apukuita

Kari'na

Etymology

Either inherited from Proto-Cariban or else ultimately a Wanderwort from a Tupian language. From the Cariban languages compare Apalaí apukuita, Trió pukuita, Wayana akupuita, Yao (South America) aguebute; from the Tupian languages compare Wayampi pukwita, pɨkwita, Cocama japukita.

Pronunciation

• (Venezuela) IPA^(key): [apukkuttʃa]
• (West Suriname) IPA^(key): [apuːkujtʲa]
• (East Suriname) IPA^(key): [abuʔkujhca]

Noun

apukuita (possessed japukuitary)

1. a kind of tree of genus Aspidosperma, perhaps Aspidosperma excelsum
2. oar, paddle (typically made from such a tree)
3. stirring spatula, especially used for stirring caxiri

References

• Courtz, Hendrik (2008) A Carib grammar and dictionary‎^[1], Toronto: Magoria Books, →ISBN, page 235
• Ahlbrinck, Willem (1931) “apukuita”, in Encyclopaedie der Karaïben, Amsterdam: Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen, page 94; republished as Willem Ahlbrinck, Doude van Herwijnen, transl., L'Encyclopédie des Caraïbes‎^[2], Paris, 1956, page 95