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A digital version of the microfilm 'Wörterbuch der Tuna-Sprache' by Otto Meyer produced by Anthropos (Vol 34) [Rights bought by Ulrike Mosel from Anthropos]
Notes:
Kuanua vocabulary lists, some typical phrases and sentences, translated between German and Kuanua (Tuna).
There are variations in words and letters as used in the different locations; e.g. the north coast and northern area would have some differences in words for the same meaning to the central to east coast and south coast areas of the Gazelle Peninsula.
The Tolai language is Kuanua but the people also refer to the language as “Tinata Tuna”. Furthermore, the people are referred to as “Gunan Tuna” (some spelling as Gunantuna). “Tinata” refer to talking or what is being talked about and “Gunan” means a place or location where people are. The term “Tuna” need to be verified by linguists but expresses it as it is for real or really or like affirmation of what it is.
So it can be expressed as the real language for Tinata Tuna, the real people and place for Gunan Tuna.
My understanding of the Kuanua alphabet is there are some English vocabulary letters that are not used and with modern words improvised with near sounding letters. For example the letter “C” or “S” not in Kuanua will be sound as “T” and so on. So Sugar is tuga or also tuka and Rice is Rait
Just to top of Tuna in the Kuanua language “Boina Tuna” means thank you very much...its for real or a really a thank you!
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