Yapese
Austronesian (Admiralty Islands or independent Oceanic)
Yapese is the language of Yap state in the Federated States of Micronesia. Its precise position within Austronesian is debated — sometimes classed as an outlier within the Oceanic branch, sometimes outside it. Yap is famous for its rai stones, large limestone disks quarried in Palau and ferried by canoe to Yap, whose value is set by oral histories of acquisition and danger. The language preserves elaborate honorifics tied to traditional caste rank.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Yapese
chocolate
computer
Sources
- Jensen, John T. (1977) Yapese-English Dictionary (via ABVD 77, Blust); Yapese Bible (bible.com version 1919)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Admiralty Islands or independent Oceanic)
| Meaning | Yapese | Woleaian | Chuukese | Wallisian | Tongan | Samoan | East Futunan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | raen /raen/ | shal /ʃalʉ/ | kkónik /kːonik/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | nifiy /nifij/ | yaf /jaːfi/ | ekkei /ekːei/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | yalʼ /jalʼ/ | yal /jal/ | akkar /akːaɾ/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | lā /laː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ |
| Moon | pul /pul/ | meram /meɻame/ | maram /maɾam/ | māhina /maːhina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | māsina /maːsina/ | māsina /maːsina/ |
| Star | tʼuuf /tʼuːf/ | fius /fʉːs/ | fúú /fɨː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ |
| Night | neapʼ /nɛapʼ/ | bong /boːŋi/ | pwiin /pʷiːn/ | pōʻuli /poːʔuli/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | nʼuw /nʔuw/ | ut /uːte/ | wúút /wɨːt/ | ʻua /ʔua/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ | ua /ua/ | ʻua /ʔua/ |
| Wind | nifeng /nifɛŋ/ | yang /jaːŋi/ | eng /eŋ/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | buutʼ /buːtʼ/ | bbel /bːəlʉ/ | pwpwún /pʷːɨn/ | kele /kele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | ʻeleʻele /ʔeleʔele/ | kele /kele/ |
| Stone | malaang /malaːŋ/ | faiu /faːʉ/ | faaw /faːw/ | maka /maka/ | maka /maka/ | maʻa /maʔa/ | maka /maka/ |
| Mountain | burey /burej/ | taiit /taiːt/ | chuuk /tʃuːk/ | moʻuga /moʔuŋa/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | maʻuga /maʔuŋa/ |
| Sea | madaay /madaːj/ | metaw /metaw/ | sáát /saːt/ | tai /tai/ | tahi /tahi/ | sami /sami/ | moana /moana/ |
| Mother | chitiningin /tʃitiniŋin/ | sila /sila/ | iin /iːn/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | tinā /tinaː/ | tinana /tinana/ |
| Father | chiitamoog /tʃiːtamoːɡ/ | tema /tema/ | saam /saːm/ | tamai /tamai/ | tamai /tamai/ | tamā /tamaː/ | tamana /tamana/ |
| Daughter | ppin ni fak /pːin ni fak/ | — | nengin /neŋin/ | ʻofafine /ʔofafine/ | ʻofefine /ʔofefine/ | afafine /afafine/ | taʻine /taʔine/ |
| I | gaeg /ɡaːɡ/ | gaang /ɡaːŋ/ | ngang /ŋaŋ/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | aʻu /aʔu/ | au /au/ |
| You | guur /ɡuːr/ | geel /ɡeːle/ | en /en/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | ʻoe /ʔoe/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | gadaed / gamaed /ɡadɛːd / ɡamɛːd/ | giish / gaamam /ɡiːʃ / ɡaːmam/ | kich / áám /kitʃ / aːm/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | fithingan /fiθiŋan/ | it /iːt/ | iit /iːt/ | higoa /hiŋoa/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ |
| Person | girdiʼ /ɡirdiːʔ/ | yaremat /jaɻemat/ | aramas /aramas/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ |
| Head | lolug /loluɡ/ | shimw /ʃimʷ/ | mékúr /məkɨɾ/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ |
| Eye | miit /miːt/ | mat /maːte/ | maas /maːs/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | teel /teːl/ | taling /taliŋa/ | sening /seniŋ/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ |
| Nose | pʼeethunguun /pʼeːθuŋuːn/ | boot /boːti/ | pwéét /pʷeːt/ | ihu /ihu/ | ihu /ihu/ | isu /isu/ | isu /isu/ |
| Mouth | lʼugun /lʼuɡun/ | yaw /jaw/ | aaw /aːw/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | nguwol /ŋuwoːl/ | ngi /ŋiː/ | nii /niː/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | balwoth /balwoθ/ | lew /leːwe/ | chénnaaw /tʃenːaːw/ | ʻalelo /ʔalelo/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ | laulaufaiva /laulaufaiva/ | ʻalelo /ʔalelo/ |
| Hand | paʼ /paʔ/ | paiu /paːʉ/ | paaw /paːw/ | nima /nima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Foot | ay /ʔaːj/ | peshe /peʃe/ | peche /petʃe/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ |
| Heart | gam /ɡam/ | bun /buno/ | letip /letip/ | mafu /mafu/ | loto /loto/ | loto /loto/ | mafu /mafu/ |
| Bone | yil /jil/ | shiu /ʃiu/ | chuu /tʃɨː/ | hui /hui/ | hui /hui/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ |
| Blood | rachaʼ /ratʃaʔ/ | cha /tʃa/ | chcha /tʃːa/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | taer /taːr/ | pag /paɡ/ | — /—/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | tae /tae/ | taʻe /taʔe/ |
| Love | tʼuf /tʼuf/ | ffageo /fːaɡœː/ | tóng /təŋ/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ |
| Tree | gekʼiy /ɡekʔij/ | ira /iɻa/ | irá /iɾaː/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | laʻau /laʔau/ | lāʻakau /laːʔakau/ |
| Dog | pilis /pilis/ | gelaag /ɡelaːɡu/ | konak /konak/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kulī /kuliː/ | maile /maile/ | kulī /kuliː/ |
| Cat | katuu /katuː/ | gaatu /ɡaːtu/ | kkááset /kːaːset/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pūsi /puːsi/ |
| Fish | nig /niːɡ/ | ig /iːɡe/ | iik /iːk/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | iʻa /iʔa/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | archeʼ /ʔartʃəʔ/ | mal /malʉ/ | machang /matʃaŋ/ | manu /manu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ |
| Butterfly | taloolbëy /taloːlbəj/ | libegibeg /libeɡibeɡ/ | nipwisipwis /nipʷisipʷis/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ |
| Egg | faak /faːk/ | siugiun /sʉɡʉn/ | sókkun /səkːun/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fua /fua/ |
| Bear | bear /beːr/ | — | pear /pear/ | uluso /uluso/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | uluso /uluso/ |
| Horse | os /ʔoːs/ | yoas /jɒs/ | arus /arus/ | hōsi /hoːsi/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | ōsi /oːsi/ |
| House | naʼun /naʔun/ | imw /iːmʷe/ | iimw /iːmʷ/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ |
| Milk | milik /milik/ | milik /milik/ | milik /milik/ | huʻa pipi /huʔa pipi/ | huʻakau /huʔakau/ | susu /susu/ | — |
| Salt | sool /soːl/ | gasiiga /ɡasiːɡa/ | sóón /səːn/ | māsima /maːsima/ | māsima /maːsima/ | masima /masima/ | paʻatai /paʔatai/ |
| Wine | wayin /wajin/ | waain /waːine/ | wain /wain/ | vino /vino/ | uaine /uaine/ | uaina /uaina/ | vino /vino/ |
| Rice | koomëy /koːməj/ | peraas /peɻaːs/ | rais /ɾais/ | lāisi /laːisi/ | laise /laise/ | alaisa /alaisa/ | — |
| Chocolate | chocolate | — | — | sokola /sokola/ | sokoleti /sokoleti/ | sukalati /sukalati/ | — |
| Iron | waasëy /waːsəj/ | paarang /paːɻaŋ/ | mecha /metʃa/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Wheel | tayapyap /tajapjap/ | — | wiil /wiːl/ | teka /teka/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ | uili /uili/ | teka /teka/ |
| Book | baabiyor /baːbijor/ | baabiyor /baːbijoɻ/ | puk /puk/ | tohi /tohi/ | tohi /tohi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tosi /tosi/ |
| Eat | kay /kaj/ | mwongo /mʷoŋo/ | mwéngé /mʷeŋːe/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | ʻai /ʔai/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | unum /unum/ | iul /ʉlʉ/ | wún /wɨn/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | mool /moːl/ | — | méwúr /meˈwɨr/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | reb /reb/ | yeta /jeta/ | éét /eːt/ | tahi /tahi/ | taha /taha/ | tasi /tasi/ | tasi /tasi/ |
| Two | lʼagruw /laʔɡruw/ | riuwa /ɻʉwa/ | rúúw /rɨːw/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ |
| Three | dalip /daliːp/ | yeli /jeli/ | wúnú /wɨnɨ/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | aningeg /ʔaniŋeːɡ/ | fangi /faŋi/ | fáán /faːn/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | lalʼ /laːlʼ/ | lima /lima/ | niim /niːm/ | nima /nima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | raʼay /raʔaj/ | — | ipwúkú /ipʷɨkɨ/ | teau /teau/ | teau /teau/ | selau /selau/ | kaulelau /kaulelau/ |
| Hello | mogethin /moɡetʰin/ | faiisho /faiːʃo/ | ráán annim /raːn annim/ | mālō te maʻuli /maːloː te maʔuli/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ | talofa /talofa/ | mālō /maːloː/ |
| Thank you | kammagar /kamːaɡar/ | — /—/ | kinisou /kinisou/ | mālō /maːloː/ | mālō /maːloː/ | faʻafetai /faʔafetai/ | mālō /maːloː/ |
| Good | feelʼ /feːlʼ/ | gach /ɡatʃʉ/ | mwirinné /mʷirinːe/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | mālie /maːlie/ |
| New | beʼech /beʔetʃ/ | feo /fœː/ | ffé /fːe/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | fou /fou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ |
| Red | roowroow /roːwroːw/ | cha /tʃa/ | par /par/ | kula /kula/ | kulokula /kulokula/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ | kula /kula/ |
| White | wechwech /wetʃwetʃ/ | besh /beʃe/ | pwechepwech /pʷetʃepʷetʃ/ | hina /hina/ | hinehina /hinehina/ | paʻepaʻe /paʔepaʔe/ | tea /tea/ |
| Black | talumor /talumor/ | chochoal /tʃotʃɒl/ | chochol /tʃotʃol/ | ʻuli /ʔuli/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ | uliuli /uliuli/ | ʻuli /ʔuli/ |
| Green | giriin /ɡiriːn/ | gaaraweraw /ɡaːɻaweɻaw/ | araw /araw/ | moto /moto/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ | moto /moto/ |
| Blue | yarraq /jarːaʔ/ | gaaraweraw /ɡaːɻaweɻaw/ | araw /araw/ | ʻui /ʔui/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | ʻusi /ʔusi/ |
| Computer | computer | — | — | olotinatea /olotinatea/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | masini /masini/ |
| Tea | tiy /tij/ | tti /tːi/ | ttii /tːiː/ | ti /ti/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | — |
| Coffee | koofiy /koːfij/ | koofi /koːfi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kafe /kafe/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofe /kofe/ | — |
| Sugar | suga /suɡa/ | — | suke /suke/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | — |
| Orange | goeluugaaw /ɡøluːɡaːw/ | gurugur /ɡuɻuɡuɻu/ | kurukur /kuɾukuɾ/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ |
| Ninety-nine | mereb i ragag nge mereb /meːreːb iː raɡaːɡ ŋeː meːreːb/ | — | tiwe me tiu /tiwe me tiu/ | hivagofulu ma hiva /hivaŋofulu ma hiva/ | hivangofulu mā hiva /hivaŋofulu maː hiva/ | ivasefulu ma le iva /ivasefulu ma le iva/ | — |
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