Tribewanted: 'Language' by Adam Carter

Language

By Atama, NSW, Australia Posted 06 Jan 2008

One of the great things about Fiji is that everyone speaks English as well as Fijian or Hindi – although there are a few idiosyncrasies.

Any word with a ‘d’ has an unwritten ‘n’ in front of it – Nadi is pronounced ‘Nandi’ and the delightful cold, marinated seafood dish kokoda, is ‘kokonda’. You put an ‘m’ before the ‘b’ in words like Toberua (Tomberua). Sigatoka is ‘Singatoka’, Naigani is Ninegani’. And a ‘c’ is pronounced ‘th’, as in the Mamanuca Islands.

Some handy words and phrases are:

English – Fijian (Pronounciation)

Hello – bula (bula)
Good morning – yadra (yarndra)
Goodbye – moce (more they)
Please – vinaka (veenarka)
Excuse me – tulou (too low)
Yes – io (ee o)
Thank you – vinaka (veenarka)
Thank you very much – vinaka vaka levu (veenarka varka levoo)
Big – levu (levoo)
No – sega (senga)
Eat – kana (karna)
Village – koro (ko ro)
House – vale (va le)
Come – lako mai (la ko my)
Go – lako tani (la ko tan i)
One – dua (du a)
Two – rua (ru a)

Comments

By Kazoo, California, USA Posted Jan 7, 2008 1:49am

it’s always interesting to see which specific words get introduced. one that i learned last time was sagusagu, which is a kind of conch that can be eaten. these words, while less useful day to day, are fun to have in mind. here is the primer i put together, with some overlap to adam’s:

http://www.tribewanted.com/users/259/blogs/885

also, of note, are different local idioms. so, “no worries” is sega ni lega in some areas and make ni leka in others…

By Kia'a II Posted Jan 7, 2008 2:21am

Tui Atama Here are two important Fijian Words. Lose pronounced Lorsay means mix a Tanoa of Yaqona and Taki pronounced TARKEE means telling the server to serve another round of yaqona or the silent polite form is to flick the mat with your fingers to serve the next round, this is usually done when you are too doped or Kava’d to speak

Kia’a II

By Kimbo, , Fiji Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:28am

we used TALO (or ‘Alo)on vorovoro for indicating the next round. other good ones are ‘Soli io na va dodo’ (relax/stretch your legs)...and Cobo (thombo) for people to clap (particularly if theyre not clapping after Tui Mali has finished his bilo – a must for poeple to show respect to our chief)

By Kia'a II Posted Jan 8, 2008 11:24am

I’a Ni Bula Ratu Kimbo, you are very correct. When there is a Noble or Chief being served, the format and formalities of the Kava ceremony are very different than a group of friends having kava socially. The calls may vary from the different Provinces and the Different South Pacific Island Countries. Once again Vinaka Vaka Levu for your contributions on Vorovoro and Fiji.

Kia’a II