Okanisi Tongo

For the past months I have been learning Aucan in a combination of language classes and community immersion. Aucan is a simple but beautiful and extremely flexible language. Below are some of my favorite words and phrases that gives a flavor of Aucan.

My site, Drietabiki is literally “Three Islands,” or “Expensive Islands,” and as I understand, the Gaanman allows for either translation.

The word “Faya” (like “fire” but with a “y”), besides being fun to say, means everything from fire to light to electricity to flashlight to heat to light bulb, and can be used in any context just to add emphasis.

It makes you sound like Captain Jack Sparrow. The word “sabi” means to know or understand, but all “v’s” in Aucan are changed to “b’s” (Cassaba, Libi, Liba), so adding “sabi” onto everything, especially introductions, can be very entertaining (I’m Michael Brannagan, sabi?).

It makes you sound like Jar Jar Binks. Phrases like “Mi sa go ini busi” (I shall go into the bush). Mi na’ wani wasi koosi (I don’t want to wash clothes), and “Yu meke mi booya” (You’re confusing me) are really fun to say.

The word for “to eat” and the word for “food.” To eat is “nyan” and food is “nyan-nyan.” So, “I want to eat food” is “Mi wani nyan nyan-nyan.”

“Koo” can either mean cold or turtle.

The word “meti” means and is derived from “meat.” It is also, by no coincidence whatsoever, the word for animal or, as there is no other word for it, bacteria. So when you ask what kind of animal something is, you ask “what kind of meat is that?” Many Aucans, as I am, are willing to eat almost everything.