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.

Story:

Tittillap

Language:

Kkapas; Mwalili

To speak:

Kkapas; Apasa; Yóólágh

Yóólagh is a respected word used in the house. Especially women say it to men or men to their older brothers or to the chief.

Supernatural beings:

God, Gods

Luugh; Lios; Sarawi; Samool

Morality

Serááfisch

Offerings

Wedding

Schótchóólimw;
Apwúlúpay

Healers

Sów-safey

Person who practices traditional herbal medicines

Sow-schéésché

Person who applies massage

Sow-afféér

Person who applies spiritual healing like communicating with the spirit on what type of healing technique would be used

Alolomwaay

Process of finding out the nature of the ghost that is making one sick

Respect

Awóówó

Respect is the first thing to practice and apply in a Carolinian family.

Bow

Appóro

Mothers usually taught the daughters in the family, when reaching puberty, to apply the bow or appóro to all the brothers. Also she has to use the respected words. Example: to eat is mwongo. Respected word for mwongo is afááf

Head lei

Mwáár

Used on special occasions like parties, ghuubwul, leaving the island, and when welcoming visitors or families. It is also used to put on a person who died or as offerings to spirits. One puts it on a young husked coconut and places it where the person died or at the grave at the cemetery.

Note on Pronunciation:

a- sounds like apple: amwusch = firewood
á- sounds like Larry: áát = child
e- sounds like Emmy: ellet = truth
é- sounds like her (lower back): ééw = one
i- sounds like India: Itómw = name
o- sounds like OK: olighát = children, child, young kid
ó- sounds like octopus: ótol = time
u- sounds like look: ukkur = play
ú- sounds like Jude: úútá = stand