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[dalappoɾoɖ]
place on a tree where two branches rub together; the sound of two branches rubbing together Dalabon – 5 speakers – Australia (Arnhem Land) You can curse someone by putting a piece of their dirty/sweaty clothing in spot where the two branches meet. The accursed will get sick and can only recover if the item is removed from the dalabborrord. Source: Evans, Merlan & Tukumba (eds, 2004) Dalabon Dictionary Credit: Alexandra Marley [ʔʌnʌltiɬ]
(s)he is eating berries off the bush Carrier/Dakelh – 600 speakers – central British Columbia, Canada Berries, especially blueberries, form a significant part of the traditional diet, and collecting and drying berries is a major summer activity. Carrier people even set forest fires in order to create berry habitat. Of course it is hard to avoid eating while you work, or picking a few berries for a snack while travelling. However, "eating berries off the bush" is not the true meaning of this verb. You can use it to describe someone eating berries as he or she picks them, but you can also use it to describe someone eating berries one by one from a bowl. On the other hand, someone eating berries by the spoonful cannot be described using this word. What this verb actually describes is eating individual members of a "mess" of berries. Most of the time we do not concern ourselves with individual berries, just as we do not concern ourselves with individual grains of sand, salt, sugar, or rice. There are so many that we think of the collection as an uncountable mass, not as a set of individuals. If we eat members of such a "mess" one by one, so that we individuate them, we are doing what is described by this verb. In this word, the n is a "classifier" for round things. We can use the same basic verb, without the n, to describe a bear eating ants, where, unfortunately from the bear's point of view, it is possible only to get hold of one or a few ants at a time. More about Carrier. Source: personal field notes Credit: Bill Poser [gaɾijoljolmɛn]
Let's story Kunwok – 2,000 speakers – Australia (Arnhem Land) The word karriyolyolmen can be analysed karri- (we) yolyolme (tell story) -n (imperative). The root yolyolme, "tell a story", or "relate news", is distinct from wokdi, "speak" or "talk". Nga-yolyolme bu namarrkon djang I- "story" about lightning dreaming I tell a story about lighting dreaming Kunwok is a complex of six language varieties spoken in West Arnhem in the 'Top End' of Australia. For more information about Kunwok visit kunwok.org. Credit: Steven Bird, Bulanj Dean Yibarbuk [k'onihʔazi]
A newly wed beaver couple, that is, a male beaver and a female beaver who have recently formed a union and built a lodge together. Carrier/Dakelh – 600 speakers – central British Columbia, Canada The Carrier region is full of streams and woods suitable for beaver, and beaver are plentiful. European contact was motivated largely by the desire for the pelts of beaver and other fur-bearing animals. Traditionally, Carrier people hunted beaver primarily for the meat, especially the tail, which is rich and fatty, which may be off-putting to non-locals but is appealing to people accustomed to a cold, northern climate. Carrier people know a great deal about beavers and have an elaborate terminology for them. More about Carrier. Source: field notes from work with the late Harry Pierre Credit: Bill Poser |
UntranslatableExtraordinary words from the world's Indigenous languages. Archives
June 2021
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