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Word Detail
Nyanyimən
Omen, Bad Omen Presaging The Death Of A Close Relative, What's Up?, What's Wrong?,
Part of speech:
(N)
Sources:
Notes:
Such an omen is the appearance of a person's ancestral animal, parrəmbuk, in unusual surroundings, e.g. a kangaroo walking right up to the dogs of a person whose totem was a kangaroo; a possum coming in daytime into the camp of a person whose totem was a possum: 'nyanyimən kinya wile pirnin' - 'it is a bad omen that this possum came'; 'nyanyimən was also used as an exclamation', 'what's up?', 'what's wrong?'.
Usage:
Pronunciation Guide:
Say
:
ny
ah
ny
-ii-mən
Pronunciation Notes:
Vowels
:
Standard
- '
a
' as in ‘path’, ‘
i
’ as in ‘hill’, 'ə' neutral sound as in 'the'.
Consonant
- '
ny
' (palato-nasal) combine 'n' and 'y' while top of tongue touches hard palate plus nasal vibration.
(Avoid the English 'nee' as in 'many').
Categories:
Belief, Communication
Example Phrases
English:
It is a bad omen that this possum came
Language:
Nyanyimən kinya wile pirnin.
Associated Audio
No audio listed