ma [´ma:]    1. interj. no; nope. Gramm:  negative interjection. May occur alone to answer a yes/no question, or  at the begining of a sentence to express disagreement with someone else's previous statement. 2. is not; are not.  Gramm: negative form of the copula *sii. Mo Tapu ma. He is not Tapu. ma siite interj. Aya, no! Usage: interjection used to express the speaker attitude of disapproval.

-ma [ma]   vsuff. not. Gramm: negative predicate suffix. Occurs before the tense markers in a predicate suffix chain. Mo amane. He/she didn't come. Ngiika aki kapanii hii pulumane. The dog whom I saw was not white. -ma ke an See: an. 

ma    vt-r. to spend/invest in something.

mabo   n. term of reference for 1. son-in-law (daughter's husband). 2. brother-in-law (sister's husband). 3. all husbands of *atabo. 4. all husbands of classificatory sisters (*barmii) regarded as juniors. 5. husband's sister's husband. 6. father's brother's daughter's husband. 7. father's sister's daughter's husband. mabo apin binii n. declaration of engagement. Encycl: a ceremony when bride's parents arrange a lunch party for the declaration of engagement. All important decisions regarding marriage take place on the same day. Syn: apin binii; mabo inchinii. mabo inchinii n. formal presentation of the bridegroom to the bride's parental home, which is the first of a series of ritualized visits involving the bridal couple and their close kin. Encycl: the bridegroom, accompanied by his father, two witnesses known as *gyuntan and two friends, makes the bridewealth payment (*ari) of one Tibetan sword (*ilyo chiri) and one mithun to the bride's brother (or father). The bride's parents reciprocate by giving a white shawl with orange borders known as  the son-in-law's shawl (*mabo pulye). On that occasion, four key-persons are selected among members of the bride's patrilineage (*uru) to be the recipients of the bride price. For that reason they are collectively referred to by the term *ari (or *are) whose literal meaning is 'price'. This group is comprised of one *diiran (most often the bride's father, though there is no obligation for him), one *lache, and two *ari mechu (or *ponyo), the three latter being chosen among the bride's classificatory brothers. The bride price is shared among them according to their status: the *diiran receives the greatest share, followed by the *lache, then the two *ari mechu. Each reciprocates with substantial gifts to the bride's parents including a fixed amount of paddy. Later they are entitled special shares from the animals slaughtered during *Myoko or *Murun by the bride's family. mabo pulye n. locally produced white cloth with orange/yellow borders, which is given by the bride's mother to the groom as a token of betrothal . mabo yaju n. ladle filled up with beer that is presented to the bridegroom by the bride's parents during the *mabo inchinii ceremony .

magu   vi. (by humans) to cry out; to bellow.

maji   n. Tibetan prayer bells without clapper, traditionally used as valuables, ritual artefacts and barter objects. Encycl: formerly used as prestige goods and currency, it seems that the memory of their origin, the commercial route through which they were obtained, and the names of their successive owners were preserved. Nowadays *maji bells have lost their value as currency unit and are used mostly for ritual purposes. maji kanii n. person who examines the quality of *maji bells that are presented as gifts during the marriage ceremony (*mida) and as such is entitled to receive gifts from the groom's family. Maji poye/pohe. One Tibetan bell.

makun   vt. to heap; to bring together into a pile.

malan   n:qual. many. Gramm: qualifying noun following another noun or a pronoun, with the overall sense 'many N'. Syn: abu. malanja adj. most; largest (share). Syn: abuja. malanjapa adv. most; mostly. No malanjapa bii'nge. You take the largest share!

malo   n. rooftop; roof vertex. Molu, inka lanchan malo giiniibo ude ho nyan dudu nii. They live in that house with a red rooftop. malo abu n. ridge pole.

malo [malo]   conj. or; either...or. Gramm: coordinating conjunction used to connect two words, phrases, clauses or sentences together, each presented as an alternative to the other. Si nii aki ha, malo yaki ha? Is this a dog or a fox? Narun mi subu bako nan hempa do, malo sii ya bakotii yu ah. It appears like a mithun has broken into a fence, or is it a cow who did it? malo-kalohe adv. kindly; with due consideration. Malo-kalohe siika siti mi Taka mi bihe pe. Kindly give this letter to Taka.

-malyi [malji]   vsuff. will not [do]. Gramm: temporal suffix combination marking an event that is not going to  happen in the proximal future.

mamo    vt. to encourage. Usage: for kids, instead of *tamo which is used for adults or persons older than the speaker. 

man   vt-r. to roof; to cover with or as with a roof.

man   vi-r. (of a plant) to creep.

-mane [mane]   vsuff. [did] not. Gramm:  negative form of the perfective aspectual suffix, marking an event that was not completed in the past (usually non proximal);  second and third persons.

mannii   1. n. (Bot.) creeper. 2. adj. in a relative or nominalized clause) creeping, as of a plant.

manko   n. (of a house structure) ceiling battens.

manpo   n. horizontal roofing beam.

manyan   n. ceremonial friend usually belonging to *Misan (Nyishi or Miri) community. Encycl: ceremonial friendship concluded between Apatanis and Nyishis involves the exchange of mithun and valuables, thus resembling the ceremonial friendship pacts of Nyishis' political and social system. baro manyan n. group consisting of one individual's *manyan.

-maran   vsuff. not yet [done]. Gramm: non achievement aspectual suffix combination, giving the overall meaning 'not yet'. Ngo siiro kii apin diimaran. I haven't eaten yet from this morning. Ngo Tanii agun lunii kone tare kapamaran. I haven't seen a single person who speaks apatani yet. -maranpa vsuff. before [do]ing. Ngo amaranpa mo aneku. He arrived before me. Var: marampa.

mari   n. (Bot.) variety of tree used in rituals.

marlan   n. rust. Usage: Bulla. Var: harti. Usage: Hari.

martur   n. hammer. From: Assamese.

masa   part. about. A: Old Ziro, sokii la, ano adodo pe ha? B: Sokii la 7 km masa do. A: Is Old Ziro very far from here? B: It's about 7 km from here.

-masa   vsuff. Let us not [do]. Gramm: negative form of the hortative suffix *-sa, used for suggesting not to perform a collective action including the speaker. Siinyan ude miimasa. Let us not construct a house this year.

masii   cop. am not; are not; is not. Gramm: copula negator. Negative form of the copula *sii. Inka jiji coat giiniibo si Oman aba masii ha ? Isn't that man who is wearing a blue coat Oman's father? Var: masu. Usage: Hari. No Diyobar alo sii masii ha enna inkinnen nii? Siilo diyobar ha enna? You were leaving on Sunday. Is today Sunday?

masu   See: masii.

mata   adj. flat. Var: meta.

me   vt-r. to search, to look for. Niinyi mi Anya medo he. Anya was looking for you (two). Nunumi ngo meladoto. I was looking for (to) you. Nii photo pa no frame medu? You are looking a frame for which photo?

me   vt-r. to join; to connect. me-nanii n. any instrument/device used to connect or hold two objects together.

mebi   vt. to search someone/something on someone's else behalf/for someone.  Molupa duko mebitii ha? Have you arranged accomodation for them?

mebo   vt. 1. to search along with others. 2. to help someone search something.

mechi-meyi   vt. to inspect minutely; to scrutinize; to search closely or completely.

mechu   n. 1. particular part of the bride price, which two selected persons belonging to the bride's close kin are entitled to receive. Either a brother  or first paternal cousin of the bride, a member of the bride's patrilineage (*uru) or a person not belonging to the bride's clan. Syn: mechu ari; ari mechu; ari ponyo. 2. by extension, the recipients of that part of the bride price known as *mechu.  Altogether with *diiran and *lache, they are in charge of assisting the bride during the wedding and later the married wife for the duration of her marriage. mechu yakhan n. traditional unit of measure corresponding approximately to 15 kilogramms of unhusked rice, which is expected to be given as a contribution by a married woman's *mechu on certain occasions such as *murun.

mechu   adj. small; small-sized. Syn: atu. Usage: *atu is used more often than *mechu.

meder   n. 1. purity; purification; cleaning (in a ritual sense; i.e. eviction from evil spirits). 2. purification ritual performed during *Dree festival. meder agyan n. altar constructed for performing *meder. meder nelo n. literally 'house of purity', label given to the place of worship for the local version of modern Donyi Polo religious movement.

medin-mepi   vt. to connect; to join. 

mekha   vt. to search for something in vain, unsuccessfully.

mele   n. traditional procedure to resolve unsettled disputes between two individuals, including homicides.

meli   vt. to kill someone to avenge oneself or to avenge someone else.

meliniin   n. killing as revenge.

melin-meha   vt. to search out. Apin dii-nanii pa yo iche melin-mehato. Search out some piece of meat to accompany the meal.

melii-meha   vt. to search around. Bije donii si narun miinii-nanii pa khe kenma ke, bije iche melii-mehato. The bamboo lying here is not sufficient for erecting fence, manage some more (by searching around).

men   vt-r. to kill; to murder. Hogya taker hii no lo menkone. The leopard was killed by you.

menbi   vt. 1. to kill on someone's behalf/for someone

mendin   vt. to kill intentionally/with a purpose/deliberately.

mendii   n. (Zool.) buffalo.

menii   n. one who searches; searcher (unspecified). meniibo n. the one who searches; searcher (specified).

menii   n. (Zool) sow (female pig).

meniin   n. search.

mepa   vt. to see, to find out. Kheta atan si dogyo-dolyi dotokula, history kheta mi mepakuma. I could not find the History book as books are randomly mixed up.

mepi   n. (Bot.) Plantain (Plantago erosa), a common weed eaten as a vegetable. Syn: mepi haman .

mepi   n. ritual element of sacrificial altars.

mepu   vt. to swallow something whole; to swallow without chewing.

mesi   vt.   to join; to connect. mesi-meme vt. to make ends meet.

meta    See: mata.

meti   n. ritual performed during Dree festival to protect humans from Pyodu Biinyi, the famine god. Usage: Hari. Var: metii.

meyin   vt. to search together.

mi/-mi [´mi]   part. 1. accusative and dative case marker. Gramm:  accusative case marker for direct and some indirect objects; also dative case marker. Suffixes pronouns and demonstratives. Ngo ngiika ajin mi tasan soye mi bito. I gave one necklace to my friend. Ngo momi luriila. I was speaking to him. 2. (in comparative statements) than. No momi kayeyado. You are taller than him/her. Aki ami mi hargayado. The dog runs faster than the cat.

mi [mi]   1. n. stranger; alien; outsider (home, family, etc.). Mi inneku ha? Has the stranger left? Mi inpa miidoku ha? Is the stranger leaving/ going to leave? Ngo, mi kokii help lasaniin mi ano byado. I very much hesitate to seek help from others. 2. adj. other; foreign. Mi miyu. Other/foreign person or people. 3. n. person, in general. Nunuko mi duye ha? Was there anyone at your place? mi ako pron. someone. ato-mi n. relatives and non-relatives (guests, outsiders, etc.). Ato-mi henmapa yo ayin-ayin bito, milo mii'ngu-miiredo hiila henkodiike. Give meat equal to both to the relatives as well as to the other guests, otherwise the latter may feel being discriminated.

-mi   vsuff.  extinguish. Gramm: result suffix indicating that the action of the verb results in something being extinguished, as a fire or a light.

mibe   vt. to blink the eyes; to wink the eyes rapidly. mibe-mibe vt. to flutter one's eyelashes; to bat one's eyelids quickly in a repeated way.

mibi amu [´mi:bi ´a´mu]  n. (Anat.) eyelashes. Usage: Hari. Var: mibyo amu. Usage: Bulla. Var: mibu amu.

micha   adj. blind. Gramm: usually occurs in semi-reduplicated form *ami-micha. Ngo ami-michanii miyu kone kapato. I saw a blind man. No michama koda hiimi kapakendo cho. If you are not blind you should see that. See: ami-micha.

michan   See: yamu michan.

mida   n. 1. marriage, from the formal ceremony of engagement to the last ritual following the wedding ceremony. 2. part of the marriage process, the ceremony performed by the bride's parents during which many gifts are offered to members of the groom's family in order to reciprocate the gifts previously offered by the groom's family. dachi mida n. ordinary or middle-sized marriage. Syn: tama siipa. konchi mida n. small-sized marriage. Syn: peja siipa. datu mida n. large (also most expensive) marriage. Encycl: a fully-grown mithun (or its money equivalent) is required from the groom's parents in case of *datii mida, whereas a heifer is  usually sufficient for the *dachi type. The number of guests who are entitled to receive various contributions in food or gifts is also higher. Var: datii mida. Syn: santii siipa. nyanii mida n. collective term for affinal kinsmen. mida inniin n. particular moment of a *murun ceremony, when the same day as the mithun sacrifice one elderly man accompanied by a few children from *piinyan ajin, *kobii and *koro families visits the house of the solemniser with pieces of meat (*yo aso).

midin   n. (Agr.) nursery for paddy, where seeds are sown and made to sprout. Encycl: nurseries are kept under water throughout the year and regularly manured. midin palonii n. (Agr.) nursery raising done in Feb. March. Syn: miidin lilonii.

migin   n. successful/lucky hunter. 

migun   n. one of the two major oral genres of Taniis (altogether with *miji). *Migun primarily consists of non ritual oral literature, including stories relating to the creation of universe and mankind, the migratory epic, as well as more recent historical events. Unlike *miji, it can be narrated by any knowledgeable person out of ritualist context, in a prose identical or closer to day-to-day speech.

miha   n. synonym for *ajan bulyan, those young men who assist the older *bulyan (*akha bulyan) in their work by such tasks as carrying messages. Encycl: in olden days, *miha were in certain cases entitled to destroy the disputed property of a person or party who refused to conform to the decision of a *bulyan. See: bulyan.

miha   n. boyfriend; male lover. Si Unka ka miha. He is Unka's boyfriend/lover. See: shado. 

mihi [´mihi]    n. wife; spouse (term of reference). mihi bii vcn. to marry; to take a wife; to get married. Usage: Hija. Ngo mihi biiduku. I am married. Var: mihi bu. mihi la vcn. to marry; to take a wife;  mihi laniin n. marriage (lit. 'wife's taking'). mihi-milo n. husband and wife; married couple. Mo anyi mihi-milo sii pe ha? Are they a couple?

mihin   n. contribution; gift; offering; donation. Syn: mihin liniin.

mihu kanii   n. one who performs divination (unspecified); diviner.

mija   n:qual. eldest one; one who is the eldest (among). Gramm: qualifying noun following another noun.

mijer   n. (Zool.) variety of tiny fly or winged insect resembling a mosquito; midge. Syn: taru mijer.

miji   n. one of the two major oral genres of the Apatanis (altogether with *migun). *Miji are primarily  recitations or chants performed by male priests (*nyibu) in ritual context, including fragments of myths and healing chants. They are recited in a specific or "ritual" speech (*miji agun) which is known only to Nyibus and requires interpretation. See: migun. miji agun n. ritual speech; ritual language. miji-migun n. stories, tales, myths (referring more particularly to *miji and *migun). 

 

miji   n. priest who performs certain rituals, esp. during marriage (*mida). miji enko n. basket filled with rice that is offered to the priest as compensation for his services. Syn: tani enko. miji pinta n. rice beer gourd container used only by the priest while performing ceremonies. miji yaju n. ladle made of gourd used by the priest to distribute rice beer during rituals.

miji   n. orphan. Syn: miji-atu.

miji lanchu   n. (Anat.) Adam's apple. Syn: langu artu.

miju   adj. faint-hearted; cowardly; timorous . Syn: miju-mija.

miju   n. (Anat.) eye crap deposited in the corner of one's eye. Gramm: usually occurs in semi-reduplicated form *ami-miju.

mijun   adj. (of a person) seemingly idle, inactive or inert. Syn: mijun-gojun.

miku-milya   vt. to express one's dissent or disagreement by eye blinking or winking.

 

mikhii runii   n. medium; person who is said to be possessed by a spirit, esp. the soul of someone having died of unnatural death, and is thus capable of foretelling, usually by falling in trance. Var. mikhii ronii. Usage: Hija.
 

mila [´mi:´la]   n. (Anat.) tear; teardrop. Syn: ami-mila.

milan   n. (Bot.) variety of weed found in paddy fields.

 

milin   adj. (of health condition) serious. Ranka, milin ano diima hendu, Tamo ka lukoneniin momi hospital ho baliigiitu hiila. I hope that Ranka's condition is not very serious, Tamo told me that he is being admitted to hospital. Var: milyin.

 

milin   vi. to live frugally.  Var: milyin.

milo [´milo]   n. husband (term of reference). milo sampo n. chank shell beaded necklace worn by priests (*nyibu) and males during certain important rituals. milo in vi. (by a female) to marry; to get married. Ngo milo induku. I am married.

milo [milo]  1.  part. if not. Gramm: particle following verbs and copulas. Gives the sense of the negation of the conditional coordinator. Pen ho ink giima milo pencil lo kelyato. Write with a pencil for the moment if your pen has no ink.  2.  conj. otherwise. Gramm: coordinating conjunction used to connect two words, phrases, clauses or sentences together and present each as an alternative to the other. Usually occurs in warnings and exhortations, the sentence or clause containing *milo representing the less desirable alternative. Ato-mi henmapa yo ayin-ayin bito, milo mii'ngu-miiredo hiila henkodii ke. Give meat equal to both to the relatives as well as to the other guests, otherwise the latter may feel being discriminated.Var: miilo. Usage: Bulla.

milobo [´milobo]   1. n. male human individual, in general. Can be used to refer to a boy or an adult. Inka milobo hu na? Who is that guy? Ant: nyimii. 2. n:qual. male. Gramm: qualifying noun following another noun. Can be used for humans or animals. Gora milobo. Stallion. Ant: nyimii. milobo nyanii n. affinal kinsmen of the husband of a married couple, comprising all people considered as *aku (maternal uncles), i.e. the mother's brothers, father's mother's brothers, mother's mother's brothers and their respective descendants. Encycl: along with *nyimii nyanii, this group of kinsmen is traditionally under an obligation to render a married couple assistance in emergencies. See: nyimii nyanii. iinga milobo n. son. See: iinga nyimii.

 

milo piilo   n. seventh lunar month of the year, roughly corresponding to July-August. Nowadays commonly used to refer to the month of July. Syn: mipya piilo.

milo riiji   n. (Bot.) Diplazium esculentum, a fern species used in the construction of altars. Syn: milo riije

milya bari   See: robari.

milya ri   vi. to have a sudden onset of pain in an eye, as when something is thrown into it.

milyin   n. (of tree, pole, grass,  etc.) top; uppermost part. Syn. lolyin.

milyin    See: milin.

milyo   n. (Anat.) eyelid. Gramm: usually occurs in semi-reduplicated form *ami-milyo. Syn: ami-milyo. Etym: from *ami, 'eye', *alyo, 'skin'. milyo amu n. eyelash. Syn: mibyo amu; mibu amu.

milyo   See: yamu milyo.

mima   n. (Bot.) Zebrinus (Miscanthus sinensis), an herbaceous perennial plant whose long slender leaves are commonly used for tying paddy seedlings .

-min [´mĩ]   vsuff.  win. Gramm: result suffix indicating that the subjects wins over the object in performing the action indicated by the verb.

-min...-yin   vsuff.  casually. Gramm: manner suffix indicating that the subject performs the action denoted by the verb in a casual way, without particular reflection or care. Kemin-keyin. To write in a casual way.

mingo [´mĩ´go]   adj. rich; wealthy; affluent. mingoja adj. richest. mingo-tamo adj. powerful, in terms of wealth and social position. mingoya adj. richer. mingoyado vt. to become richer. Ant: aroyado.

mingonii [´mĩ´goni]   n. 1. wealth; richness. 2. one who is rich (unspecified).

minii [´mini]   n. (Zool.) female cat. Syn: ami-minii. Ant: mipo; ami-mipo.

mipa   n. (Bot.) Eleusine coracana, the early ripening variety of millet usually harvested in the first half of August. Encycl: transplanted seedlings of millet are mainly grown on terrace bunds and in garden plots. Var: mipe. See: sarse.

mipo [´mipo]   n. (Zool.) tom cat. Syn: ami-mipo ; Ant: minii; ami-minii.

mipya   n. (Agr.) generic term for the early varieties of rice found in Ziro. Encycl: Somewhat darker in colour and harder than the common variety *emo. Includes local varieties such as *pyanyi, *pyapu, *pyare, *pyatii, *pyatii kobya. mipya piilo n. seventh lunar month of the year. Nowadays commonly used to refer to the month of July, or July-August. Syn: milo piilo.

mire   n. (Agr.) one of the three varieties of maize traditionally cultivated by the Apatanis. See: nitii; tanyi.

miri   n. 1. (Anat.) line of the eyelid. Gramm: usually occurs in semi-reduplicated form *ami-miri. Syn: ami-miri. 2. variety of body colour pattern for mithuns (either male or female). Describes an animal of overall white colour with a black patches encircling the eyes.

mirii   n. (Agr.)  powdered millet. Ane mirii riido. Mummy is pounding millet. mirii yalan n. (Agr.) millet grinding stone. Encycl: among the Apatanis only millet is pounded using a stone mortar.

miru   n. dew.

Misan [misã]   n. non-Apatani hill people (with special reference to Nyishis and Hill Miris). Var: Mishan. Misan byako n. (Bot.) Solanum indicum, an eggplant species. See: byako, siitii byako. Misan emo n. (Agr.) late-ripening variety of paddy. Var: Mishan emo. Mishan Naga n. the Nagas. Misan pulye n. variety of shawl. Misan tami n. (Bot.) Ageratum conyzoides, a plant species bearing blue or moderate purple flowers.

misi   n. (of a woman) old.

mitai   n. sweet. From: Hindi.

mite   n. in olden days, owner/master of slaves; patrician; person of high social status. Var: miti. Usage: Bulla. See: miira.

miti   vt. to close the eyes.

mitin amu   n. (Anat.) eyebrow.

mitu   n. (of stick, trunk, pole, branch, etc.) end; tip. Ant: aran.

mitur kurti   n. (Zool.) variety of insect.

miye   vt. to wink at (someone).

miyo-miyo   adj. lethargic. Nii na, hangii herumapa sii ha, miyo-miyo kapa da nii ? What's the matter, you appear very lethargic- something wrong? miyo-miyo in vca. (of a person) to move or walk in a lethargic manner; to walk about idly.

miyu [´miyu]   n. man, human, person. Syn: neha. miyu ako n:num. one person. Syn: miyu kone. miyu atan [´miyu atã] n. humans. miyu ipa n. human excreta. miyu-mima n. human beings. miyu tange nphr. group of people; some people. Syn: miyu tonge.

miyu ka [´miyu´ka:]    vcn. to divine; to foresee. miyu kaniin [´miyu´ka:nĩ] n. divination. 

miija   vt. to finish to do something; to complete doing something. Mo engineering miijabiine. He/she managed to finish his engineering studies.

-mo   vsuff.  stop; cease. Gramm: result suffix indicating that the subject ceases to perform the action denoted by the verb, or that the action is stopped. Ant: -ri.

mu   v-r. to blow (with mouth).

mu   vt-r. to brew rice or millet beer.

mu   vi-r. (of animals) to rut; to be in rut; (of female animals) to be in heat. Aki mudo. The dog is rutting.

mubi   vt. to brew beer on someone's else behalf/for someone.

mubu [´mu´bu]   1. n. ash, especially from burnt firewood and bamboo. Encycl: ashes from household burnt are used as organic fertiliser in paddy fields. Var: miibu. Syn: muyu. 2. adj. grey, ashy (color). mubu-mulu adj. (of colour) grey; ashy. mubu ruju adj. (of colour) dull. Syn: sapu-salu.

mubu   n. gun. Usage: Hija. Var: bebu. Usage: Bulla. Var: bibu.

muchu   See: miichu. 

mudo [mu´do]   n. rain. Var: miido.

mudo byocho   n. (Zool.) swallow, in general.

mugo   n. (Agr.) opening in the dyke of a paddy field to evacuate the surplus of water; channel in a paddy field used for drainage of water; canal. Encycl: fish fingerlings are put in *mugo after the transplanting of paddy. Var: miigo .

muku [´muku]   n. 1. tobacco. Syn: duhi. 2. (Bot.) tobacco plant . 3. smoke. muku-kuli n. tobacco plant seed. muku-mui n. carbon particles from smoke deposited on dust, spider web etc. in Apatani homes. Traditionally used as an ointment for skin disease. muku sudu n. traditional smoking pipe. Encycl: the bowl is made from a cane called  *tare while the stem is made from the reed bamboo (*pepu). The hollow of the bowl is created by burning, to remove the soft pulpy inner part of the cane. A similar pipe is made by the Apatanis where the bowl is made from bamboo . See: sudu. muku tan vcn. to smoke. dachan muku sudu n. metallic smoking pipe.

mula   n. (Bot.) radish. From: Assamese 'mula'.  

mulu   vt. to scare. Piidi mulu. To scare (small) birds.

mundo   n. girlfriend, female lover;  girl or lady who can be a prospective girlfriend or lover. See: nyimun. Usage: *mundo (for females) and *shado (for males) are used in poetic expression only. In conversational language, *nyimun stands for girl friend or lover, *miha for boy friend or male lover.

muniin   n. (of animals) rutting season.

muniin   n. brewing process.

mupa   vt. to blow out.

-mur   vsuff. incorrectly; mistakenly. Gramm: manner/result suffix indicating that the subject performs the action denoted by the verb in a wrong or erroneous way, or that the action brought about by the subject results in some failure or accident. Ant: -da. Tamur. To mishear/misunderstand something that one hears. Siilo jaji gonii si gomurte ke, ngiika lap-top mi alyusiite. Today's flight was bad as I lost my laptop.

mura   See: miira. 

murchi   n. (Zool.) variety of bird. 

muri   See: miiri.

murpa sai   n. dense fog, esp. the typical hazy look in the horizon which is commonly seen in Ziro area around March-April.

murpu   n. bonfire.

murta   n. (Bot.) Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor). Syn: murta tapan. Usage: Hari. Var: morta. Usage: Hija .

murto   n. finely cut leaf fletches put on arrow tails. Var: morto.

murun   n. 1. first lunar month of the year, corresponding to the coldest period of the year. Nowadays commonly used to refer to the month of January. Syn: murun piilo. 2. major individual festival celebrated in the month of *murun.  Encycl: persons having conducted a *murung are entitled to wear a particular ceremonial shawl. murun-runser n. smallest type of *murun requiring the sacrifice of only one or two mithuns, or a mithun and a cow. Encycl: *murun-runser is performed at the village level, and the meat shared between contributors only. Syn: runser; runsere; ronsa. murun-runtii n. one of the highest and most expensive type of *murun ranking above *takun putu, involving the sacrifice of several mithuns and several cows.  Marked by a procession (*penii) throughout the entire Ziro valley and a distribution of meat to every household. Syn: runtii. See: takun putu.

murta tapan   n. (Bot.) Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) a floating plant found in streams and paddy fields .

muru   n. torch; bundle of burning split bamboos or firewood.

musha   n. romance. Etym: possibly a compound word from *shado and *mundo. Syn: nyimun miha sosuniin.

mutu   n. harf-burnt firewood. Syn: yamu mutu.

muyu   n. ash, especially remains of burnt straws. Encycl: remains of burnt straws are used as organic fertiliser in paddy fields. Syn: mubu.

mya   vt-r. to lull; to console (esp. a child).  Siika hime simi amanehe mi bikasiitii, ngo myalakuma. I have given everythig to this child, [but] I couldn't console him. Khelyi hoka myanii, ngiika ane. It's my mother who consoles me when I am crying.

mya   vt-r. to beg. Syn: kha.

-mya   vsuff. stained. Gramm: result suffix indicating that something becomes stained or smudged as a result of the action identified by the verb. Syn: -mya...-sa. Jebi mi lembo ho niimpa na miimya-miisabiilyi nii? Why have you smeared mud here and there on the road?

myai   n. (Anat.) semen; sperm.

myakho   See: amya.

myamu   n. (Anat.) male pubic hair.

myamya   n. antique brass plate invested with great social value, some of them being said to have helped Apatani ancestors to eliminate the legendary aquatic reptiles, *buru, at the time of their first settlement in the Valley. myamya piiro n. plated basket of bamboo splits for storing  *myamya.

myan   vt-r. to name.

myangu   vt. to change someone's name.

myaniin   n. consoling, calming, esp. of a baby.

myanniin   n. naming.

-myo   vsuff.  1. in advance. Gramm: manner suffix indicating that the action of the verb is carried out in advance of a task or of a deadline. 2. enough time (for). 

myobu    n. forest which is deeper than *myora.

myobya   n. (of a house, wall, mountain slope, etc.) east facing side. Ant: myolyi.

myobyu   n. earth. myobyu-huniin n. earthquake.

myodi [´mjodi]   n. outdoor; alien land; places located far off the village, esp. forest lands outside the Apatani valley. Myodi liipa ho. (Deep) in the jungle; in the midst of the forest. Mo myodi bone. He went away. myodi yasi [´mjodi´yasi] n. far off places or lands. Ziro hoka putu-puko, myodi-yasi si ano kapyodo In Ziro, the mountains and surrounding areas are very beautiful.

myodu [´mjodu]   n. time; period; season. Piilo karlindupa myodu doku. It's time for the moon to appear. Myodu ronnye. Two periods of time. Syn: myodu-myolo [´mjodu´mjolo]. Siisi myodu-myolo do ke. It's time now.

myogo    n. forest in the vicinity of the village. 

myogu   vi. (of animals, esp. birds) to migrate.

myoko   n. 1. third lunar month of the year. Nowadays commonly used to refer to the month of March. Syn. myoko piilo. 2. the biggest festival of the Apatanis celebrated during the month of *myoko. myoko yugyan n. common altar where clan members from different places join together and numerous pigs are sacrificed.

myoko   n. open space beyond the village area.

myokun   n. ritual performed before the transplanting of paddy, which is intended to benefit its growth.

myokha [´mjo:xa]   n. flooring, made of half-sections of bamboo trunks.

myole   n. ritual element of sacrificial altars .

myolyi   n. (of a house, wall, mountain slope, etc.) west facing side. Ant: myobya.

myopii [´mjo:´pi]   n. bamboo mat used as flooring or partition inside the house. Myopii mi uropa chadin'yo. Don't tread heavily on the floor! Syn: tarsi.