MCD - Micronesian Comparative Dictionary

PCMc *n[ae]i- feminine prefix (with personal names of women)

Chuukese	neyi-	·feminine prefix (with personal names of women)
Puluwatese	náyi-	·feminine prefix (with personal names of women)
Proto-Chuukic	*nai-	·feminine prefix (with personal names of women)
Marshallese	neyi-	·feminine prefix (with personal names of women)
Gilbertese	nei-.	·feminine prefix (with personal names of women)

PMc *namʷo lagoon, harbor

Chuukese	nóómʷ, nómʷu-(n)	lagoon, archipelago, sea around an island, lagoon of
Mortlockese	nóómʷ	·lagoon, harbor
Puluwatese	nóómʷ, nómʷo-(n)	·lagoon, harbor
Saipan Carolinian	lóómʷ, (lee)-lómʷ	·lagoon, harbor
Saipan Carolinian·T	nóómʷ	·lagoon, harbor
Satawalese	nóómʷ	·lagoon, harbor
Woleaian	laamʷo, lamʷo-(li)	·lagoon, harbor
Pulo-Annan	naamʷo, namʷo-(ni)	·lagoon, harbor
Proto-Chuukic	*namʷo	·lagoon, harbor
Pohnpeian	naamʷ, (nεε)-namʷ	·lagoon, harbor
Marshallese	namʷ	secondary lagoon
Gilbertese	(te)-namʷo	·lagoon, harbor
Kosraean	nwem	deep area in a lagoon
Proto–Eastern Oceanic	*namo	·lagoon, harbor
Tongan	namo	sea near land
Sa’a	namo	landlocked harbor
Lau	namo	inner harbor
Kwaio	namo	lake, pool, deep place in a river
Proto–Malayo-Polynesian	*namaw	cove, harbor, lagoon (Blust 1980:114)

— Cf. —

Mokilese

lam

lagoon

Marshallese heavy ṇ expected. Cf. also Proto-Micronesian *lama₂ ‘lagoon, lake’. See also Marck (1994:314) Proto-Micronesian *nam’o.

PMc *nana pus

Puluwatese	naan, náná-(y)	pus, my pus
Saipan Carolinian	laal	pus or smegma
	lal	have pus
Woleaian	laale	pus, have pus
Pulo-Annan	naana, nana-	·pus
Proto-Chuukic	*nana	·pus
Pohnpeian	naan	·pus
Marshallese	ṇaṇ	smegma
Kosraean	(usawε)-nwen	·pus
Proto-Oceanic	*nanaq	·pus (Ross 1988)
Fijian	nana	·pus
Kwaio	nana	·pus
Uraustronesisch	*nanaq	·pus

PWMc *nanasu half flower (Scaevola)

Chuukese	nnét, nnétú-n	half flower, half flower of
Mortlockese	nnεt	·half flower (Scaevola)
Puluwatese	nnat, nnatú-n	·half flower (Scaevola)
Saipan Carolinian	llat	·half flower (Scaevola)
Saipan Carolinian·T	nnat	·half flower (Scaevola)
Satawalese	nnat	·half flower (Scaevola)
Woleaian	nnatú	·half flower (Scaevola)
Proto-Chuukic	*nnadú	·half flower (Scaevola)
Marshallese	(ké)-ṇṇat	·half flower (Scaevola)

PMc *natu child; classifier for cherished possessions

Chuukese	naaw, néwú-n, néwúnéw	child or children in general, kinsman of junior generation, political subject, domestic animal, small object intimately associated with the person, his child;, be parental or bear a child
Mtk	naaW, naWú-	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Puluwatese	nawú-n, nawúnaw, náyi-náy	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Satawalese	nayú-	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Saipan Carolinian	layú-	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Saipan Carolinian·T	nayú-	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Woleaian	laaú, laú-le, laúleú	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Ulithian	léé-	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Pulo-Annan	naaú, naú-	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Old Mapian	naha, nahey-nai	child;, my child;
Proto-Chuukic	*naaú, naú-na, naúnaú	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Pohnpeian	naay, nεy-, naa	child; possessive classifier for children, pets, toys
Mokilese	nɔynɔy	have many children
Marshallese	naji-, néji-	child; of, possessive classifier for children, pets, money, watches, or ones Bible
Gilbertese	naati, nati-na, natinati	·child; classifier for cherished possessions
Kosraean	nætʌ-(l)	his child;
Proto-Oceanic	*natu	·child; classifier for cherished possessions (Ross 1988)
Proto-Kimbe	*natu	·child; classifier for cherished possessions

— Cf. —

Proto-Oceanic	*ñatu(q)	ovary, egg, baby bird (Blust 1973:59)
Proto–Malayo-Polynesian	*nati	·child; classifier for cherished possessions (Blust 1980:115)

Note: Jackson (1983:190) reconstructs Proto-Chuukic *na(t)ú.

PMc *nawo waves

Chuukese	nóó, nóó-	·waves
Puluwatese	nóó	·waves
Saipan Carolinian	lóó	·waves
Saipan Carolinian·T	nóó	·waves
Satawalese	nóó	·waves
Woleaian	lóó, lóó-	·waves
Pulo-Annan	naawo, nawo-	·waves
Proto-Chuukic	*nawo	·waves
Mokilese	no	·waves
Marshallese	ṇew	·waves
Gilbertese	(te)-nao	·waves
Kosraean	nɒɒ	·waves
Proto–Eastern Oceanic	*[nñ]afo	·waves
Sa’a	naho	·waves
Arosi	naho	·waves
Kwaio	nafo	·waves
Proto-Austronesian	*Nabek	·waves (Blust 1984–85)

PMc *ney[ae] leg

Pohnpeian	nεε	his leg
Marshallese	ney, neye-(n)	leg, leg of
Kosraean	niyε-(l), niye-(n)	his leg, leg of

PMc *-ni of, pertaining to

Chuukese	-n	·of, pertaining to
Mortlockese	-n	·of, pertaining to
Puluwatese	-n	·of, pertaining to
Saipan Carolinian	-l	·of, pertaining to
Saipan Carolinian·T	-n	·of, pertaining to
Satawalese	-n	·of, pertaining to
Woleaian	-li	·of, pertaining to
Pulo-Annan	-ni	·of, pertaining to
Proto-Chuukic	*-ni	·of, pertaining to
Pohnpeian	-n	·of, pertaining to
Mokilese	-n	·of, pertaining to
Marshallese	-n	·of, pertaining to
Gilbertese	-ni	·of, pertaining to
Kosraean	-n	·of, pertaining to
Proto-Oceanic	*ni	·of, pertaining to
Fijian	ni	·of, pertaining to
Sa’a	ni	·of, pertaining to
Bugotu	ni	·of, pertaining to
Uraustronesisch	*ni	·of, pertaining to

Often referred to as “the construct suffix”.

PCMc *-ni, -na verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership

Chuukese	-ni	·verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership
Puluwatese	-ni-(y)	·verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership
Saipan Carolinian	-li	·verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership
Saipan Carolinian·T	-ni	·verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership
Woleaian	-li-(i)	·verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership
Proto-Chuukic	*-ni	·verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership
Gilbertese	-na	·verb suffix indicating acquisition or ownership

— Cf. —

Pohnpeian

-ni-(ki)

derive trans. verb from inalienable noun: sapwe-ni-ki to own (of land), (sapwe- land)

PMc *ni[ae] place

Chuukese	ne-e-ni, ne-e-niya-(n)	place of, place, place where something or someone stays, its place
Puluwatese	ne-e-niy, ne-e-niya-(n)	·place
Saipan Carolinian	le-e-liy, le-e-liyá-(l), la-liyá-(l)	·place
Woleaian	la-i-, la-n-niye, la-n-niya-(le)	·place
Pulo-Annan	na-n-niya-(na)	·place
Proto-Chuukic	*na-i-ni[ae], na-n-ni[ae]	·place
Pohnpeian	nεε-(namʷ)	lagoon, harbor
Marshallese	nine	container, use as a container, sheath
	niye-(n)	container of
Gilbertese	nne-	place for
Kosraean	niye-(n)	place of

PMc *nima- drinkable object

See Proto-Micronesian *inu, (i)nu-mi, (i)nu-ma ‘drink’. Cf. Jackson 1986:208.

PWMc *niŋi small, little, tiny

Chuukese	-ŋin, ŋiniŋiin, ŋiniŋin	·small, little, tiny (showing metathesis)
Pohnpeian	(pʷi)-niŋiniŋ	·small, little, tiny
Marshallese	niŋ	small, young, little, tiny, puny
	(ji)-niŋ, -niŋniŋ	small, tiny
	niŋniŋ	baby, infant

— Cf. —

Gilbertese

(ua)-ŋiiŋii, (bi)-ŋiiŋii

very small

PMc *niu coconut

Chuukese	núú, núú-	·coconut
Puluwatese	núú, núú-	·coconut
Saipan Carolinian	lúú	·coconut
Saipan Carolinian·T	núú	·coconut
Satawalese	lúú	·coconut
Woleaian	lúú, lúú-	·coconut
Pulo-Annan	núú	·coconut
Sonsorolese	nuu	·coconut
Proto-Chuukic	*núú	·coconut
Pohnpeian	nii	·coconut
Mokilese	ni	·coconut
Pingilapese	ni	·coconut
Marshallese	niy	·coconut
Gilbertese	(te)-nii, nii-	·coconut
Kosraean	nu	·coconut
Proto-Oceanic	*niuR	·coconut
Proto-Polynesian	*niu	·coconut
Fijian	niu	·coconut
Sa’a	niu	·coconut
Bugotu	niu	·coconut
Kwaio	niu	·coconut
Proto-Kimbe	*niu	·coconut
Uraustronesisch	*niuR	·coconut

— Cf. —

Yapese

niiw

·coconut

PMc *noko midrib of coconut frond or leaf

Pulo-Annan	nooko, noko-	coconut frond
Pohnpeian	nook	main rib of the stem of a palm frond, any hard straw-like object
Mokilese	nok	coconut leaf midrib
Marshallese	ṇekʷ	midrib of a coconut leaf
Gilbertese	(te)-noko	midrib of the smaller divisions of a coconut frond
Kosraean	nɒɒ k	midrib

— Cf. —

Fijian

noko, noko-ta

to sharpen to a point

PWMc *noso a kind of fish

Chuukese	noot	large species of lethrinid fish
Puluwatese	noot	a kind of fish
Saipan Carolinian	loot	sp. of edible fish
Woleaian	looto, loto-	a kind of fish
Proto-Chuukic	*nooto, noto-	·a kind of fish
Marshallese	net	a fish (Lethrinis variegatus)

Marshallese ṇʷ expected.

PMc *nowu scorpion fish, stonefish

Chuukese	noow, nuu-	-(nu-pis)
Mortlockese	neew	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Puluwatese	noow	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Saipan Carolinian	loow, lowu-	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Saipan Carolinian·T	nuunuu-(pi)	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Satawalese	loow	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Woleaian	loou, lou-	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Proto-Chuukic	*nowu	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Pohnpeian	neew	kind of frog fish
Mokilese	new	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Marshallese	ṇéw	·scorpion fish, stonefish
Gilbertese	(te)-nou	a fish
Proto-Oceanic	*nopu	·scorpion fish, stonefish (Ross 1988)
Proto-Polynesian	*nofu	·scorpion fish, stonefish

— Cf. —

Proto-Oceanic	*ñopu(q)	·scorpion fish, stonefish (Blust 1978:5)
Proto–Malayo-Polynesian	lepu or lepuq	·scorpion fish, stonefish (Blust 1983–84:76)

PMc *nu[sS]o squid

Chuukese	niit, #niiti-(n)	squid, squid of
Mortlockese	ŋúút	·squid
Puluwatese	ŋiit, ŋito-(n)	·squid
Saipan Carolinian	ŋúút, ŋúti-(l)	·squid
Saipan Carolinian·T	ŋiit	·squid
Satawalese	ŋúút	·squid
Woleaian	ŋiito, ŋito-(li)	·squid
Pulo-Annan	ŋiito, ŋito-	·squid
Proto-Chuukic	*ŋido	·squid
Pohnpeian	nuud	·squid
Mokilese	nuud	·squid
Marshallese	net, nét	·squid
Proto-Oceanic	*nus[ao]	·squid (Ross 1988)
Sa’a	nuto	·squid
Arosi	nuto	·squid
Lakalai	[e]-luso	·squid

The Proto-Chuukic form appears to be an innovation.