Wauja

Verb

etemepei

1. (transitive) he/she/it hears (something or someone)

   Malalakuawi kyankan. Etemekonawi.

   It made a lot of noise. Everybody heard.

   Yeyawa, ejekewi yuruna, maka aitsa etemepei, maka homakapai kyankan.

   In the dead of night, [the female captive] cast a spell over the Juruna [her captors], causing them to sleep deeply, so they would not hear [her escape].

2. (transitive) he/she/it listens, pays attention, heeds (advice or counsel)

   Yamukunaun ... yeteme natu ...

   O ye children, hear me .... [formal chiefly oration addressing community at large]

   Kamani aitsa peteme natu? Kamani itsapai pitsu?

   Why don't you listen to me? Why are you acting like that?

3. (transitive) he/she/it understands, comprehends (something or someone)

   Petemepei nukaintsityu?

   Do you understand my thinking? [i.e., what I am talking about, proposing, formulating]

   Netemepeiyiu. Netemepeiyiu pitsuwiu.

   I do understand. Indeed I understand you.

4. (transitive) he/she/it understands, comprehends (is fluent in a language)

   Etemepei wauja?

   Does [he] speak Wauja?

   Etemepei kyankan.

   [He] speaks it well.

References

• "Netemepeiyiu. Netemepeiyiu pitsuwiu" written by Huukai Waura, schoolteacher in Ulupuene village, during Facebook IM with E. Ireland, 9/14/2014.