yamukutai

Wauja

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌja.mu.kuˈtaɪ/

Noun

yamukutai (plural yamukunaun)

1. child (prepubescent person of either gender)

   Yamukutai neke. Aitsa utawakatapai.

   [He's] still a child [and that's why he] doesn't know better.

2. junior, younger (in comparison to someone)

   Yamukutai piyutsa? Ehen, tapojui natu.

   Q: Is she younger than you? A: Yes, I'm the eldest daughter.

3. junior people, followers (in relation to the speaker)

   Yamukunaun... yeteme natu...

   [Ye] children, O hear me...

Usage notes

• "Yamukunaun... yeteme natu..." is the time-honored opening phrase of formal oratory delivered, usually at dawn or dusk, by the principal chief to the community at large. When used in chiefly oratory in this way, only the plural form, yamukunaun, is used, never the singular yamukutai.

• Because Wauja of all ages are customarily enjoined to comply with the wise advice of their elders, the chief's orations gain added authority when he addresses the entire village as his juniors. Of course, he can do this only if they actually are his juniors, which happened to be the case during Chief Walakuyawatumpa's tenure during 1981-83, and for some years before and after.

Derived terms

• yamukunaun (children)
• yamukunauntope (all the children)

Related terms

• yamukutopa (adolescent male)
• yamukutopalu (adolescent female)

See also

• enojatain (little boy)
• tonejutain (little girl)

References

• E. Ireland field notes. Needs to be checked by native speaker.