There are two official languages of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Chamorro and Carolinian.

Chamorro glossaries are presented on our Guam website, and you can view that chart by clicking here.

Carolinian terminology is presented below.

Landscape Features:

Mountain

Schuugh

Hill

Ppal

Cliff

Alaghúpagh

Valley

Apilómw

This word also means village

Road

Aal; Yaal

The Environment:

Meetawelearosch

Rocks

Faay

Lava

Faay bwutkkón

Tree

Walawal

Leaf

Úlúl walawal

Fruit

Uwa

Wind

Yááng

Typhoon

Malamal

Rain

Uschow

Water

Schaal

Freshwater Spring

Schalúl sachúgh

River

Saschúgh, Sarhúg

River, Stream

Schalúbwuubwu, Rhanubwuubwu

Waterfall, river, stream: any flowing or running water

Freshwater eels

Tighittéll

Freshwater shrimp

Lighairúúr

Agriculture:

To farm

Ammaat

Farmland

Lemaat

Taro patch

Bweel, lebweel

Swampy area where taro can be grown; taro patch

Digging Stick

Irá ffót

Crops:

Taro

Woot bwesch;
Woot par;
Wootol Sepan;
Wotolonalulu

--white taro;
--red taro;
--Japanese taro;
--Honolulu taro

Sweet potato

Ghamwuuti

Three kinds of sweet potatoes: purple, red, and yellowish.

Yam

Lóóghu

Two types: red and white

Lúú

General term

Lúú tcha

Orange color, mostly used for medicines

Tool

Green color, the sweetest

Lúúl Songoschól

Variety brought from Sonsorol Islands

Banana

Wiisch;
Wiisch ammasch;
Wiischeraw

--General term;
--Type eaten when ripe;
--Cooking type

Breadfruit

Maay

Maay fai;
Maay del

Two varieties for cooking

Mááyas

Type with seeds that are eaten when ripe

Sugar Cane

Woow

Betel Nut

Ugam;
Changa

--Stronger red type;
--Weaker white type

Pandanus

Faasch;
Póghu

--type used for materials;
--edible pandanus

Rice

Puughas