Nakanai
Facts
- Language: Nakanai
- Alternate names: Nakonai
- Language code: nak
- Language family: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic linkage, Meso Melanesian linkage, Willaumez linkage, Nakanai-Meramera
- Number of speakers: 13000
- Script:
More information:
Introduction
Nakanai is a language of Papua New Guinea. It is spoken in West New Britain Province, Hoskins district, northwest coast. 42 villages.
Dialects
Bileki (Lakalai, Mamuga, Muku), Losa (Auka, Loso), Maututu, Ubae (Babata), Vere (Tarobi, Vele).
The Nakanai Verb
Verblist
- lova
- (ea) kaikasi (la vovola), ea makasilia, kasi -- to scratch
- (ea) kala lua, kalalua -- to vomit
- (la vovola) sogo, buku, pore -- to swell
- abi, sau, sau-..., saufola -- to hold
- ala, ale, gari, gati, koro, lamata la fogo le voto, tolo -- to bite
- alali, ani -- to eat
- asaso -- to sniff, smell
- bebe, pulopulo -- to squeeze
- bili, ea bilia -- to kill
- boru, paru -- to fall
- ea fa fuga, ea fuga, tuga -- to walk
- ea fagu, tagu, ubi -- to stab, pierce
- ea faifali, tali -- to cry
- ea falamaha, tolo|maa, tolomaha -- to yawn
- ea fu fu, ea gugutu, ea kuku -- to cook
- ea ga lu, galu -- to plant
- ea gomaimai, go-mai -- to come
- ea iloilo, hilo -- to see
- ea kope -- to open, uncover
- ea liuliu -- to drink
- ea lololo -- to hear
- ea magirigiri, magiri -- to stand
- ea mamama, gari, kamuta -- to chew
- ea mamavuta -- to sleep
- ea peo, peho -- to die, be dead
- ea pou pou -- to sit
- ea pupuru -- to swim
- ea rovia, mari, rovi -- to know, be knowledgeable
- ea selu, goho, goo, karere, tulu -- to burn
- ea vakara kara, mago, vai, vei -- to say
- fafaga, matau, taga -- to fear
- gabutatala, gabu-tatala -- to think
- gali, sulu, sulu po la -- to split
- gigi, gigigi -- to count
- go-ata, sae, tie -- to climb
- hilovi, isu -- to choose
- igogolu, igo-golu, vulal... -- to work
- kafupe, kapute, kavarasi, kavurasi -- to spit
- kamu, susu, sususu, tomu -- to suck
- kapiti, ubi, ubu bi -- to shoot
- katu, voro -- to pound, beat
- kisi, solo, vuu -- to tie up, fasten
- kue, vaikokue -- to hit
- kusi, tu tu bu, tubu -- to grow
- la filaga, taga, tagabara -- to dream
- laba, pigi -- to throw
- la-hate, lala, lalahate -- to breathe
- lege, lege lege -- to laugh
- lololovi, pusu, vahi, vai -- to blow
- loto -- to buy
- lovo, lovolovo -- to fly
- mahuli, maulu-uli, oio -- to live, be alive
- mamata, vamusi -- to hunt
- mavuta, totopaha -- to lie down
- oli -- to dig
- ololo, tolo, tubi, vari -- to cut, hack
- pakali -- to steal
- sahi, saisai -- to sew
- sali -- to flow
- tari-kokovu -- to hide
- vulo, vuvulo -- to turn