Dobu

Introduction

Dobu is a language of Papua New Guinea. It is spoken in Milne Bay Province, Esa’ala district, Sanaroa, Dobu, parts of Fergusson and Normanby islands. 500 villages.

Dialects

Central Dobu, Galubwa, Loboda (Dawada-Siausi, Roboda), Sanaroa, Ubuia. Lexical similarity: 56% with Molima (See: Molima) (most similar).

The Dobu Verb

Verblist

• 'anaw|ara, 'ipwara -- to steal
• 'arasi -- to burn
• asi'i -- to turn
• aso -- to plant
• badi -- to stab, pierce
• bibi -- to squeeze
• bobo'a-na, maiawasi-na -- to live, be alive
• dai -- to pound, beat
• daudau -- to flow
• dedo, dedoi -- to cry
• e kwaia -- to hide
• e'ai -- to eat
• edagi -- to laugh
• 'enina -- to bite
• 'eno -- to sleep
• 'eno'eno -- to lie down
• e'ure -- to cook
• giai -- to hold
• gigege -- to open, uncover
• gimwani, lagwa -- to buy
• giwara -- to spit
• guinua -- to work
• gwae, ona -- to say
• iapu, sawa -- to count
• iawasi-na -- to breathe
• 'ita -- to see
• 'ita'i'isi-'esinua -- to choose
• lopilidadana -- to walk
• losipwa -- to tie up, fasten
• madawara -- to dream
• maiwa -- to vomit
• matauta -- to fear
• miatoa -- to sit
• mui -- to sniff, smell
• mwawa -- to yawn
• mwawasa -- to die, be dead
• nono -- to hear
• nuena -- to think
• numa -- to drink
• panaita, sinapuna -- to know, be knowledgeable
• pulu, sesea -- to swell
• sagu -- to fall
• saisaila -- to sew
• sala -- to dig
• sususu -- to suck
• tabwa -- to grow
• taea -- to fly
• tara si'aa -- to split
• tara -- to cut, hack
• toa -- to blow
• tore -- to hunt
• toro -- to stand
• tube -- to swim
• tu'e -- to climb
• tupu -- to shoot
• 'u da ma -- to come
• 'ule -- to throw
• 'unu -- to hit
• 'unu -- to kill
• 'uta'uta -- to chew
• waro -- to scratch