Appendix:Tuvaluan Swadesh list
This is a Swadesh list of words in Tuvaluan, compared with definitions in English.
Presentation
[edit]- For further information, including the full final version of the list, read the Wikipedia article: Swadesh list.
American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.
List
[edit]| No. | English | Tuvaluan te ggana tuvalu |
IPA pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | au, aku kita (affective, i.e. poor me) |
|
| 2 | you (singular) | koe kita (affective, i.e. poor me) |
|
| 3 | he | ia | |
| 4 | we | tāua (dual inclusive) tātou (plural inclusive) māua (dual exclusive) mātou (plural exclusive) |
|
| 5 | you (plural) | koulua (dual), koutou (plural) | |
| 6 | they | lāua (dual), lātou (plural) | |
| 7 | this | tēnei (close to the speaker) | |
| 8 | that | tēnā (close to the person spoken to) tēlā (away from both) |
|
| 9 | here | (i) konei (close to the speaker) | |
| 10 | there | (i) konā (close to the person spoken to) (i) kolā (away from both) |
|
| 11 | who | ko oi (interrogative) | |
| 12 | what | ā (interrogative) | |
| 13 | where | tēfea (interrogative, singular) kofea (non-singular) |
|
| 14 | when | anafea (interrogative, in the past) māfea (interrogative, in the future) |
|
| 15 | how | pēfea (interrogative) | |
| 16 | not | sē | |
| 17 | all | katoa | |
| 18 | many | uke | |
| 19 | some | nīsi (i.e. some other) | |
| 20 | few | nāi, mū, mō, sē uke | |
| 21 | other | suā (singular) nīsi (plural) |
|
| 22 | one | tasi | |
| 23 | two | lua | |
| 24 | three | tolu | |
| 25 | four | fā | |
| 26 | five | lima (also: hand, arm) | |
| 27 | big | lasi | |
| 28 | long | loa | |
| 29 | wide | laufea | |
| 30 | thick | mātolu 'poto (of texture) ūsi (of hair) |
|
| 31 | heavy | 'mafa | |
| 32 | small | fōliki | |
| 33 | short | toetoe | |
| 34 | narrow | lauliki | |
| 35 | thin | pakā (of animates) | |
| 36 | woman | fafine | |
| 37 | man (male) | tagata | |
| 38 | man (human) | tino (i.e. person) | |
| 39 | child | tamaliki | |
| 40 | wife | āvaga (i.e. spouse) | |
| 41 | husband | āvaga (i.e. spouse) | |
| 42 | mother | mātua (also: parent) mātua fafine (Nanumea dialect) |
|
| 43 | father | tamana mātua tagata (Nanumea dialect) |
|
| 44 | animal | manu | |
| 45 | fish | ika | |
| 46 | bird | manulele, manueva | |
| 47 | dog | kulī | |
| 48 | louse | kutu | |
| 49 | snake | gata | |
| 50 | worm | kalemutu, kalamuta ilo (i.e. maggot) anufe (i.e. caterpillar) |
|
| 51 | tree | lākau | |
| 52 | forest | togālākau vao (i.e. bush) |
|
| 53 | stick | lākau (also: tree) | |
| 54 | fruit | fua, fuaga | |
| 55 | seed | tega; fuaga | |
| 56 | leaf | lau | |
| 57 | root | aka | |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | pa'kili | |
| 59 | flower | pua, pula, pulalākau, tiale | |
| 60 | grass | mouku | |
| 61 | rope | maea kolokolo (i.e. string) lōpu (English loan: rope) |
|
| 62 | skin | pa'kili (also: bark), kili, laukili | |
| 63 | meat | 'kano, meafasi | |
| 64 | blood | toto | |
| 65 | bone | ivi | |
| 66 | fat (noun) | gako | |
| 67 | egg | fua (also: fruit, seed, testicle) | |
| 68 | horn | sau, [suki | |
| 69 | tail | felo; velo (Niutao dialect) | |
| 70 | feather | fulu; fulufulu | |
| 71 | hair | lauulu (head), fulufulu (body) | |
| 72 | head | ulu; piho (Nanumea and Manumaga dialects) | |
| 73 | ear | taliga | |
| 74 | eye | mata (also: face) | |
| 75 | nose | isu | |
| 76 | mouth | gutu | |
| 77 | tooth | nifo | |
| 78 | tongue | alelo, laulaufava | |
| 79 | fingernail | ma'nia (also: toenail) | |
| 80 | foot | vae | |
| 81 | leg | vae | |
| 82 | knee | tulivae | |
| 83 | hand | lima (also: five) | |
| 84 | wing | kapakau, pakau | |
| 85 | belly | tinae, manava, also | |
| 86 | guts | tinae, kākay | |
| 87 | neck | ua | |
| 88 | back | tua] | |
| 89 | breast | ū, fatafata (also: chest) | |
| 90 | heart | fatu (physical), loto (symbolic) | |
| 91 | liver | ate | |
| 92 | to drink | inu | |
| 93 | to eat | kai | |
| 94 | to bite | ū | |
| 95 | to suck | mitimiti, 'miti | |
| 96 | to spit | puaki, pōki | |
| 97 | to vomit | lua | |
| 98 | to blow | 'pusi (i.e. to exhale, also: to smoke), agi (of wind) | |
| 99 | to breathe | mānava | |
| 100 | to laugh | kata | |
| 101 | to see | lavea, matea | |
| 102 | to hear | logo, fakalogo, fakalogologo, lagona | |
| 103 | to know | iloa | |
| 104 | to think | mafaufau | |
| 105 | to smell | 'sogi (also: to kiss), manogi (i.e. to smell bad) | |
| 106 | to fear | mataku | |
| 107 | to sleep | moe | |
| 108 | to live | ola | |
| 109 | to die | mate (also: dead) | |
| 110 | to kill | tāmate | |
| 111 | to fight | tau, taua, faitaua | |
| 112 | to hunt | tulimanu, pukemanu | |
| 113 | to hit | 'pā, tā, 'kini; fusu (i.e. to punch) | |
| 114 | to cut | 'tipi, tipitipi, 'sele, selesele; 'kati (English loan: to cut) | |
| 115 | to split | īsi, isiisi | |
| 116 | to stab | 'suki | |
| 117 | to scratch | lati, 'kali (i.e. to scratch off) | |
| 118 | to dig | keli, sua | |
| 119 | to swim | 'kau | |
| 120 | to fly | lele, eva | |
| 121 | to walk | sāsāle | |
| 122 | to come | vau sau (Niutao dialect) hau (Nanumea and Nanumaga dialect) au'mai, o'mai, 'mai (plural) |
|
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | takato | |
| 124 | to sit | nofo, sagasaga (state); nofo ki lalo, sagasaga ki lalo (action) | |
| 125 | to stand | tū | |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | aga, 'fuli, fakapiko | |
| 127 | to fall | tō, siga | |
| 128 | to give | tuku; ave (to a third person) | |
| 129 | to hold | puke (i.e. to take hold of), taofi (i.e. to keep hold of) | |
| 130 | to squeeze | 'kumi, 'kaku | |
| 131 | to rub | 'mili, milimili, 'solo, solosolo | |
| 132 | to wash | fulu, 'mulu, fakakoukou | |
| 133 | to wipe | 'solo, solosolo (also: to rub) | |
| 134 | to pull | futi, toso | |
| 135 | to push | tule, usu | |
| 136 | to throw | pei, lafo | |
| 137 | to tie | fusi, 'sai | |
| 138 | to sew | 'sui, suisui, 'tui, tuitui | |
| 139 | to count | lau | |
| 140 | to say | fai, muna | |
| 141 | to sing | usu | |
| 142 | to play | tāfao | |
| 143 | to float | lagalaga, lāga | |
| 144 | to flow | tafe | |
| 145 | to freeze | faka'moko | |
| 146 | to swell | 'fete (also: to inflate) kiatolo (also: filariasis) |
|
| 147 | sun | lā | |
| 148 | moon | māsina (also: month) | |
| 149 | star | fetū | |
| 150 | water | vai (fresh water), tai (salt water) | |
| 151 | rain | ua], vaiua, uāga | |
| 152 | river | vaitafe | |
| 153 | lake | vai, vaitūloto namo (also: lagoon) |
|
| 154 | sea | tai, moana vasa (ocean) |
|
| 155 | salt | māsima | |
| 156 | stone | fatu (also: heart) | |
| 157 | sand | one | |
| 158 | dust | 'pefu | |
| 159 | earth | laukele, kele (soil), lalolagi (world) | |
| 160 | cloud | kaumana | |
| 161 | fog | asu, asuasu | |
| 162 | sky | lagi (also: heaven) | |
| 163 | wind | matagi | |
| 164 | snow | kiona | |
| 165 | ice | aisa, poloka (English loans: ice, [ice] block) | |
| 166 | smoke | au, ausaga | |
| 167 | fire | afi | |
| 168 | ash | lefu | |
| 169 | to burn | 'kā | |
| 170 | road | auala, ala | |
| 171 | mountain | mauga | |
| 172 | red | 'kula | |
| 173 | green | usi (dark green), lanulauniu kulīni (English loan: green) |
|
| 174 | yellow | 'sega | |
| 175 | white | 'kena | |
| 176 | black | uli (also: dark) | |
| 177 | night | pō | |
| 178 | day | aso (i.e. calendar day, 24 hours) ao (i.e. from sunrise to sunset only) |
|
| 179 | year | tausaga | |
| 180 | warm | 'vela (i.e. hot), māfanafana | |
| 181 | cold | 'moko, makalili | |
| 182 | full | 'fonu (of a room, container etc.), mākona (of the belly) | |
| 183 | new | fou, fōu (Niutao dialect) | |
| 184 | old | matua (of people) | |
| 185 | good | 'lei | |
| 186 | bad | māsei | |
| 187 | rotten | 'pala, 'pala māsei | |
| 188 | dirty | lailai | |
| 189 | straight | 'tonu, 'tonu kisi | |
| 190 | round | pukupuku | |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | 'kai | |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | 'tuka | |
| 193 | smooth | molemole | |
| 194 | wet | 'siu | |
| 195 | dry | malō | |
| 196 | correct | sao, tonu, fakatonu, tonu kisikisi | |
| 197 | near | pili | |
| 198 | far | 'mao | |
| 199 | right | fakaatamai | |
| 200 | left | fakamaui | |
| 201 | at | i | |
| 202 | in | i, i loto (i) | |
| 203 | with | fakatasi mo | |
| 204 | and | mo (with noun phrases); ma (with certain numerals) kae (with verb phrases); |
|
| 205 | if | kāfai, māfai, manafai (also: when) | |
| 206 | because | i te mea, ona ko, auā | |
| 207 | name | igoa |
- Orthography :
The orthography used in this list is the one recommended by the Tuvalu Language Board (TLB):
- Geminated vowels are indicated by a macron, e.g. <auā>, or by double letters when they occur across morpheme boundaries, e.g. <fakaatamai>.
- Geminated consonants are indicated by a preceding apostrophy, e.g. <'mao>.
- The velar nasal /ŋ/ is written as <g>, e.g. <igoa>.
- Pronunciation:
Tuvaluan vowels roughly have Spanish values and geminated vowels are pronounced longer but less than twice as long as ungeminated ones.
Tuvaluan consonants: Plosives are unaspirated and /l/ is never velarized but always “clear”; other consonants are roughly pronounced as in English. Geminated consonants are pronounced longer but less than twice as long as ungeminated ones, and geminated stops are also aspirated.
Stress in Tuvaluan always falls on the penultimate mora.
- Bibliography:
Besnier, Niko. Tuvaluan. Routledge, London and New York, 2000.
Besnier, Niko. Tuvaluan lexicon. United States Peace Corps, Funafuti, 1981.
Jackson, Geoffrey. Tuvaluan dictionary. Oceania Printers, Suva, 2010.
Noricks, Jay S. A Tuvalu dictionary. Human Relations Area Files, New Haven, Connecticut, 1981.
Ranby, Peter. Nanumea lexicon. Pacific Linguistics C-65, Canberra, 1980.