: short-tailed, eaten] adékének n. SD: bird. [Note: not in area now,
abé kwaku green colour. See: kulé miyaaga. said to be a dark salt water bird, eats fish, near
[Note: seldom heard] coast]
abé laaknyény See: laaknyény. SD: yam. [Note: adéko See: agérap. Variant: adé. n.m. (big)
white, much-forked variety] coconut shell. sel bilong kokonas. [Note: with
abé malap See: malap. SD: fungus. [Note: small] small hole at top may be used as water gourd]
abé sokap See: gwaavé sokap. SD: yam. [Note: adél See: adél sadél. adj. true. tru. Wan adél kudi.
small, white variety] That is true talk. [Note: in reference to speech
abé wut bandicoot net. See: abé; wut. only]
abé yéwi See: matka. SD: syam. adél ya (. . yo, . . ye) become true. kamap tru.
abéjaabi SD: banana. [Note: cooking] Wani kudi adél dé yak. That talk became
abéko See: waabé. n.m. gorgor. SD: shrub. [Note: true. See: ya; adél.
red, white or green-leaved shrub, perfumed aga See: kéga; ani. adv dem. like this. olsem.
large leaves, species of ginger] [Note: refers forward or to near action]
abékovéré See: abéko. [Note: clump of abéko agada ka small yam (below ground). mami i go
plants] daun. See: ka; agela ka. [Note: general name
abéso ka See: kamaré ka. SD: syam. for small yam varieties which have tubers well
abétama n.m. SD: banana. [Note: cooking] down into ground, that is, all except three
abiga See: sawim. n.m. leaf shoots (coconut). SD: species]
shrub. [Note: curled leaf shoots of coconut] agalavén n.m. SD: tree. [Note: used for carvings
abu (abat) See: yaawi; baka; yésaa. n.m.2. on facade of spirit houses]
garden. gaden. [Note: Nyamikum area only] agé n. threadworms. Wani nyaan biyaa agé giye
abu wut corners of string bag. See: wut. dé ro. That child has worms and so a big
abulas n. Maprik language. [Note: Coastal people abdomen. SD: medical.
call speakers of this language Ambulam or agela ka small yam (near surface). mami i kam
Abelam, Bukiyip people say Abulas, but antap. See: ka; agada ka. [Note: general
speakers say of the language Ambulas.] name for three small yam varieties which have
abutak n.f.1. SD: animal; frog. [Note: large, tubers near surface of ground, varieties are
edible, green or black] kwadémané ka, malaka, palka, as distinct
abutékét See: kwabuték. from those with tubers which go well down
ada Variant: ade. loc. down a little way. daunbilo. into ground and so are harder to harvest]
Du nak adaba rate dé wo méné agérap See: vé agérap; adéko. n.m. coconut shell,
dawuliménuké. A man sitting below says for plate, dish. sel bilong kokonas, dis. [Note:
you to go down. coconut shell is rough with fibre still
adaki See: ada; adawuliki. adj. down a little way. adhering]
12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 7
agérap yakutnyé akipérek (akipéreknu, akipérekne, akipérekgé)

agérap yakutnyé cockroach. kokoros. See: akbut. v. chew (hard thing). kaikaim. Maasa
yakutnyé. SD: insect. [Note: This term not kudiba kusole dé akgétnyaak. He put the
known by the younger folk, who use the betelnut in his mouth and chewed it.
Pidgin term.] aki Variant: ake; akés; ke. excl. oh! olaman!
agérapgu See: adégubal. SD: mosquito. [Note: [Note: exclamation of surprise, often
same as adégubal] accompanied by slapping of left fist top with
agérapmu See: agéraptakwa. Variant: dialect: open right hand]
Wosera. aki (akiyu, akiye) See: aki baki. v. step on.
agéraptakwa See: nyaradé. Variant: gusétakwa. krungutim. Séraa nyaanét akimarék. Don't
n.f. tortoise. trausel. SD: animal; beetle. step on the chicken. Wunat ménéké aki baki
agét See: laaknyény. yakwa. You are standing on and breaking my
ageté ka SD: syam. back! [Note: many compound forms using this
agi n. rubbing stick (fire). [Note: used to start fire] verb, see akibés and following examples]
agwadé loc. outside. ausait. [Note: away from aki kiyaa (. . kiyao, . . kiyae) See: kiyaa. v.
speaker] faint, lose consciousness. hap i dai. Du nak
agwadé kwaaré (another) year, (earlier) year. képmaaba akére aki kiyaadéka vétakne de
narapela yia. See: kwaaré. kérae kure yék. A man fell to the ground and
agwadéké See: agwadé. Variant: agwadéki. adj. fainted and they saw this and carried him
other. narapela. Agwadéké saknwu. On the away.
other side. aki maan foot, trotter, paw, hoof. See: maan.
agwadéki See: agwadéké. aki tuwa taaba left hand. han kais. See: taaba.
agwadéki déknyény See: aniki déknyény. akibés (akibésnyu, akibésnye) See: akibés
[Note: three or more days ago] sakibés; bés. v. trample on and press out.
ain iron. ain. From: TP. SD: TokPidgin. krungutim long lek. Juda de wain sék
aja kudi parable. tok bokis. See: kudi; sékétnyé akibésnyék, wain gu kéraaké. The Jews
kudi. trampled down the grapes in order to get the
ak See: ramukuta. Variant: vaak. adj. ripe, grape juice.
heavy. mau, hevi. Yaabuba yéte wuné vék akibutkné (akibutkne, akibutkne) See: aki.
kopi las ak yate tédéka. While going on the v. step on and flatten. krungutim. Taapu mé
road I saw that there was some ripe coffee. akibutkné. Akibutkne mé véliye kwaa. Step
Méné mé yaata, ak yakwa bege. You carry on the palm sheath and flatten it. Then spread
it, since it is heavy! [Note: second meaning in it out and lie on it.
Nyamikum area only, alternative form akiding (akidingu, akidinge) See: aki. v.
elsewhere, first meaning accepted all over] stumble, go down on one leg. Akidinge wuné
akake SD: vine. akéréké yo. Having stumbled I will fall.
akas SD: snake. [Note: venomous] akigélé (akigélu, akigéle) See: akigélé
akbut (akburu, akbure) See: akgétnyaa. v. sakigélé; gélé; aki. v. knock down with feet.
chew (moderately hard thing). kaikaim. Wani krungutim. Méné miba kwaate ak ye tékwa
marasin akbutmarék. Sékétnyé mé nyérék. kwapikwany akigéléménu naané kérae
Don't chew that tablet! Swallow it whole! kaké yo. Lie on the tree branch and knock
ake See: akés. down the fruit with your feet and we will get
ake See: bul. and eat them! [Note: knock down in order to
akélak adv. quietly. isi. Derét waasa timuké wup harvest]
yate de akélak male yék. In order that the akikété (akikétu, akikéte) See: aki; akipata.
dog would not bite them, they went very v. tread on. krungutim. Wani baagwiba mé
quietly. akikété. Akikétéménu wuné kulaknyényké
akéré (akéru, akére) See: péri; béré akéré. v. yo. Tread on that vine! Do that and I will
fall. pundaun. Tépmaa kéréké waare dé release it.
akérék. He climbed up to pick coconuts but akinyal (akinyalu, akinyale) See: akinyal
fell down. sakinyal; aki. v. trample, work ground with
akérényaa west. See: dawuli. [Note: place or feet.
direction where sun goes down] akipata (akipato, akipate) See: aki; akikété.
akés See: aki. v. tread on, hold with feet. krungutim. Wuna
akgété (akgétu, akgéte) v. close mouth. pasim maanba akipatamarék. Don't tread on my
maus. Déku kudiba waasé yadéka dé akgéte feet!
ro. There are sores in his mouth so he sits with akipél (akipélu, akipéle) v. cause impatience
his mouth closed. in waiting.
akgétnyaa (akgétnyao, akgétnyae) See: akipérek (akipéreknu, akipérekne,
12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 8
akipérekgé) anygwa yakwa kaama

akipérekgé) See: aki; -pérek. v. step on amasa (amaso, amase) See: waapé. v. strip off
and kill. krungutim em i dai. Wani méjé mé bark (of sago). rausim skin bilong saksak.
akipérek. Step on that centipede and kill it! Kulaat naang naané amaso. We strip off the
akipéri (akipériyu, akipériye) See: aki; sago bark with a knife.
péri; akigélé. v. knock down with feet. ame n.m.2. village central area. graun i stap namel
krungutim. Guné kopi akipérimarék yaké long ples. [Note: open area in centre of hamlet
guné yo. Don't knock down the coffee with or village used for all important gatherings]
your feet! amékat n.m. (clay) pot. [Note: small, patterned,
akipulap (akipulapmu, akipulapme) purchased from other areas and often used to
See: aki; pulaap. v. crush with foot, stamp serve soup]
on. [Note: to kill an insect etc.] ana See: ané; -na. Variant: anaku. personal
akirébi (akirébiyu, akirébiye) See: aki. v. pronoun with possessive suffix. our (of two
straighten by treading on. Wani waagu mé people). bilong mitupela. Bét wak, "Wan ana
akirébi. Tread down (earth in) that hole and gwalmu." They two said, "Those are our
straighten it. things."
akirény (akirényu, akirénye) See: aki. v. step anaku See: ana.
on and force into. Matu mé akirény anakun prn. ours (of two people). bilong mitupela.
képmaaba dawulidu. Step on that stone and Wani taakwa vétik bét wak, "Wan
force it down into the ground. anakun." Those two women said, "That is
akitép See: agérap. n. coconut shell (small). sel ours."
bilong kokonas. [Note: used as soup ladle] anat See: ané. prn. us two. mitupela. Anat de vék.
akitowe See: tatéwe. They saw us two.
aksarék See: asaré. ané (anat) See: -té. prn (dual). we two. mitupela.
aku (aku, akwe) Ané kwekére ané yék. We two went slowly.
akutakna v. place (v), put on, load on, bear anéwe loc. short distance away. longwe liklik.
(fruit-tree). putim. Baapmu wut baagwiba [Note: upstream]
mé aku. Put the clothes on the line! Arigék ani See: kéni. adj dem. this. dispela. [Note: an
kwabasék akute dé tu. There are many wild ambiguous form possibly due to the fact that
figs on the wild fig tree. this is the Wosera equivalent for kéni, some
akwa SD: spear. [Note: woman's spear, for Nyamikum folk use the two forms
decoration, of wild areca palm, may be used as interchangeably while others see ani as a
a walking stick, was used for defence along middle distance term also functions as a
road] discourse and paragraph introducer]
akwi Variant: atép. quan. all. olgeta. Naané akwi aniba See: ani. loc. short distance away. longwe
yéké naané yo. We all will go. Naané akwi liklik.
kaapuk yanakwa. None of us does that. aniga See: aniba. loc. short distance away. longwe
[Note: alternative form used in other areas, liklik.
especially near Wosera areas when aniké See: ani. Variant: aniki. adj dem. another,
negativized this term gives idea of 'no-one'] next. narapela. Aniké nyaa. Another day.
alabiyang n.f.1. SD: frog. [Note: in pitpit and tree [Note: future or past]
foliage, variety of colours] anikénan See: ani. Variant: anikinan. prn dem.
alang See: waalang. this one. dispela. Matu mé kéraa!
alaté See: walakét. n. enclosure. [Note: square Anikénan? Get a stone! This one?
enclosure, marked off in front of ceremonial aniki See: aniké.
house by lengths of bamboo during the yam aniki déknyény three or more days ago. See:
growing season, females must not step over it] agwadéki déknyény.
alikang aphis. SD: insect. [Note: small, white, on anikinan See: anikénan.
coffee and other plants] anyagu n.m.1. whetstone. ston bilong sapim naip.
alikang jévés SD: ant. anyék n.f. earth tremor. guria. Anyék lé kuru.
alut See: kwalut. There is an earth tremor.
aluwo (aluwo, aluwe) v. reserve. Wani ga dé anygwa adj. crooked, bent, twisted, badly-behaved
dé aluwo. He reserves that house for himself. (child). krungut, bikhet. Anygwa yan mi wale
Dé aluwadéka naané waapi kwakwek. He ga kaamarék yaké méné yo. Don't build a
reserved the yam and we planted it for him. house with crooked wood!
ama n.m. (outside) bark of sago palm. skin bilong anygwa yakwa kaama Anygwa yakwa
saksak. kaama wuné saakwe kedéngu. I correct a
ama laari (. . laariyu, . . laariye) [Note: wayward child (lit. straighten crooked
part of initiation rite] bamboo) See: anygwa. [Note: figurative use]
12/13/2006 Ambulas — English — Tok Pidgin Dictionary 9
ao awubang

ao response. yes. yes. Variant: arigép. quan. many, several. planti.
ap (apmu, apme) See: apap. v. puff, pant. [Note: First two forms restricted in use to
sotwin. Apme wuné tu. I am getting my Nyamikum area]
breath (pant). Pétépété ye yaap yadéka dé arigép See: arigép sarigép; arigék.
apapmu. Having run he takes a rest and puffs. as See: paan; sélobus. n.m.2. woven sago bark.
apa n.m. bone, stalk, trunk, stem, strength. bun, blain. SD: fish. [Note: sago bark strips are
strong. SD: bodyparts. woven to form mat, stretcher or wall which
apa See: yaapa. Variant: dialect: Wosera. also includes front woven section of
apa adj. strong, stubborn, difficult, hard (to move). ceremonial house fish is about two feet long
strongpela. with a strong head]
apakélé See: apakélé tapakélé; némaa. adj. big. asa See: néwaa. Variant: dialect: Wosera.
bikpela, draipela. Apakélé tapakélé yadék asakwa See: kamaré ka. SD: syam. [Note: long
wuné taknak. Since it was so big I put it variety the length of one's arm]
down. [Note: reduplicated form restricted to asapéri See: arigék. quan. many, several. planti.
Nyamikum area] Variant: dialect: Wosera. [Note: used rarely
apang Variant: kwapang; kwang. n.m.1. shade. in Nyamikum area]
apap (apapmu, apapme) See: ap. asaré (asaru, asare) See: saaré. Variant:
apaté Variant: yaawi. n.m.2. jungle. bus. [Note: aksarék. v. step over. kalapim. Mi tuléba
form used mainly by villages to the east, asarétakne dawuliye dé kwawuba akérék.
Nyamikum prefer the alternative form] He stepped over the log and fell into the pool.
apaté kurépak n.f. Kingfisher sp. SD: bird. [Note: also means <lift up log> in some areas]
[Note: Sacred Kingfisher (Halycon sancta), asékni kaa (. . kao, . . kae) sneeze. kus. Dé
migrates, nests in white ants' nests, in villages asékni kaadéka wuné véknwuk. I heard him
to the west known as nébigo] sneeze. See: kaa.
api n.f. bird. pisin. [Note: general term, for list of -at See: -ét.
birds see under "bird species", most birds are ataré ya (. . yo, . . ye) See: waagi. v. laugh
considered feminine and take the positional very hard. Wani taakwa ataré lé yo wani
verb ra, because of totem system birds are baadit véte. That woman laughs very hard
highly significant] when she sees that child.
api kus (mineral) spring water, salty water. See: atda See: gwalé. loc. underneath. aninit. [Note:
kus. under water or cement]
apidi SD: banana. [Note: cooking] até n.m. limestone, sedimentary rock. [Note:
apiléki SD: vine. fossil-bearing rock, usually pale colour]
apma adj. weak, rotting. no strong, sting. Nyu atéku kaa (. . kao, . . kae) cough. kus. See:
apma dé yak. The firewood has become yaat kélé. [Note: rarely heard]
weak. Apma mi. Rotting tree. Apma naang. atép See: akwi. Variant: dialect: Wosera. [Note:
Unprocessed sago gone rotten. rarely used in Nyamikum but often used by
apmak See: apmak kapmak; apmé; taabék. n.m. villages to the west]
part, portion, side. hap. Méné apmak ka atgwadéki saknwu See: agwadéki saknwu.
kaménu wuné apmak kawuru. You eat one [Note: lit. 'the other side', means 'the spirit
part of the yam and let me eat the other part. world' or 'the unseen', same as buwi takuba]
Apmak du. Men of the life beyond (lit. of the ati (atiyu, atiye) See: pu; sayé. v. cross (river),
other side). Apmak kapmak. On each side. ford. brukim wara. Kwayé puwe atiké dé
[Note: reduplicated form in Nyamikum area yapatiyu. He is not able to cross through the
only] flooded river. Mi takuba de atiyu. They cross
apmé See: apmak. n. half, area, section. hap. on the tree.
apu n. time, occasion. taim. Nak apu. One time. atku See: apa. adj. strong, firm, hard (object).
Apu vétik. Two times. Apu apu. Always. strongpela. Atku dé yo. It is hard. Atku du.
apuba apuba always. oltaim oltaim. See: apu. Strong man.
aputékalép n.m. rash, measles, ringworm. atku See: piré. n. plaited band. [Note: plaited band
Aputékalép dé yo. He has a rash. SD: around spear or handdrum]
medical. atku n. handdrum sp.
ara See: tépmaa. n.m. group of people, mat. lain, awu See: amékat. n.m. (clay cooking) pot,
mat. [Note: woven from coconut leaf] saucepan, arm band (of vine). sospen, paspas.
aranyim n. [Note: villages in mountains to the awu n. herd (pigs), pack (dogs). Awu baalé. Herd
west use this name of Nyamikum people and of pigs. [Note: heard only in reference to pigs
those in villages further east] and dogs]
arigék See: arigék sarigék; asapéri; wupmalemu. awubang Variant: awukwiso. n. (upper) arm. SD:
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