Grammar and Vocabulary of the Lau Language, Solomon Islands Part 8

Grammar and Vocabulary of the Lau Language, Solomon Islands Part 8

_aqaoro_ v. i., to stoop. S. _aqa oro_.

_arabuu_ v. i., to reach, arrive at. S. _arapuu_.

_arai_ 1. n., husband; _arai faalu_, bridegroom; _arai na luma_, master of the house.

_arai_ 2. n., a chief; _inite arai_, the elders.

_arenga-_ (_gu_) n., part, duty. S. _arenga_.

_ariabasi_ v. i., to strive, endeavor, attempt. S. _lapasi_.

_ariri_ v. i., to be shaken. S. _ariri_.

_aro_ v. i., to soar. S. _aro_.

_asi_ 1. n., the sea, salt water, salt; i _toulana asi_, on the surface of the sea; _asi namo_, a lake; _busu asi_, a whale. S.

_'asi_.

_asi_ 2. man's brother, woman's sister; used only with art. _mwai_; _mwai asi_, brethren. Cf. _sasi_. S. _'asi_.

_asi_ 3. v. tr., to cast away, to fall down; _daro langi si asidaro laona kilu_, shall they not both fall into the ditch?

_asia_ 1. adj., scattered; 2. adv., much, excessive, very; _tou asia na_, very lowly; _elangi asia_, far from it, by no means. S.

_'asi'a_.

_asua_ n. daylight, daytime; _fe asua_, a day. S. _atowa_.

_asufe_ n., a rat. S. _'asuhe_.

_ati_ interrog. p.r.o.n. sing, who, pl. _gerati_; _ati gera_, who among them? _ati susulia_, who knows? (I can't say); _doo ati_, whose thing, who owns it? _ati satana_, what (who) is his name? S.

_atei_.

_ato_ 1. v. i., to be in motion; _ato buri_, with poss., to turn the back on; _ato folo_, to cross over; _lua e ato fafigera_, the flood came upon them; _ato ae_, to move quickly, to hurry. S. _ato_ 1.

_ato_ 2. v. i., to be difficult.

_au_ n., the bamboo, flute; musical instrument. S. _au_ 3.

_auau_; _ngidu auau_, to hate.

B

_ba_ adv., gives force, explains, makes the diction less abrupt; _ai ba_, who then? _a doo ba_, why so-and-so; _go_ may be added, _a doo_ _bago_, the man there.

_babala_ n., a tempest; _babalai tolo_, a hurricane.

_babali_ (_gu_) n., cheek. Cf. _bali_. S. _papali_.

_babara_ (_gu_) n., side (of persons only), loins. S. _parapara_.

_babaranga_ n., a draught, shoal, of fish; _babarangai ia_, a shoal of fish.

_babataini_ v. tr., to throw down, break by throwing down, overthrow. S. _papa_.

_bae_, _babae_ v. tr., to speak, to say; _bae fua_, to rebuke.

_baea_, v. n., word; _si baea_, a word; _a si baea_, The Word.

_baela_ (_gu_) v. n., word, the act of speaking; _si baela nana_, that word.

_baita_ big, loud, to grow big; _manata baita ana_, to love a person; _mala baita_, Big Malaita. It is worth notice that the last three letters of _baita_, viz, _ita_, are those which the Spaniards, the original discoverers of Malaita, added to the name _mala_, by which Malaita is known to the natives of those parts.

The part of the island which the Spaniards saw and named is called by its inhabitants _mala baita_, and it is conceivable that the _ba_ of _baita_ may have been lost in transcription. S. _paine_, Alite _baita_. The root is probably _bai_, and _ta_ a verbal suffix.

_balafe_ v. tr., to thank, to praise. S. _paalahe_.

_balafela_ v. n., praise, thanksgiving.

_balala_, _bala_ v. i., used with _fafi_; _balala fafi_, to despise.

_bali_ n., part, side, of position; _ita bali logo_, from over there; _i bali jordan i bali logo_, from the other side of the Jordan; _te bali babali_, one cheek; _te bali maa_, one eye; Cf.

_babali_. S. _papali_, cheek.

_bara_ n., a fence, gate, wall, courtyard; _gule bara_, family (tribe). S. _para_.

_baraa_ n., a feast.

_baru_ n., a large sea-going canoe, ship (late use).

_bata_ n., sh.e.l.l money. S. _haa_.

_bebe_ n., moth, b.u.t.terfly. S. _pepe_.

_bele_ v. i., by mischance, by mistake, in error, of no avail.

_belengaini_ v. tr., to do a thing by mischance, in error. S.

_pele_.

_beli_, _belibeli_ v. tr., to steal, to rob, to steal from a person.

_belila_ v. n., theft. S. _peli_.

_beu_ n., a chamber in a house; _kade beu_, inner chamber.

_bibii_ n., mud. S. _qiqi_.

_bibisu_ n., shiny starling, _callornis metallica_. s. _pipisu_.