CHAPTER X.
VOCABULARY OF THE ISLANDS OF BOUGAINVILLE STRAITS—TREASURY ISLAND, THE SHORTLAND ISLANDS, FARO OR FAURO ISLAND, WITH CHOISEUL BAY.

This vocabulary was formed in great part by Lieutenant A. Leeper, to whom I may take this opportunity of expressing my thanks for his kindness, in thus placing it at my disposal. I have supplemented this list from smaller vocabularies made by Lieutenant C. F. de M. Malan and by myself. It is to be regretted that, owing to Lieutenant Malan taking up a Colonial appointment in Fiji during the last year of the commission, we were unable to avail ourselves in a further degree of his knowledge of the Fijian tongue, and of his general acquaintance with the construction of the Polynesian languages. We are, however, especially indebted to him for the recognition of the pronominal suffixes.

The spelling follows to a great extent the mode adopted in the missionary alphabet of Professor Max Müller, as given on page 116 of the Anthropological Notes and Queries drawn up at the request of the British Association. The vowels and diphthongs are pronounced as in the following examples;—a as a in father, e as a in fate, i as i in marine, o as o in note, u as oo in moon, ai as ai in aisle, au as ou in proud. Where there has been an evident want of agreement in the three vocabularies, I have given the different words or the different spellings, as the case may have occurred. We have thus been, in some degree, “checks” to each other: and I hope we have avoided, in this manner, many of those errors into which the unassisted framer of a vocabulary is so liable to fall. The accented syllable is thus indicated (´) in most instances where it is needed, the accent being usually placed on the penultimate.

Miscellaneous Words

Afraid Fulau.
Angry Fangolu; Gafolu.
Armlet Pago.
Arrow Iliu.
Ashes Oafu.
Awl Nila.
Axe Libba-libba; Levo-levo.
Back Aro.
Bad Paiténa.
Bag Ko-isa.
Basket Koko; Besa.
Beat (to) Lapu.
Before Gaga.
Behind Arogu.
Big Yolulla; Kana-kana.
Blood Masíni.
Blow Ifu.
Bow Lili.
Boy Taui.
Break (to) Taposha.
Bring Galómi.
Brother Manai-ina.
Bury (to) Nafu.
Buy Fūna-aili.
Calico Bauro.
Canoe Obuna.
Cap So-so.
Capsize (to) Igomo.
Charcoal Sibi.
Chew Tatau.
Chief Lálafa; Yolóna.
Chief’s eldest son Natuna.
Clean Lapu; Sapolu.
Club Peko.
Club (dancing) Toko; Toku.
Cold Lulu-gulu.
Comb Supi.
Cut Ausi.
Dance Gatu.
Dark Lali.
Day Boï.
Dead Mate; Imati.
Deaf Kipau.
Devil (i.e., bad spirit) Nito paiténa.
Dig (to) Eli.
Dirty Mati.
Drift (to) Ali.
Drink (to) Atali aoa.
Drinking-vessel (a cocoanut).
with neck of bamboo Dogo.
without neck Droo.
Dry Dūgga-dūgga.
Earthquake Nono.
Eat (to) A-am.
Egg I-au.
Empty Golu.
Enough Sumána.
Fall Kappa.
Fan Etif.
Far De-apína.
Fat Hatutu.
Father Apa.
Few Alua-tapoína.
Fight Tala.
Finish (end) Egáfulu.
Finished Sumána.
Fire Feli.
Fish-hook A-ili.
Flint Kilifela.
Fly (to) Lofu.
Food Dorómi; Darámi.
Fo„d (cooked) Selo-selo.
Full Forna.
Gift Teletafala.
God (i.e., good spirit) Nito drékona.
Good Drékona; Dékona.
Great Yolulla; Kana-kana.
Half Koputi.
Heaven Lavia.
Heavy Mamma.
Hot Posella.
House Numa; Fale-fale.
Ho„se (tambu) Olatu.
Hungry Belu.
Inside Uni; Fakoria.
Jew’s harp Mako-mako.
Jump (to) Subolosa.
Kick (to) Savulu.
Kill (to) So-orti.
Kneel (to) Fasiliki.
Knife Papalana.
Know (to) Atai.
Lick (to) Damíti.
Lift (to) Ikoti.
Light (in weight) Dugga-dugga.
Live (to) Peoka.
Long Deapa.
Mad Kipau.
Man Kániga; Tium; Kániga-tium.
Many Tapóina.
Mat Sararang; Pota.
(The names of the two pandanus trees, from the leaves of which the mats are made.)
Match Sararang (vide preceding).
Moon Ilala; Ilella.
Mother Unka.
Naked Ampea-paiia.
Net (fishing) Sorau (large).
Sai-aili (small).
Awi-sulu.
(The plant supplying the fibre is named awi-sulu, probably a species of “Lyonsia.”)
New Faolu.
Night Lali.
No Api; Apea.
Noise So-orli.
None Ausaka.
Now Ivai.
Old Purafalu.
Open Kapeta.
Outside Ampapaluna.
Paddle (noun and verb) Fosi; Fose.
Pay Aili.
Path Poa.
Pearl Bor-otulu.
Pestle and mortar (wooden), used for pounding food Tagero.
Plane (a) Ketuma.
Plenty Tapóina.
Pot (cooking) Kore.
Present (a) Teletafala.
Quarter Totoli.
Queen Mamaifi.
Quick Fakare.
Rain Laiti.
Resin[166]- Anóga, for torches.
Re„inTita, for canoe seams.
Rope Fili.
Run Gágona.
Same Umbilua.
Sea Keno; Kelo.
Short Papa.
Shut Dakopi.
Sick Mate; Sali.
Sing (to) Gatu.
Sister Fafini.
Sit Ahotu.
Sky Abu; Avu.
Sleep Suéli.
Small Kaidakína.
Smoke Tula.
Speak Arei; Selli-selli.
Spear Portulu.
Spirit Nito; Nitu.
Star Bito-bito.
Stone Patu.
Stop Aru.
Sun Feo; Isang.
Swim (to) Usu.
Tail Aukuna.
Tambu (forbidden) Olatu.
Tear Igati.
Thin Morsu.
Thirsty Fana-oa.
To-day Ibai.
To-morrow Boiwa
Town Famaca.
Tray Kisu; Kishu.
(The name of the palm supplying the material for making the trays is also “kisu.”)
Tree Au; Ava.
Waist-cloth Malioto.
Wait Au.
Walk (to) Dagona.
Wash (to) Sisi.
Water Ateli (fresh).
Wa„er Kelo; Keno (salt).
Wet Pu-un.
What? Afana?
When? Lefila?
Whistle (to) Faso.
Wife Ewa.
Wind Oa.
Woman Batafa; Bataha; Talai-ina.
Wood Au.
Work Karre.
Worn Tualina.
Yes O-o.
Yesterday Lafi.

[166] These are also the native names of the trees supplying the resins, the anoga being probably a species of “Canarium,” the tita, “Parinarium laurinum.”

Numerals.

OneIlia; Kala.
TwoElua.
ThreeÉpisa; Ébisha.
FourEfáte; Efatsi.
FiveLima.
SixOnomo; Onoma.
SevenFito; Fit.
EightAlu.
NineUlia.
TenLáfulu.
ElevenLáfulu kala.
TwelveLáfulu élua.
ThirteenLáfulu épisa
FourteenLáfulu efáte
FifteenLáfulu lima.
SixteenLáfulu ónomo.
SeventeenLáfulu fito.
EighteenLáfulu alu.
NineteenLáfulu úlia.
TwentyTanuge; Tana oge.
ThirtyPisa-vulu.
FortyFatia-vulu.
FiftyLima-hulu.
SixtyNomo-fulu.
SeventyFitua-fulu.
EightyAlua-fulu.
NinetyTia-fulu; Sia-fulu.
HundredLatu; Latu-u.