Vanuatuan

Vanuatuan, known as Utame Wanuatu, is an conlang spoken in Vanuatu.

= The Language of Vanuatuan = ...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...

chyo tu teʻu bi ibeyo mafiju chyo bi koni puʻo hage chyayi ku

Pronunciation: /co tu teˈʔu bi ibeˈjo mafiˈɟu co bi koˈɲi puˈʔo haˈge caˈji ku/

vanuatuan word order: and he stood his hat holding and his wet face turned the wind to

Consonant inventory: b c d f g h j k m p t w ɟ ɲ ʔ

Click IPA symbols for audio Co-articulated phonemes Vowel inventory: a e i o u Syllable structure: (C)V ?

Stress pattern: Ultimate — stress is on the last syllable ?

Spelling rules:

Grammar
Main word order: Subject Object Verb (Prepositional phrase). “Mary opened the door with a key” turns into Mary the door opened with a key.

Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.

Adposition: postpositions ?

Nouns
Nouns have two cases:


 * Nominative is the doer of a verb: dog bites man.
 * Accusative is the done-to of a verb: man bites dog.

Articles
Uses of definite article that differ from English:


 * Used to talk about countable nouns in general: English’s ‘I like cats’ would translate to ‘I like the cats’

Uses of indefinite article that differ from English:


 * Not used for non-specific countable nouns: non-specific means ‘I am looking for a (any) girl in a red dress’, whereas specific means ‘I am looking for a (particular) girl in a red dress’

Verbs
Imperfective aspect

The ‘imperfective’ aspect refers to ongoing actions, such as I am learning and habitual actions, such as I learn (something new every day).

vanuatuan uses a standalone particle word for imperfective: Perfect aspect

The perfect aspect in English is exemplified in ‘I have read this book’, which expresses an event that took place before the time spoken but which has an effect on or is in some way still relevant to the present.

vanuatuan uses an affix for the perfect aspect:

Numbers
vanuatuan has a base-10 number system:

1 - ga

2 - ta

3 - tipi

4 - pa

5 - te

6 - piwi

7 - tichye

8 - do

9 - pu

10 - ye

Hundred - tida

Thousand - opi

Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = Suffix -ci

Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Suffix -gu

Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -bo

Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -mo

Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -ʔi

Noun to verb = Suffix -bi

Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -to

Tending to = Suffix -je

Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -bu

Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Suffix -fo

One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Suffix -fe

Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Suffix -fi

Diminutive = Suffix -ba

Augmentative = Suffix -ju

vanuatuan - English Dictionary
Key: spelling /pronunciation/ part of speech. definition(s)

adj. adjective | adv. adverb | art. article | conj. conjunction | det. determiner | interj. interjection | n. noun | num. numeral | prep. preposition | pron. pronoun | v. verb


 * a /a/ v. have, take, catch, earn, accept, must, have to, own, include, incorporate
 * afi /aˈfi/ n. well
 * aʻa /aˈʔa/ v. pick
 * aki /aˈki/ v. create, found
 * anu /aˈɲu/ v. massage
 * awi /aˈwi/ n. coffee
 * bahuma /bahuˈma/ n. noise
 * baʻaku /baʔaˈku/ n. dog
 * be /be/ n. time
 * beo /beˈo/ v. stay, remain, persist
 * bichyite /biciˈte/ v. remove, take out, deprive, take away, erase, expel
 * bija /biˈɟa/ v. think, consider, understand, ponder, grasp
 * bipe /biˈpe/ n. range, year, spectrum, extent
 * boʻia /boʔiˈa/ n. mathematics
 * bu /bu/ n. need
 * buʻe /buˈʔe/ v. employ, recruit
 * butu /buˈtu/ v. improve
 * chyae /caˈe/ adj. big, great (very large), massive, enormous, loud
 * chyaku /caˈku/ v. separate, divide, isolate
 * chyayi /caˈji/ n. wind, breeze
 * chyepu /ceˈpu/ v. sneeze
 * chyibi /ciˈbi/ n. area, region
 * chyipu /ciˈpu/ conj. although, though
 * chyodi /coˈdi/ v. wiggle
 * chyomake /comaˈke/ n. canvas
 * chyubaye /cubaˈje/ adj. sticky
 * chyuʻo /cuˈʔo/ n. wool, fur
 * chyuyi /cuˈji/ n. lunch
 * dafupe /dafuˈpe/ adv. maybe, perhaps
 * damuʻi /damuˈʔi/ adj. logical
 * dapoʻi /dapoˈʔi/ adj. political
 * dechyapa /decaˈpa/ n. capacity
 * dene /deˈɲe/ v. drive, steer
 * dibi /diˈbi/ adv. off
 * die /diˈe/ n. shape, pattern, architecture
 * diji /diˈɟi/ v. eat
 * diwa /diˈwa/ pron. everything
 * do /do/ num. eight
 * doga /doˈga/ n. law
 * doma /doˈma/ v. rest
 * doti /doˈti/ v. smile
 * duda /duˈda/ n. effect
 * dujo /duˈɟo/ adj. clean, clear
 * duneʻi /duɲeˈʔi/ n. tie
 * echyo /eˈco/ n. city
 * eke /eˈke/ n. cat
 * enoti /eɲoˈti/ n. belt, strap
 * eti uniju /eˈti uɲiˈɟu/ v. approach
 * eyu /eˈju/ n. accent (of language)
 * gafuyufe /gaˌfujuˈfe/ n. dancer
 * gakogifo /gaˌkogiˈfo/ n. detention
 * gayu /gaˈju/ n. respect
 * geʻi /geˈʔi/ n. crown
 * gepi /geˈpi/ n. shoulder
 * gibokufe /giˌbokuˈfe/ n. locksmith
 * gigofo /gigoˈfo/ adj. frequent
 * giwo /giˈwo/ n. stock
 * gofe /goˈfe/ n. return
 * gomu /goˈmu/ v. teach, instruct, educate, train
 * gowe /goˈwe/ v. catch, notice
 * gubi /guˈbi/ n. mud, swamp
 * gukipe /gukiˈpe/ n. bag
 * gutibi /gutiˈbi/ v. place
 * hachye /haˈce/ prep. without
 * hapa /haˈpa/ v. send, transfer
 * hayi /haˈji/ v. raise
 * hekatochyi /heˌkatoˈci/ adv. finally
 * heya /heˈja/ n. hallway, corridor, lobby
 * hifochyu /hifoˈcu/ n. rumor, gossip
 * hiko /hiˈko/ adj. bright
 * hinupifo /hiˌɲupiˈfo/ n. critique
 * hiwogu /hiwoˈgu/ n. luck
 * hogo /hoˈgo/ adj. loud, noisy, tall
 * homobo /homoˈbo/ n. plot
 * hotigu /hotiˈgu/ n. foreigner
 * huchyopo /hucoˈpo/ v. float, sail, cruise
 * huko /huˈko/ v. protect, secure
 * ia /iˈa/ conj. even
 * ifiʻi /ifiˈʔi/ n. kettle
 * iʻi /iˈʔi/ v. cause, induce, provoke
 * ijo /iˈɟo/ v. provide, cater
 * ijubu /iɟuˈbu/ n. permission
 * imu /iˈmu/ v. hint, imply
 * ipe /iˈpe/ pron. something
 * iya /iˈja/ v. cover, protect, muffle
 * jaje /ɟaˈɟe/ n. rule (law, regulation), law
 * jayu /ɟaˈju/ adj. serious, sober
 * jeku /ɟeˈku/ adv. once
 * jichye /ɟiˈce/ v. add, combine, inject
 * jijo /ɟiˈɟo/ v. combine
 * jipowife /ɟiˌpowiˈfe/ n. hunter
 * jochye /ɟoˈce/ n. size
 * jomomo /ɟomoˈmo/ adj. skilled
 * ju benu /ɟu beˈɲu/ adv. tonight
 * juga /ɟuˈga/ n. machine, engine, motor
 * juke /ɟuˈke/ n. rag
 * ka /ka/ pron. that
 * kachye /kaˈce/ v. chase
 * kaʻechya /kaʔeˈca/ adj. left
 * kane /kaˈɲe/ n. country (rural area)
 * kato /kaˈto/ n. breast
 * kechyugi /kecuˈgi/ adj. serious, obese
 * kenowu /keɲoˈwu/ v. deposit
 * ki /ki/ pron. what
 * kifo /kiˈfo/ adj. late
 * kiʻu /kiˈʔu/ adj. hard, difficult
 * kimo /kiˈmo/ v. crush, grind, smash
 * kipo /kiˈpo/ n. void, cleavage
 * kobo /koˈbo/ adv. well
 * koji /koˈɟi/ adj. angry, mad
 * koni /koˈɲi/ adj. wet, damp
 * ku /ku/ prep. to, towards
 * kuga /kuˈga/ n. edge, limit
 * kukijimo /kuˌkiɟiˈmo/ adj. evident
 * kuwimu /kuwiˈmu/ n. sun, light
 * madu /maˈdu/ n. climate, temperature
 * maʻo /maˈʔo/ v. shock, startle
 * mapa /maˈpa/ prep. above
 * mawu /maˈwu/ pron. anything
 * meʻe /meˈʔe/ adj. tight, tense
 * meme /meˈme/ n. shark
 * mi /mi/ adv. not
 * mifi /miˈfi/ n. cabinet, drawer
 * miju /miˈɟu/ n. step (one level of stairs)
 * minebi /miɲeˈbi/ v. authorize
 * mite /miˈte/ n. ring
 * mo /mo/ prep. through
 * mogoma /mogoˈma/ n. flour
 * moki /moˈki/ n. snake
 * moye /moˈje/ det. much
 * muchyi /muˈci/ v. rate
 * muhefo /muheˈfo/ n. certificate
 * muʻi /muˈʔi/ v. like
 * mume /muˈme/ n. card
 * mutebu /muteˈbu/ n. exam
 * oapi /oaˈpi/ n. glasses
 * oe tako /oˈe taˈko/ n. ham
 * oʻi /oˈʔi/ n. garden, orchard
 * oko /oˈko/ n. park
 * ope /oˈpe/ n. shame, stigma
 * owo /oˈwo/ prep. beyond
 * pae /paˈe/ v. sing
 * pai /paˈi/ n. acid
 * papa /paˈpa/ n. pipe, valve
 * pebu /peˈbu/ v. ban, prohibit, veto
 * pegu /peˈgu/ n. sickness
 * peke /peˈke/ adj. stiff, sturdy
 * peyodu /pejoˈdu/ n. island
 * pibu /piˈbu/ n. morning
 * piʻi /piˈʔi/ n. box, crate
 * pinupu /piɲuˈpu/ n. skeleton, fossil
 * piwe /piˈwe/ adv. why
 * podona /podoˈɲa/ adj. last (only remaining)
 * poke /poˈke/ v. roast
 * poyi /poˈji/ n. greed
 * puda /puˈda/ n. floor, bottom (lowest part)
 * puka pagi /puˈka paˈgi/ n. rainbow
 * puti /puˈti/ interj. okay
 * tae /taˈe/ adj. safe
 * tako agu /taˈko aˈgu/ n. pedestrian
 * tate /taˈte/ n. needle, pin
 * tega /teˈga/ n. linen
 * teje /teˈɟe/ n. bow (decorative material)
 * temu /teˈmu/ n. week
 * ti /ti/ adv. when
 * tifa /tiˈfa/ n. brother
 * tijifo /tiɟiˈfo/ n. spelling
 * tinobu /tiɲoˈbu/ n. study
 * titiye /titiˈje/ v. jerk
 * tochyi /toˈci/ n. forest, jungle
 * tohagu /tohaˈgu/ n. fun
 * tokiyu /tokiˈju/ n. trunk (of tree)
 * towa /toˈwa/ adj. weird, strange, peculiar
 * tudo /tuˈdo/ n. house, family (children and parents), tribe
 * tujo /tuˈɟo/ adj. attractive
 * tuni /tuˈɲi/ n. beast
 * ubiwobi /uˌbiwoˈbi/ v. research
 * ufi /uˈfi/ det. more
 * uhumo /uhuˈmo/ adj. golden
 * ukagu /ukaˈgu/ n. truth
 * una /uˈɲa/ v. call (refer to by name)
 * upo /uˈpo/ n. tax
 * uwe giʻi /uˈwe giˈʔi/ n. vein
 * uyamo /ujaˈmo/ adj. sexual
 * yachyu /jaˈcu/ n. jewel, gem, prism
 * yaʻifa /jaʔiˈfa/ n. topic
 * yakiga /jakiˈga/ prep. before
 * yapimi /japiˈmi/ n. fruit
 * yebi /jeˈbi/ v. torture
 * yeʻa /jeˈʔa/ n. rail
 * yeni /jeˈɲi/ n. day, world
 * yewomo /jewoˈmo/ adj. high
 * yia /jiˈa/ adj. single
 * yida /jiˈda/ n. leader
 * yie /jiˈe/ prep. like
 * yifi /jiˈfi/ n. father
 * yihuba /jihuˈba/ n. text, document, prose
 * yike /jiˈke/ n. century
 * yinu /jiˈɲu/ n. purpose
 * yito /jiˈto/ n. ear
 * yo /jo/ prep. from
 * yodaʻo /jodaˈʔo/ n. hour, time
 * yoʻi /joˈʔi/ n. cloud, mist
 * yokefe /jokeˈfe/ n. vendor
 * yomechyi /jomeˈci/ adv. simply
 * yopo /joˈpo/ n. mess
 * yoye /joˈje/ n. moss
 * yue /juˈe/ n. party
 * yugupo /juguˈpo/ n. secret
 * yuji /juˈɟi/ n. plague
 * yumini /jumiˈɲi/ v. read
 * yutu /juˈtu/ n.