Category Archives: vocabulary

Numbami words < likely Guhu-Samane sources
abo ‘goodbye’ < abo ‘goodbye’, aipo ‘leavetaking’
abuabu ‘mud, muddy’ < qapu ‘clay pot, saucepan’
ausama ‘warclub’ < usama ‘wooden fighting club’
egaŋaiŋai ‘wallaby’ < eka gahigahi ‘wallaby’
eloma ‘amethystine python’ < eromara ‘snake type’
gaiboli ‘echidna’ < gaipori ‘echidna’
gaweta ‘emerald monitor lizard’ < kabesa ‘small green lizard’
geleŋgau ‘tree frog’ < kerengau ‘type of frog’
gobe ‘rat, mouse’ < gope ‘rat, mouse’
ibaluwa ‘tree kangaroo’ < iparuba ‘tree kangaroo’
kaebe ‘sugar glider’ < khaebe ‘sugar glider’
misimisi ‘sandflea’ < misimisi ‘mosquito’
siliwo ‘ground skink’ < siriquba ‘smaller lizards, geckos, chameleon’
suni ‘small bat’ < suni ‘bird type’
ubela ‘gecko type’ < (q)upera ‘gecko’
ubu ‘pandanus type’ < upu ‘inedible pandanus type’
zimani ‘acorn’ < ttimani ‘oak with edible acorns’
zole ‘termite’ < tore ‘termite, white ant’

(There are a lot more subtypes in the full dictionary.)
ai usi butterfish (spotted, humpbacked)
aigulu parrotfish (half-toothed)
alongana tang, surgeonfish type (small); tang type
amata groper
baidume emperor fish type (variegated or reticulated)
bawi snapper type (rosy)
bawila snapper type (dark barred)
bela parrotfish type (red speckled)
besule gudgeon (freshwater fish)
bilowa squirrelfish
boboli tuskfish; parrotfish type
bobowila snapper type (dusky-striped)
bogala sweetlips type (banded)
bokiyo wrasse type (black-eyed, thick-lip)
bola amala halibut, flounder, sole
bolongawila coralfish (with dorsal protrusions)
bonga mullet (with large scales)
bota scorpionfish (freshwater)
bui dabola saury, lizardfish, grinner
buna parrotfish type (barred)
buna-wa-kalawa parrotfishes (in general)
bunala batfish
butumana Moses perch (with dark spot)
buza tang, surgeonfish type (white-tailed)
dabeyala mullet
daboki triggerfish type (lined)
dangala parrotfish type (violet-lined)
denala rabbitfish; spinefoot
doga pufferfish, blowfish
dogi tuna; albacore (yellowfin or bluefin; largest of tuna)
dudusama fusilier fish
galelengi diamondfish
gama hardyhead fish
gibugibu sweetlips fish
gilangana smoothhead unicorn tang
guniaula parrotfish type (long-nosed)
iliwiya bigeye fish, bullseye fish
iwonggona freshwater eel
iya ali parrotfish type (surf, streaked)
iya alu garfish type (medium-sized, plain)
iya dogi tuna type (solid colors)
iya lasi leatherskin, dart (elongated, with lateral dots)
iya linga mangrove jack; snapper type (dark red)
iya molosa whiting fish
iya tatalinga anemonefish, clownfish
iya wasawa mackerel (very small)
iya watu cowfish; boxfish (smaller)
iya yawowo threadfin (giant)
iyawama mackerel
iyo amberjack; rainbow runner; yellowtail
iyusi emperor fish (spotted, reticulated)
kadaba fish type (small, freshwater)
kaita fish type (freshwater)
kalawa parrotfish type (red-lipped or orange-bodied)
kale yambatuna parrotfish type (hump-headed)
kalo rainbowfish (freshwater, striped)
kamumila barracuda (large, near reefs)
kau mullet type (smaller, freshwater, yellow eyes and fins)
kembala archerfish (brackish water dweller)
kembombo butterfly fish, coralfish (undifferentiated)
kima sergeant-major fish type (banded)
kiyami niwo blue tuskfish, parrotfish
kiyaota goatfish (in general)
kolangkolang sprat, round herring
komba moray eel, reef eel
kombiyo sand bass (small)
kosipama filefish, leatherjacket
kotekote blenny (with single long dorsal fin)
kulawi rock cod
kundu atila soldierfish (estuarine, pink, lined)
laki watu stripey
lau razorfish (stays vertical)
lelenggana garfish type (larger, with markings)
liliya walasa triggerfish type (spotted, blotched)
linggalingga damselfish, puller fish (small, plain, blue or green)
lulunggamina barracuda (large, in deep water)
mala tang, surgeonfish type (large dark)
mamalewa stonefish
mamambu catfish, catfish eel
mamane seahorse
mamina tuskfish type (blackspot)
mamu parrotfish type (blue-barred orange)
manatala trevally, crevally, jackfish, scad, ulua
manimbom sailfin tang
maniwala sardine
manungala sea perch (banded)
mangalana red bass, kelp bream
matele sweetlips (spotted)
menamena parrotfish type (bright-faced)
menggola tang, surgeonfish type (bright-colored)
monzala fish type (sweetlip emperor)
mosiyana sardine
mumila rabbitfish, spinefoot (dull-colored)
nawatu da unicornfish
nemiye cardinalfish, soldierfish (dark, among mangroves)
neuwa scorpionfish type (dull-colored)
newaya anchovy
ngaogeya red emperor, red snapper, sea perch type (bright red)
ogou dabaya freshwater fish (small and colorful)
okou Papuan trevally, crevally
ombaomba longfin
padadaba whiptail
pangga flying fish
pokala trumpeter fish type (banded)
pulu damselfish, puller fish, sergeant-major fish (plain)
puputaula angelfish
sagawa long-tom, needlefish
samasama flathead fish
sambi sea-pike (smaller, inshore, near sea grass)
sasangi sawfish
sasauti monocle bream, spinecheek fish (dark-striped)
sasuwana sea perch (yellow-banded pink)
saumala rock cod (white-lined)
semambula bony bream, herring type (small)
sembaya mud-skipper (with two separate dorsal fins)
siu scorpionfish (bright-colored)
somba tina garfish (small, in-shore)
sobu garfish type (smaller, plain)
sosoyala slingjaw wrasse; telescopefish (uses telescope jaw to pry off shellfish)
soulana wahoo, mackerel
sowaya perchlet (shallow-water school fish)
sumbama triggerfish (wedge-patterned)
suwala damaka wrasse (sharp-nosed)
talowana rudderfish, drummer fish
tangaola dottyback (red and green)
tangginggi remora, suckerfish
tangili marlin, sailfish
towiyawa trumpetfish, flutemouth, cornetfish
tuwa makada boxfish (larger)
udala perch
ulana herring (large), ladyfish, tarpon
ulawa parrotfish (long-nosed)
undi bibi wrasse (various small), rainbowfish (marine)
uniya threadfin
waisa sea perch type (blue-banded yellow)
walaminzi emperor (spangled)
walomina murray cod (huge freshwater fish)
wowai daba silver biddy, ponyfish
yabae snapper, threadfin bream (in general)
yabami dogtooth tuna, mackerel tuna (smallest of tuna)
yabeyala bonito, skipjack
yamboli kinali moorish idol
yota gaigai freshwater fish (small)
yoyowila emperor fish (long-nosed)
yuwaya pipefish, seahorse
zabuwana coral trout, coral grouper, fairy cod, barramundi

bogimolo shark type (black-tip)
dimbo guitarfish, shovel-nosed ray
gotamuna carpet shark, cat shark, wobbegong
gotamuna tina blind shark
inde shark ray
koeawila shark (in general)
koeawila niwila tambauna hammerhead shark
koeawila samana whaler shark

Reptiles

aipambu small-eyed python (juvenile)
anelau (‘taro leaf’) green tree python
eloma amethystine python
gaweta monitor lizard type, emerald monitor
kamuzinga yellow tree python (small-eyed)
mambuluwa monitor lizard type (larger, spotted)
mota snake, worm, caterpillar
nano didi (‘fat/funny face’) green tree skink
siliwo ground skink
ubela gecko type
wawala monitor lizard
yowala tree boa
yuwaya crocodile; saltwater crocodile
zelema banded sea snake
zimoka python

Amphibians

ambangganggali turtle eggs
anabobo turtle (freshwater, pit-shelled?)
gelenggau tree frog
nagobu turtle, leatherback turtle
numbala turtle type, green sea turtle
sawali sea turtle (in general), hawksbill turtle
oma green tree frog

ambuke leafy vegetable
biyuni fragrant plant
bolomana matano (‘bullroarer eye’) croton plant
dalugu greens, leafy vegetables
duna greens, leafy vegetable type
gebaro cucumber
goleme gingerstalk, torch ginger
katimana cucumber
kiyami na tina (‘dog’s mother’) pitcher plant (used in love potions)
lai ginger
latanga toxic and medicinal plant
lei tall grass, swordgrass
linggalingga leafy vegetable (edible, reddish, fast-growing, larger than ambuke)
ogo ginger type, green ginger
singgota plant type (decorative, fragrant)
tala paint, dye
tambuwala wild sugarcane (edible)
yanggo maize, corn

aingge hardwood (dark, used for making handdrums)
amonai soursop
bale tree used for making gunwales
bonama ironwood (used for canoe paddles)
bui beech tree (favored for canoes)
bungana hardwood (with roselike fragrance)
dabaya fish poison tree
gowe conifer type
gubata tree type (slender, pliable, used for smokeracks)
gulengguleng tree type (used for timber)
kalokalowana tree type (used for firewood)
kaseli tree type (favored for canoes)
kosi strychnine tree
laki New Guinea walnut
mamosi tree type (with edible fruit and leaves)
nambola wild fig
naola breadfruit
nawi Malay apple, rose apple, mountain apple
ngaliti hardwood type
nunggununggula tree type (with edible fruit)
ondela casuarina
onzali tree type (medicinal, very bitter, used for cough medicine)
pasa tree type (with edible fruit)
pimbulu-pambulu Tahitian chestnut
sagaliya tree type (used for making canoe gunwales)
sakalamiya tree type
salita sea almond
sambali hardwoood
saniye canoe tree
sawasawagi hardwood (shore tree, casuarina?)
tawame nut tree type
tolonga mangrove
tuwila hardwood
wasala hardwood tree used for canoe paddles
wawali beach hibiscus
yalipa almond
yameyame coral tree
yaume canoe tree
zaza hardwood type (found high in mountains)
zigumi hardwood
zimani acorn (fed to pigs)

bagani fan palm (with unseparated, fanlike fronds)
bala sago palm type (with thorns)
bimbini pandanus type with edible fruit
buli sago palm type (without thorns; with reddish leaf stalk)
buwa areca palm/nut
buwa bunge reddish-pulp areca nut
buwa usouso whitish-pulp areca nut
dawena sago palm type (with thorns)
gabila pandanus type
gingi pandanus fruit
iyaiya sago palm type (thorny and rare)
iyawama sago palm type (with thorns)
kadiya areca type (small, wild, edible nut)
kundu sago (in general)
kutawi sago palm type (without thorns)
lewa black palm (used for spears, ax handles)
mandanga rattan
salana sago palm type (with thorns)
siwi sealing wax palm
soluwe palm type (with folding, separated, fan-shaped fronds)
tebetebe sago palm type (with thorns, rare in Numbami area)
ubu pandanus type
umalau pandanus type (wild)
walola sago palm type (inedible)
yagomi pandanus type
yawanzi palm type
zigi wild areca

zole termite
banekau horsefly
daninggala bee, wasp
dengge bedbug
gulesanga cockroach
gunggu beetle
kandakandami firefly, glowworm
kawanda mosquito
lala spider; spiderweb
langgambusa fly
lola ant
lola ketu ant eggs
zinzitaila horsefly type, small biting fly

gola seashell, mollusk
bambasinga conch shell (blood-mouth)
biya trochus shell
bose turban shell (blotched or spotted)
bulembule cowrie shell (small cowries in general)
bulenda money cowrie
dalugu limpet?
damana augur shell
gingini wati na vase shell type (lit. rock vaseshell)
gingini vase shells
gungamala cerith shell
itaita ark shell?
sambawaya pen shell
susuka cowrie shell (small)
tataleko conch shell (true conch)
temiye giant clam
tonza barnacle
ai usi cowrie shell (humpbacked)
awila kiki cowrie shell
bula cowrie shell (large, white)
dandanggolana giant clam (fluted)
goluwe clam type (elongated)
kalambali sanguin clam
kodo venus clam
koita barnacle
kokoli shell scraper, coconut grater
kokowa nerite shell (plain)
langana conch shell type (spider conch)
lelewa turban shell type (striped or plain)
nano didi marble cone shell (lit. funny face)
ndendeyanga conch shell type (spider conch)
nginza giant clam
sekalekale wedge clam
sisiyaka nerite shell (spotted)
yalausi oyster shell, mother-of-pearl
yamumu venus clam
zekele mud whelk