Ambai Texts

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AMBAI TEXTS

Collected by the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics September-December 2007

Frog Story

Tanari Munu – Building a House

My Studies

A Typical Morning in Ambai

http://ambai.digitalwords.net/








Ampefe uru u-sera

so 3pl 3pl.search

so they looked for it.

Arikang nini, kaisung nini d-eti to neo sepatu rorongpo,

child this , boy this 3sg.see to his shoes inside

wape kidowa bereri

but frog no to.be

This child , this boy looked into his shoes, but the frog wasn‟t there.

Fiawera s-uba nung poi to botori rorong

dog 3sg.enter head its to bottle inside

The dog put its head into the bottle.

Aha , urutamua u-fai une suwireiyai,

Then, both of them 3pl.open their window

kaisung kutu nei s-ahu weo ne kidowa foi

boy small this 3sg.call for his frog the

Then, both of them opened their window, this boy called for his frog.



Aha , fiawera konta d-oa na suwireiyai,

Then, frog also 3sg.stand in window

wape nung poi f-iating to woriai ehakaha

but head his 3sg.pull to out no again

Then, the dog also stood at the window, but it couldn‟t get its head.

Nung poi s-atari to botori rorongpo wiro f-iating to woriai ehakaha

Head its 3sg.enter to bottle inside but 3sg.pull to woriai no again

Its head that had been put inside the bottle couldn‟t be pulled out.

Ampefe kaisung ne d-oawo, fiawera s-awing to woriai

So boy this 3sg.still stand, dog 3sg.throw itself to out

na suwireyai

from window

So, while the boy was still standing at the window the dog threw itself out the window.

Aweu na kahofafo botorifo tibau.

until /descend in land bottle .

On reaching the ground the bottle broke.

Aha, kaisung poi s-oiri to ung aweu t-efu ne fiawera



Then, boy the 3sg.jump to descend below 3sg.catch his dog

s-oruwi kokoi, ne fiawerafoi.

3sg.cuddle koko , his dog

Then, they also jumped down to catch his dog and cuddle it.

Uru u-sera kidowa nariai awarei airorong rabuangtai

3pl 3pl.search frog again sampai forrest middle

They searched for the frog again reaching the middle of a forrest,

Reaching the edge of a forrest.

Na nanai uru u-wati ai bitoya , ampefe uru u-sau mambiriu paria

In there 3pl 3pl.see tree many, so 3pl 3pl.call strong very

There they saw there were trees, so they called loudly.

Uru u-ra to ai rowei, na ai nani aniwa n-yai nai

3pl 3pl.walk to tree one , in tree that bees 3sg.stay with

They came to a tree, at that tree there were bees.

Fiawera nei dawio aniwa foi

dog this tease bees that

This dog teased the bees



Kaisung nei d-eti kamirei ketui bei, deitarao kidowa foi d-ediwa nai,

Boy this 3sg.see hole small one, 3sg.think frog that 3sg.hide with

ampefe s-uang aweu to kamirei foi tuti s-ahu

so 3sg.ben down to hole that and 3sg.call

This boy, he saw there was a small hole, he thought the frog was hiding inside, so he bent

down to the hole and called.

Kutu, s-ahu nanai fiawera nei n-yai sonihingno aio

Now, 3sg.call progress dog this 3sg.stay 3sg-shake which tree

aniwa n-yai foi

bees 3sg.stay that

Now, while he was calling like this, this dog went and shook the tree that had the bees in it.

Aha mayeai kaisung poi s-ahu na kamirei foi wape kidowa

Then not long boy that 3sg.call in hole that but frog

kewariai kaha, mae karu dino kewariaine ampefe s-oiri.

appear no , but mouse which appear so 3sg.shocked

Then, it wasn‟t long that this boy called in the whole, it wasn‟t a frog that appears, but a

mouse that appeared and he got a fright.

I s-oiri, aha kutu nanai fiawerea nei s-onihingno aio

3sg 3sg.shocked then while progress dog this 3sg.shake tree



aniwa n-yainai nei, maieai aniwa rotang poi s-awa.

bees 3sg.stay with, not.long bees nest that 3sg. fall

He got a fright, then at that moment this dog was shaking the tree that had bees, so the bees

nest fell.

Aha, kaisung nei d-etio karu kewariai na kamirei,

Then, boy this 3sg.see mouse appear in hole

ampefe d-ahea d-autai na ai siai rowei

so 3sg.go 3sg.clim in tree other one

Then this boy saw a mouse come out of the whole he climbed up another three.

Kokoi, I s-era dohonaio n-yaina ai foi fe,

Koko, 3sg 3sg.search don‟t until 3sg.stay in tree that which,

aio fuba rowei.

which tree big one

He searched lest it was in the tree, a big tree.

Tonanai I s-obu ai foi, romu bompai kewaraiai

Like.that 3sg 3sg.until tree that, bird ghost appeared

na kamirei foi, ampefe I s-oiri.

in hole that, so 3sg 3sg.shocked

Just as he reached the tree an owl came out from inside a hole and he got a fright.



Soiri, ampefe s-awa

3sg.shocked, so 3sg. fall

He got a shock, so he fell.

Nanai s-awai aweu fo aniwa nei s-ifo kontaifa,

When 3sg.fall down that bees this 3sg.fly also

fiawera nei m-itai kontai ampefe m-ito.

dog this 3sg.scared also so 3sg. run

When he fell the bees also flew, the dog was also scared and ran.

Aha, kaisung nei m-ito to kamia fuba bei, d-eo d-ediwa teai

Then, boy this 3sg.run to rock big a , 3sg.want 3sg.hide maybe

Then the boy ran to a big rock, maybe he wanted to hide.

Deo d-ediwa

3sg.want 3sg.hide

He wanted to hide

Wape kutuo I m-ito nanai, romu pinang foi,

But when 3sg 3sg.run progress bird big that,



s-ifo na nung wowong po.

3sg.fly in head above his

But when he ran thus, the big bird flew above his head.

Aha, I m-itoa d-autai d-oanao kamiai wowong foi ambori s-ahu.

Then, 3sg 3sg.run 3sg.climb 3sg.stand rock above that then 3sg.call

Then, he ran up and stood on top of the rock, then called.

Wape wiro s-ahu weo kidowa foi kaha, I s-ahu we ne

But not 3sg.call for frog the that, 3sg 3sg. call for his

fiawera foi, weo fiawera foi m-ito ampa

dog that, because dog that 3sg.run already

But, he didn‟t call the frog, he called his dog, because the dog had run away.

Maeai andowa faura manei dama, s-oroai arikang

No.long.time deer horn one come, 3sg.take child

nei d-oa na kamiai wowong

this 3sg.stang in rock above.

It wasn‟t long that a large deer arrived, its horn above the rock where the boy stood.

Faura foi , s-oroai arikang nei w-iana nunggkamiai foi, k-iari mito.



Horn that, 3sg.make climb child this 3sg.stay head that 3sg.take 3sg.run

The horn lifted him up onto the deer‟s head and run away with him.

Weo fiawera d-etio ampefe fiawera foi m-ito d-awi i

Because dog 3sg.see so dog that 3sg.run 3sg.chase it

Because the dog saw , it also followed, chasing.

Awao taterai dereung, andowa faura foi k-ebio arikang poi

Until valley edge , deer horn that 3sg.throw child that

na we taterafo, aha fiawera kontai weo m-itofo d-etio wetatera fo

in which valley, then dog also because 3sg.run 3sg.see valley that

dofongpo kaha ampefe s-awa konta to kofa

infront not so 3sg.fall also to descend

Reaching the edge of a valley the deer threw the child in the valley, then the dog also fell,

because when running it didn‟t see the valley in front, so it also fell with the child into the

valley.

C-etawai na wetatera foi aweu mani c-osobu katai wemereafo

3pl.fall in edge that descend that 3pl.find place water

The fell into the valley into the water.

we katai mereafo moruto kaha, ampefe cerarang



because place water deep not , so safe

because the water wasn‟t not deep , they were safe.

Arikang poi j-uai fiawera foi s-oduati wiana warabeawa foi,

Child that 3sg.lift dog that 3sg.make clibe 3sg.stay shoulder that,

nungkamiai foi s-oi to rei

head his 3sg.go to / aim for land

The boy lifted his dog onto his shoulder, his head, then walked aiming for land.

Wape u-tarami amani kidowa manei d-ohong rarutu

But 3pl.hear there frog one 3sg.make rarotu

But they hear the sound of frog.

Ampefe arikang nei d-eisarai we fiawera fo k-iamangtawani,

So child this 3sg.make know for dog that 3sg.make sign

nemboru

quiet

So the boy told – made a sign for his dog”quiet”

Ampefe fiawera nemboru

So dog quiet



Ururuhia u-rauna ai robong tibata rowei,

Two 3pl.climb tree trunk fall one

w-iarurang waya dereung.

3sg.stay river edge

The two of them climbed a tree trunk that was at the edge of the river.

Arikang mang nei d-autai to ai raing, na ai raing poi

Child boy this 3sg.climb to tree above, in tree above that

d- eti aweu mani kidowa mandu u-minohi na ai neung poi

3sg.see descend that frog two 3sg. sit in tree below that

The boy climbed up onto the tree then from the top of the tree there they looked down therewere two frogs sitting under the tree there.

Kidowa m-inohi na ai neung poi maeai

Frog 3sg.sit in tree below that no.long.time

mani ne arikangposa e-ra e-fauma

that its child-child 3sg.come 3sg.many

Frogs sat below the tree there, after not lon many other baby frogs came.

Arikang mang nei d-etio weo neo kidowa kontai ria sa fe

Child boy this 3sg.see for his frog also with they perhaps



The boy watched, perhaps his frog was there.

I d-etia mani tarai kontai ampefe I s-uan aweu

3sg 3sg.see that right also so 3sg 3sg.bent down

k-ia ne kidowa foi.

3sg.take his frog that

He looked , it was there, so he bent down and picked it up.

I s-uan aweu k-iari, aha u-rawa nina

3sg. 3sg.bent down 3sg.take, then 3sg.go already.

He bent down and picked it up, and then those two went home.

Ure u-rawa mani aringkan poi d-eti berahi

3pl.want 3pl.walk that child that 3sg.see return

tuti j-uai warang weo kidowa manei fosa

and 3sg.lift arm for frog which other

na e-minohi na ai robong w-ia rurang mereha foi.

In 3sg.sit in tree trunk 3sg.stay edge water that

As they were going home the boy turned and raised his hand to the other frogs that were

sitting on the big tree by the edge of the water.



Tanari Munu

1pl.make house

(1) taha aisiang fafong tatahoni wiatai

06s

taha aisiang fafong tatahoni wiatai

1plin.take wood first 1plin.stack 3pl.stay

“First we take the pieces of wood and stack them.”

(2) tatato aisiang poi, piaru-te piarusura-te ainanaja mano njiari munu poi i deisa

11s aisiang poi

tatato aisiang poi piaru-te piarusura-te ainanaja

1in.pl.count wood DET 40-or 50-or then

mano njiari munu poi i deisa aisiang poi

??? 3sg.make house DET 3sg.PRON 3sg.sharpen wood DET

“We count 40 or 50 pieces of wood and then the man who makes the house sharpens

he wood.”

(3) aisiang poi deisa-ra da kia wai na airorong weo ehase aisiang poi

26s

aisiang poi deisa-ra da kia wai na airorong

wood DET 3sg.sharpens-completely 3sg.go 3sg.take rope to forest



weo ehase aisiang poi

to 3pl.tie wood DET

“He finishes sharpening the wood and takes rope into the forest to tie the wood [to the

tops of the beams.”

(4) wiorio pahu kontai weo epahu aisiang poi wiori antarnung kontai

38s

wiorio pahu kontai weo epahu aisiang poi wiori antarnung

3sg.buy nail and/also to 3sg.nail wood DET 3sg.buy roof

kontai

also

“He also buys nails to nail the wood and also buys a roof.”

(5) fuinana mani etadung munu na antaraung

48s

fuinana mani etadung munu na antaraung

a.long.time.ago ??? 3pl.cover house with roof

“A long time ago, they used to cover the house with roof.”



(6) antaraung mani enari na anang reraung enari weo etadung munu

53s

antaraung mani enari na anang reraung enari weo

roof ???? 3pl.make from sago leaf 3pl.make to

etadung munu

3pl.cover house

“The roof they made from sago leaves to make to cover the house.”

(7) mae fuinina mani etadung munu na antaraung ambe

60s

mae fuinina mani etadung munu na antaraung ambe

but now ???? 3pl.cover house with roof zinc

“But now they cover houses with zinc roofs.”

(8) kaiwo Indonesia mani tatejo “ seng ”

kaiwo Indonesia mani tatejo “seng”

66s language Indonesia ??? 1inpl.call seng

“In Indonesian, we call it „seng‟ [zinc].”



(9) antaraung poi wiori-a, wioro airepa kontaj weo tabuai wonggang nai

68s

antaraung poi wiori-a, wioro airepa kontaj weo tabuai

roof DET 2.sg-already 3sg.buys frame? also for 3.pl.put.down

wonggang nai

board with

“He has already the rood wood and (beams of) wood to put down with boards.”

(10) munu foi etadung kontai na wonggang te ampehi te ferendaung te mantauni

78s

munu foi etadung kontai na wonggang-te ampehi-te

house DET 3pl.cover also with wooden.board-or palm.branch-or

ferendaung-te mantauni

palm.frond-or choose.3sg

“They cover the house with boards, or palm branches, or fronds - It‟s up to him.”

(11) fiangeng poi, maia, mano ne munu poi sahu ne tahtui roromang sa weo kontai i

89s enari munu waworu

fiangeng poi, maia, mano ne munu poi sahu

things DET completely ??? 3sg.poss house DET 3sg.call



ne tahtui roromang sa weo kontai i enari

3sg.poss sibling brother them for also 3sg.PRON 3pl.build

munu waworu

house new

“After this is done, the person whose house it is calls his brothers to also build the

new house.”

(12) aisiang poi ehena fafong ainanaja ebuai aibua foi wiatai rurang aisiang ehena

104s poi

aisiang poi ehena fafong ainanaja ebuai aibua foi

wood DET 3pl.plant first then 3pl.put branch DET

wiatai rurang aisiang ehena poi

3sg.stay across beams 3pl.tie them

“First the plant the wood[en posts] and then lay the branches across the beams.”

(13) aisiang poi ehasena wai kontai

114s

aisiang poi ehasena wai kontai

beam DET 3pl.tie rope too



“They tie the wood to the rope.”

(14) wonggang poi ebuai saifa na aibua foi

119s

wonggang poi ebuai saifa na aibua foi

board DET 3.pl cover over wood DET

“They put the boards over the smaller beams [on the floor].”

(15) airepa foi etohani doa epahu nao pahu

125s

airepa foi etohani doa epahu nao pahu

beam DET 3pl.put 3sg.stand 3pl.nail with nail

“They stand up the wood and nail it together.”

(16) kapi munu poi eruaise doa kontai ambori etadung nao antaraung

133s

kapi munu poi eruaise doa kontai ambori

roof.frame house DET 3pl.raise 3sg.stand also so.that

etadung nao antaraung

3pl.cover with palm.leaves

“They raise the frame of the roof in order to cover with palm leaves.”



(17) wongang poi epahu rurang airepa foi

142

wongang poi epahu rurang airepa foi

board DET 3pl.nail between frame DET

(18) enari kiai mano ne munu poi dama minohi nai

146s

enari kiai mano ne munu poi dama minohi nai

3pl.make completely ???? his house DET 3sg.comes 3sg.stay with

“They finish his home and the person whose house it is comes to live.”

(19) djeisarai weo enari munu mani padiramo nei eruasai doa kontai

153s

djeisarai weo enari munu mani padiramo nei eruasai

1sg.tell for 3pl.make house ???? flag DET 3pl.raise

doa kontai

3sg.stands too

“I tell that they build and the lift the flag too.”

(20) ambori tawati enari munu waworu

163

ambori tawati enari munu waworu



so.that 1pl.see 3pl.build house new

“So that we see they built a new house.”



My studies

1. i-minohi na Ambai j-enaung na Ambai.

1SG-stay LOC Ambai 1SG-study LOC Ambai

“I stayed in Ambai (and) I studied in Ambai.”

2. j-ontai-to Urui.

1SG-travel-DIR Serui.

”I went to Serui.”

3. j-enaung kontai na Urui.

1SG-study also LOC Serui.

“I also studied in Serui.”

4. j-eunaung kiai j-ontai-to

Jaya-Pura.

1SG-study COMPL 1SG-travel-DIR Jaya-Pura

“I finished my studying and traveled to Jaya-Pura.”

5. i-minohi na Jaya-Pura j-eunaung kontai.

1SG-sit LOC Jaya-Pura 1SG-study

also.

“I stayed in Jaya-Pura and studied also there.”

6. ainana-ya j-eunaung kiai j-ontai-to

Mano-Kwari.

then 1SG-study COMPL 1SG-travel-DIR

Mano-Kwari

“Then I finished my studying and went to Mano-Kwari.”



7. i-minohi na Mano-Kwari.

1SG-sit LOC Mano-Kwari

”I stayed in Mano-Kwari.”

8. j-eunau na Mano-Kwari

kontai na universitas Negri-Papua.

1SG-worked LOC Mano-Kwari also LOC

university Negri-Papua.

”I teached also in Mano-Kwari at the University of Negri-Papua.”

9. i-minohi ya j-enatu-o kaiwo bei to

Jakarta.

1SG-sit then 1SG-send-O letter IND DIR

Jakarta

“I stayed there and then I sent a letter to Jakarta.”

10. ainana-ya, mano Indonesia nesa e-teio dento.

then NOM Indonesia they 3PL-say yes

“Then (the government of) Indonesia said yes.”

Note: the word /mano/ is a kind of nominalizer similar to /mani/ or a relativizer.

However, here it seems to function as a nominal head of a genitive expression,

simil ar to demonstrative in “those of Indonesia”.

11. anto-hari ne-mu kaiwo b-onatu

fefe.

1TR-take POSS-2SG letter 2SG-give IND

”We received a letter you sent.”

12. anto-re yo b-ontai to Waranda b-oinaung

na





A typical morning in Ambai

1. ahabua kamihai j-oa

bari jauTomorrow morning 1SG-stand REFL 1SG

“Tomorrow morning I will get up.”

2. i-fatan-o ne-hu

rorong poi. i-fatang kiai.

1SG-make-O POS-1SG bedroom DEF 1SG-make

COMPL

“I organize my bedroom, (till) I finish”

3. i-ra-to refui

fo. i-rawa i-nari adia.

1SG-go-DIR kitchen DEF 1SG-go 1SG-make fire

“I go to the kitchen. I go and make a fire.”

Note: the word /refui/ which is g lossed here as “kitchen” means literally “behind”,

as the kitchen is behind the house.

4. i-fafi warangguai. i-ruai si.

1SG-wash plate. 1SG-wash

3SG.ACC

“I wash a plate. I wash it.”

5. ainanaya i-rang-o romang.

i-nari

anang.

then 1SG-cook-O boiling-water 1SG-make

sago-pudding

“Then I boil water. I make a sago pudding.”

6. i-rang diang. feaifa i-ran-ai

kiai.

1SG-cook fish. also 1SG-cook-3SG

COMPL.

“I cook a fish, (till) I finish cooking.”



7. i-sahu ne-hu dai, ne-

hu aí

1SG-call POS-1SG father POS-1SG mother

ne-hu roromang tuti ne-hu rorowing.

POS-1SG brother with POS-1SG sister.

“I call my father, my mother, my brother and my sister.”

8. i-sahu we coru kiai. co-

roma.

1SG-call for 3TR COMPL 3TR-come.

“I call to them all, and they come.”

Note: We would expect here the usage of /ea/ (3PL) instead of /coru/ (3TR).

9. tat-ampi, ta-tampi kiai.

4PL-eat, 4PL-eat COMPL.

“We eat, (till) we finish eating.”

Note: surprisingly the 4th

person is used, instead of the 1 st

person, thus implying the

inclusion of the addressee. This might be a narrative technique.

j-utang-o ne-hu rorowing katui nei.

j-eo tu-wo to

romi fo.

1SG-ask-O POS-1SG sister small

DEF. 1SG-tell 4DL-row DIR field DEF.

“I ask my small sister, that we row to the field.”

Documents

Ambai Texts