Kiribati

Ongoing documentary and descriptive work on Kiribati. This information here is minimal for now, but check back for details. 

Preliminary talking book from this ELAN FILE

Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 3:20 PM

Jack ma Nei Taama Jack COM Miss Taama Jack and Miss Taama

Nei Taama bon tebwiina ana ri- riki ni maiu Miss Taama EMPH ten 3SG HAB happen LNK life Miss Taama is ten years old

Iai ana kamea ae e rangi ni wanawana ae ara -na Jack EXIST 3SG dog SUB 3SG very LNK smart SUB name 3SG Jack She has a dog that is very smart and named Jack.

Jack bon itiua ana ri- riki ao e aki rangi ni bubura ao e aki rangi ni uarereke Jack EMPH seven 3SG HAB happen and 3SG NEG very LNK big and 3SG NEG very LNK small Jack is years old and he is no very big and he is not very small.

e bon tau bubura -na 3SG EMPH enough big 3SG He is just big enough. He is medium/just the right size.

e buraun kara -na ao ni kiriuantanta n te roro 3SG brown color 3SG and LNK spotty LNK DEF black He is brown with black spots.

n te taina Jack e a noor -a naba te kimoa ni biri LNK DEF time Jack 3SG 3PL see nINDIV SEQ DEF rat LNK run Once Jack saw a rat running

e kiba -rake ao man kaukau ngke e noor -a te kimoa 3SG jump DIR.UP and SEQ bark when 3SG see nINDIV DEF rat He jumped up and barked when he saw the rat.

e tei Nei Taama ao man ruo man ana bwatika 3SG stop Miss Taama and SEQ get.off SEQ 3SG bicycle Miss T stopped and gets off her bike.

e ka- raraa ana bwatika iaan te kai ao ni ka- taetae -a Jack 3SG CAUS lean 3SG bicycle against DEF tree and LNK CAUS talk nINDIV Jack She leaned her bike under the tree and talked to Jack.

Jack e aera ngkai ko a kaukau n arona anne Jack 3SG why now COP 3PL bark LNK like that "Jack why are you barking like that?"

Jack e aki toki kaukau -na ao e ka- tai -a ni biri n rimwiia te tabo are e nako Iai te kimoa Jack 3SG NEG stop bark 3SG and 3SG CAUS try nINDIV LNK run LNK after DEF place that 3SG go EXIST DEF rat Jack didnt stop barking and tried to run after the rat.

Nei Taama e biri n rimwii -n Jack Miss Taama 3SG run LNK after 3SG Jack Miss Taama ran after Jack.

e bon kan reke tebwiina te miniti biri -ia ngke a noor -a naba te katamwa ae ka- tai -a ni ka- kiokio -a te moa 3SG EMPH want abou ten DEF minute run 3PL when 3PL see nINDIV SEQ DEF cat SUB CAUS try nINDIV LNK CAUS chase nINDIV DEF chicken They ran for about 10 minutes when they saw a cat chasing the chicken.

e anaa te atiibu Nei Taama ao ni ka- tai -a ni ka- rebana -a te katamwa 3SG pick.up DEF rock Miss Taama and LNK CAUS try nINDIV LNK CAUS throw.at nINDIV DEF cat Miss Taame picked up a rock and tried to throw it at the cat.

e takaka ni maaku te katamwa ao ni biri nako 3SG rush LNK afraid DEF cat and LNK run go It (the cat) was terrified and ran away.

e toki takaka -n te moa are ka- kiokio -a -ki 3SG stop rush 3SG DEF chicken that CAUS chase nINDIV PASS The chicken stopped freaking out and being chased.

Nei Taama ma Jack a kaai n rianna n oki nako -n ana bwatika Nei Taama are e ka- rara nako -n te kai Miss Taama COM Jack 3PL both LNK walk.long LNK back go 3SG 3SG bicycle Miss Taama that 3SG CAUS lean go 3SG DEF tree Miss Taama and Jack both walked a long way back to her bicycle that she had leaned on a tree.

e bon rangi ni kukurei Nei Taama ni wanawana -n ana kamea ae Jack 3SG EMPH very LNK happy Miss Taama LNK smart 3SG 3SG dog SUB Jack Miss Taama was very happy about Jack's smartness.