Miskito/Lexicon

	Miskitu Aisas! Miskito Language Course
Syllabus			Planned lexicon
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Explanation

The table below is an initial lexical "source inventory". It represents a preliminary inventory of possible candidates for inclusion in the eventual lexicon (vocabulary) of the course. It is the not necessarily the case that a given item will end up in the course: that will be decided on an item-by-item basis as the development of the course unfolds. Thus, in the process of developing the lessons the present inventory serves as a checklist.

The present list was produced in a rather primitive manner through intuitive judgments about likelihood of each word's usefulness or importance. That is why it only represents a preliminary inventory! The procedure followed was to go through a Miskito-Spanish dictionary selecting some entries and copying these into a Word file. In the next step, the words selected were copied manually into a second file containing a four-column table (as below): the first three columns (Miskito, Spanish, part of speech) were taken from the source dictionary entries, and the fourth column (semantic field) was added.

Using Microsoft Word's sorting functions, from this tabulation we can mechanically generate four tables, ordered alphabetically by each of the four columns, giving us a Miskito-Spanish list, a Spanish-Miskito list, a list ordered by parts of speech and a thematic (semantic) list. Once these lists have been produced they may be used to review the resulting inventory checking for possible "defects". For example: using the thematic list we couild see what items have been entered for the semantic category "animals" and see whether this set of items looks like a sensible, balanced selection, whether any obvious items have been overlooked, whether any item has been accidentally placed in the wrong category, etc. etc. Referring back to the source dictionary, we can then attempt to correct and improve the inventory.

The reason why this table lists Spanish rather than English glosses is simply that it was decided to copy the glosses fairly mechanically from the source dictionary at this point. Translating the glosses might possibly have introduced a margin of error or confusion because of different possible translations and the possibility of misunderstandings. Authors using this list will therefore need some knowledge of Spanish to use this resource (sorry about that).

Warning: There may still be mistakes or inappropriate choices in this list, which is only intended as a rough checklist and working aid. Therefore the information shown here should never be taken on trust when developing the lessons, but rechecked against fuller sources (especially the source dictionary).

Lexicon

Miskitu	Spanish	Part of speech	Semantic category
ahkia	cuándo	av/in	time
anhkia	hasta	cj	time
aibapaia	pagar	v	commerce
aibuskaia	mojarse	v/rx
aihni	pronto	av	time
aihtabaia	bañar	v	hygiene
aihwa	mucho	q
aiklabaia	pelear	v/rx	social relations
aikuki	juntamente	av
ailal	mucho	q
aihwa	bastante	q
aihwa	bueno, sano	aj
danh kasak	completo, perfecto	aj
aisa	padre	n-ka
aisaia	hablar	v	lenguage
aisi kaikaia	leer	vc	language
aisubaia	nacer, parir	v	body functions
aisubi sakaia	dar a luz	vc	body functions
aitnikaia	acostarse	v	actions
aiwanaia	cantar	v	language
aiwawanra	cantante	n-ka
alahbaia	bajar (tr.)	v	actions
alahwaia	bajarse	v	actions
alkaia	agarrar	v	actions
amaia	quemarse, encenderse	v
aman	quemado	pl
an	cuántos	q/in
angkaia	quemar	v
ani	cuál	d/in
anira	dónde	av	space
anti	tía materna	n-ka	kinship
apaia	faltar	v
apia	no	pt
apia kaka	o	cj
apu	sin	pp
aras	caballo	n-ka	animals
atkaia	comprar	v	comercio
atki sakaia	sacar comprado	v
au	si	cj
auhni	sabroso	aj	food
auyamakira	inteligente	aj	personal traits
awala	río	n-ka	environment
aya	maíz	n-ka	vegetation
bahamna	entonces	av	time
bahamuna	semejante, parecido	aj
bahki	inútilmente	av
baikaia	partir, reventar	v
baila	cerca	av	space
baila	cercano	aj	space
baila	lado	n-ka
nahki	como	pp?
baku bara	entonces	cj
bal luwaia	pasar	vc	actions
balaia	venir	v	actions
yakan	sólo, solamente	av
baha mita	por eso	cj
bamna	porque	cj
baku	así	av
ban	todavía	av
ban kra	quizás	av
bangbang	conejo	n-ka	animals
banghkaia	llenar	v
banghwaia	llenarse	v
bani	cada	q
bara	porque	cj
bara	y	cj
batil	botella	n-ka
bik	saco	n-ka
bikaia	enterrar, sepultar	v
bila	boca	ni	body
bila	palabra, idioma	ni	language
bilara	dentro	pp	space
blablasa	sucio	aj
blahwaia	reñir	v
blikaia	enviar	v
briaia	tener	v
brid	pan	n-ka	food
brihbalaia	traer	v	actions
brihwaia	llevar	v	actions
bui		pt
bukaia	levantar	v	actions
bukra	allá	av	space
buskaia	mojar	v
buswaia	mojar	v
butku	paloma	n-ka	animals
buwaia	levantarse	v	actions
dahra	relato, informe, chisme	ni	language
daiwan	animal	nirr	animals
dama	anciano, abuelo	n-ka	kinship
dama	viejo	aj	personal traits
danh	completamente	av
dans	baile	n
dans pulaia	bailar	vc	actions
daukaia	hacer	v
dia	qué	pn/in
diaia	beber	v	body functions
diara	cosa	n
dikaia	limpiar	v	hygiene
dikia	parentesco	ni	kinship
dikia	parte	ni
dikwa	olla, cazuela	n-ka	cooking
dimwaia	meterse	v
dingkaia	meter	v	actions
yakan	sólo, solamente	av
dor/dur	puerta	n-ka	house
dukia	bienes	ni
dukiara	por	pp
duri	cayuco	n-ka	transport
dus	árbol	n-a	vegetation		hilp munaia	ayudar	vc	social relations
ikaia	matar	v	social relations
ilingkaia	abrir	v	actions
ilingwaia	abrirse	v
imhplikaia	robar	v	social relations
inaia	llorar	v	body functions
inma	hierba	n-ka	vegetation
iwaia	sentarse	v	actions
iwaika	silla, asiento	n	house
kabu	mar	n-ka	environment
kahbaia	colocar	v	actions
kahmi	huacal	n-ka	cooking
kahmuntra	tecomate	n-ka	cooking
kaia	ser, estar	v
kaikaia	ver	v	actions
kaina	antes	av	time
kaisa	vamos	ij
awû	si	cj
kakau	cacao	n-ka	food
kakma	nariz	ni	body
kakna	día	n	time
kalila	gallina	n-ka	animals
kalkaia /krikaia	romper	v	actions
kalwaia	romperse	v
kan	porque	cj
kan kutbaia	cubrir	v
kangbaia	tocar	v	work
kanra	antes de	pp	time
karnika	fuerza, poder	ni	personal traits
kat	hasta	pp
kati	luna	n-ka	environment
kati	mes	n-ka	time
kau	más	av
kau	todavía	av	time
kauhaia	caer	v	actions
kauhla	frío	aj
ki		pt/in
kikaia	reír	v	actions
lakra	hermana	n-ka	kinship
kipla	roca, peña	n-ka	environment
kla	río arriba	av	space
klahka	brazo	ni	body
klakaia	cortar	v	actions
klâkaia	doler	v	body functions
kli	nuevamente	av	time
kli-kli	repetidamente	av	time
klunghka	estómago	ni	body
kmisri	escorpión	n-ka	animals
kra	quizás	av
krauhni	seco, solo, vacío	aj
krawaia	acordarse	v	thought
krikaia	quebrar	v	actions
krikri	cama	n-ka	house
kriwaia	quebrarse	v
kuka	abuela	n-ka	kinship
kulkaia	contar	v	language
kulmara	junto con	pp
kuma	chile	n-ka	food
kuna	pero	cj
kunhku	corto	aj	dimensions
kupia	corazón	ni	body
kupia kraukaia/rakaya	despertar (tr.)	vc
kupia krawaia	despertarse	vc	body functions
kupiara	en el centro	pp	space
kuswa	tortuga de agua dulce	n-ka	animals
kwahkaia	transportar	v	work
kwâkaia	abrir	v	actions
kwawaia	abrirse	v
kyama	oreja	ni	body
la	ley	n-ka	society
lahbaia	bajar (tr.)	v	actions
lahwaia	bajar (intr.)	v	actions
laih	lejos	av	space
laikaia	verter	v	actions
laka	costumbre	n	society
lakaia	convertir, traducir	v	language
laki yabaia	devolver	vc	social relations
lakra	hermana/o de sexo opuesto	ni	kinship
lal	cabeza	ni	body
lalah	dinero	n-ka	commerce
lamara	cerca	pp	space
lan daukaia	enseñar	vc	thought
lan takaia	aprender	vc	thought
langhkaia	soltar	v	actions
langhwaia	soltarse	v
lapta	caliente	aj
laptika	calor	ni	body functions
latara	afuera	av	space
latwan	dolor	n-ka	body functions
latwan kaikaia	amar	vc	social relations
latwan wahwaya	sufrir	vc	body functions
lawaia	enojarse	v	social relations
lâwaia	secarse	v
lâwan	seco	pl
lawi daukaia	regañar	vc	social relations
li	agua	nirr	environment
li ahwaia	llover	vc	weather
lih	tortuga verde (marina)	n-ka	animals
lihkaia	gustar	v	thought
lika		pt
lila	amante	n-ka	social relations
lila	centro	ni	space
lilara	en medio de	pp	space
lingbaia	tocar (hacer sonar)	v
lingwaia	sonar	v
liwa	gusano	nirr	animals
luha	falto, careciendo	av?
luhpia	pequeño, poquito	aj
lukaia	pensar	v	thought
lukbaia	hervir (intr.)	v
lus tiwaya	perder	n
luwaia	cruzar (intr.)	v
ma	fruta	ni	food
ma	semilla, grano	ni	vegetation
ma mangkaia	sembrar	vc	vegetation
mahbra	huevo, testículo	ni	food
mahka	ya, inmediatamente	av	time
maia	spouse	ni	social relations
maira	casado/a	aj	social relations
maira	pareja	n	social relations
mairin	mujer	n-ka	people
makabaia	pedir	v	language
makabi walaia	preguntar	vc	language
makaia	construir	v	work
man	sólo, solamente	av
mana	caro	aj	commerce
mana	pago, sueldo	ni	commerce
mangkaia	poner	v	actions
mangu	mango	n-ka	food
mani	verano	n-ka	time
manis	mucho	q
mapara	contra, hacia, al encuentro de	pp	space
marikaia	enseñar, mostrar	v	thought
marit	casado/a	aj	social relations
marit	esposo	n-ka	social relations
marit takaia	casarse	vc	social relations
markit	mercado	n-ka	commerce
mata	por	pp
maura	poco	q
mawan	cara	ni	body
maya	río abajo, hacia el mar	av	space
mayara	abajo	av	space
mihta	mano	ni	body
mika		pt
mina	pie	ni	body
miskaia	pescar	v	work
Miskitu	Miskito	n-ka	people
mula	nieto	ni	kinship
munaia	hacer	v
munhtara	debajo	pp	space
musa	cuerpo	ni	body
na	este	d
nahara	aquí	av	space
nahki	cómo	av/in
nahwala	ayer	av	time
naika	más tarde	av	time
naiwa	hoy	av	time
nakra	ojo	ni	body
naku	así	av
nan	así, un poquito	av
nana	cuello	ni	body
napa	diente	ni	body
nara	porque, ya que	cj
naura	ahí	av	space
ni		pt
ni	de, con	cj
nika		pt
nina	nombre	ni	people
nina makaia	nombrar	vc
ninara	en nombre, en ausencia, detrás	pp
ninkara	después	pp/cj	time
nu takaia	saber	vc	thought
pain kaikaia	apreciar	vc	thought
palaia	volar	v	actions
pali	muy, mucho	av
pan	siquiera, al menos, aunque	av
pana	a cambio	av/pp	commerce
papu	hormiga	n-ka	animals
pasin	como	pp
pat	rápidamente	av	time
pata	(see plun)
paun	libra	n	dimensions
piaia	comer	v	body functions
piakaia	cocer	v	cooking
piawaia	cocerse	v	cooking
pihni	blanco	aj	colours
pihwaia	secarse	v
pihwan	seco	pl
platu	plátano	n-ka	food
plikaia	buscar	v
pliki sakaia	escoger, encontrar	vc
plis	lugar	n-ka	space
plun	comida	nirr	food
prahni	corto	aj	dimensions
prais	precio	n-ka	commerce
prakaia	cerrar	v	actions
priskaia	atar	v	work
prukaia	pegar	v	actions
pruwaia	morir	v	body functions
puk	todo	q
pulaia	jugar	v	social relations
purara	arriba, encima	av	space
pus	gato	n-ka	animals
pyu	tiempo, fecha, vez	n-a	time
pyuara	cuando	cj	time
pyuta	culebra	n-ka	animals
rakaia	curar	v	body functions
rapia	tío paterno	n-ka	kinship
raya	nuevo	aj
ridi	listo, preparado	aj
rum	cuarto	n-ka	house
sabi	inmediatamente	av	time
saiwaia	anochecer	v	time
saiwan	anochecer	n	time
sakaia	sacar	v	actions
sakuna	pero	cj
sandi	domingo	n	time
sap	en silencio, secretamente	av
sap/shap	tienda	n	commerce
sat	clase	n-ka
saura	malo	aj
si	miedo	n-a	thought
si briaia	tener miedo	vc	thought
sikbaia	lavar	v	hygiene
sikia	aguacate	n-ka	food
siknis	enfermo	aj	body functions
siksa	negro	aj	colours
silmika	hamaca	ni	house
silp	por uno mismo	av
sim	mismo	aj
sin	también	cj
sip	capaz	aj
sipaia	coser	v	work
sirpi	pequeño	aj	dimensions
slilman	estrella	n-ka	environment
srakia	bisabuelo, antepasado	ni	kinship
sukra	maduro, podrido	aj
sula	venado	nirr	animals
sunaia	subir	v	actions
sus	zapato	n-ka
susu	desnudo	aj	body
sut	todo	q
swapaia	cansarse	v	body functions
swapan	cansado	pl	body functions
swapkaia	cansar	v
swiaia	dejar	v
ta	punta	n-ka
ta baikaia	apoyar, sostener	vc
ta briaia	guiar	vc
ta krikaia	comenzar	vc	actions
tahbaia	bañar	v	hygiene
tahkia	compañero	ni	social relations
tahti	tío materno	n-ka	kinship
taihka	tía paterna	n-ka	kinship
taim	cuando	cj	time
taim	tiempo	n-ka	time
takaia	salir	v	actions
takaskaia	prohibir, detener	v
takaskaia	quedarse	v	actions
taki waia	irse, retirarse	v	actions
tala	sangre	n-ya	body
talia	parecido	ni
tangni	flor	n-ka	vegetation
tani	al lado de	pp	space
tanis	tonto	aj	personal traits
tanta	delgado	aj	dimensions
tara	grande	aj	dimensions
tasba	tierra, suelo	n-ya	environment
taski	sucio	aj	hygiene
taukaia	andar	v	actions
taura	primero	av	time
tawa	pelo	ni	body
tawaia	regresar, convertirse	v	actions
tawan	a causa de	pp
tawan	village	N-ka	environment
taya	piel	ni	body
ti	té	n-ka	food
tibang	conejo	n-ka	animals
tibil	mesa	n-ka	house
tihmia	noche	n-ka	time
tihmu	oscuro	aj
tihu	profundo	aj
tikaia	perder	v
tila	algunos, varios	q
tilara	entre, en medio de	pp	space
tingki	gracias, gratitud	ij
tisku	luego, pronto	av	time
titan	mañana	n-ka	time
tiwaia	perderse	v
tnata	ano, fin	n	time
tnatamana	por causa de	pp
trai kaikaia	intentar	vc	actions
trai munaia	intentar	vc	actions
tuktan	niño	n-ka	people
tumatis	tomate	n-ka	food
tuskaia	lavar	v	hygiene
tutni	tarde	n-ka	time
twas	papaya	n-ka	food
twi	zacate	n-ka	environment
twilkaia	cargar	v	work
twisa	lengua	ni	body
tyara	jóven	aj	people
tyara	jóven	n-ka	people
ulbaia	escribir	v	language
umpara	cerca	av	space
umpira	pobre	aj	people
un /ûna	labio, orilla, borde	n-a	body
upla	persona,gente	n-ka	people
utla	casa	nirr	house
uya	mucho	q
uya	muy
wahbaia	recoger	v	actions
wahma	jóven (varón)	n ?	people
wahya	hoja, página	n-ka	vegetation
waia	ir, irse	v	actions
waitna	hombre, varón	n-ka	people
wal	con	pp
wal	dos	q
wala	otro	d
walaia	oír	v	actions
walhwal	cuatro	q
wali daukaia	obedecer	vc	social relations
walpa	piedra	n-ya	environment
brinka	querer, desear	vc	thought
wapaia	caminar	v	actions
wark	trabajo	n-ka	work
wark takaia	trabajar	vc	work
wataukaia	pasearse	v
wiaia	decir	v	language
wihka	lejos	av	space
wik	semana	n-ka	time
wil	pues, a menos que	cj
wilkaia	amarrar	v	work
win takaia	ganar	vc	commerce
wina	carne	n-ka	food
wina	desde	pp	space
winaia	llamar	v	language
windar	ventana	n-ka	house
wiria	poco	q / av
wisi	para	cj
ya	quién	pn / in
yabaia	dar	v	social relations
yabal	camino	n-ka	environment
yakan	sólo, solamente	av
yakwra	alto	aj	personal traits
yamni	bueno	aj
yapti	madre	n-ka	kinship
yauhka	tomorrow	av	time
yu	día	n-a	time
yul	perro	n-a	animals

Abbreviations (parts of speech)

aj	adjecive
av	adverb
cj	conjunction
d	determiner
ij	interjection
in	interrogative
n	noun (invariable)
n-ka	noun (ligature -ka)
ni	inalienable noun
nirr	irregular noun
pl	participle
pn	pronoun
pp	postposition
pt	particle
q	quantifier
rx	reflexive
v	verb
vc	compound verb