UK: A Little Language Lesson

So I've been back home a while now and this is a blog post I never had time to do in Fiji, but is a nice little activity for my memories now! Guess I'm missing being a teacher, so let's have an educational blog post. Let's learn some Fijian!

Bula - Hello (or literally, life)
Yadra - Morning
Vinaka - Thank You (or good)
Moce - Good Bye (or sleep)
Io - Yes
Sega [seng-ah] - No
Kerekere - Please (also, borrow or favour)

'c' in Fijian is a 'th' sound. So moce is pronounced 'mothay'

Kana - Eat
Kana va levu - Eat a lot! (I heard this very often!)


Gunu [ngu-nu] - Drink
The 'g' sound isn't like the g in 'good', but the g sound in 'ing'. So, say 'ing' and when you get to the point where the roof of your mouth is touching the back of your tongue, that's the right position to start pronouncing the Fijian 'g' sound.

Kava/Yaqonna/Grog - A narcotic drink made from pounded pepper root, drank ceremonially and just... at any other time to relax. Makes your lips and mouth numb and tingly!

And... now for the words I used a LOT when communicating with little kids who spoke no english!

Jikolo [chik-o-loh] - Shhh! Shut up! Quiet!
Kua - Don't
Tabu [tam-bu] - Forbidden
Lako kindy - Go back to the kindergarten
Lako Na - Go to Mum

Lako vale - Go home
Talo - Hurry
Cici [thi-thi] - Run (if you pronounce this incorrectly with long vowels it means bumhole(!) instead! So make sure you're saying it right unless you want a crowd of kids to start collapsing with laughter in front of you)

And.... let's have a few fun phrases.

Au tiko mai Viro - I'm from Viro
Au tiko mai Ingilandi - I'm from England
Na yacagu ko..... [yah-thang-gu] - My name is......
Au yabaki tinikawalu - I'm 18 years old
Au sa kaiviti - I'm Fijian :)

Hope you enjoyed this taster of Fijian language!

However, it wasn't just Fijian that I learnt whilst in Fiji....... I also spent a lot of time with AUSTRALIANS! All the volunteers on my island and the neighboring island of Moturiki were Aussies and I'm sure they're very proud that I've now adopted all their slang :)

Australian-isms are courtesy of Miss Erin of Wainunu Bay (a.k.a Miss Australia)

Daggy / Bogen - Geeky
Grouse - Cool
Suss - Dodgy stuff
Massive tripper - Rather crazy
Decked out - Rather nice

Unreal banana peel!
Far out brussel sprout! - Two exclamations of something joyous.