Words have meanings not seen in English words.
bring something from an inaccessible place with the help of a long stick
a ladder made from a single bamboo tree
to free someone from a tiger
to kill lice by pressing them under your nails
to eat flesh from the bone
Stand can be said in four different ways, depending on what is standing.
keh't dúghìna human or animal: person stands ohks dúghàtaa tree: tree stands |
u'y úyba'utan object: cradle stands qu's hávìtaa structure: tent stands |
Similarly structured words can mean entirely different things. The language also has words that sometimes have no vowels.
q'lstswrope |
qhlmblack cod |
q'hlpbalsam fir |
|
stshlhafterbirth |
stsntstranssexual / hermaphrodite |
sk'lcold |
stqwmud |
tl'xwtsnonion(s) |
xhlsxtsshe dislikes me |
k'tstxlook at him! |
sk'tsdisease, illness |
Nouns are structured differently to indicate number.
| general number | plural (7+) | singular | paucal (2 - 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
kerdog(s) |
keroordogs |
kertitia single dog |
keroorjaaa few dogs |
dabaaloheifer(s) |
dabaalheifers |
dabaalotitia single heifer |
dabaaljaaa few hefeirs |
minhouse(s) |
minjoolhouses |
mintitia single house |
minjaaa few houses |
worabhyena(s) |
worabeelhyenas |
waratitia single hyena |
worabjaaa few hyenas |
