1. Manu (Bird)
Mowakai
(Brown Booby)
Gokii
(Pacific Lorikeet)
Tolo Biti
(White Tern)
Tuli
(Ruddy Turnstone)
Moeho
(Micronesian Starling)
Gataha
(Great Frigate Bird)
Mona Moana
(Island Swiftlet)
Gaga
(Whimbrel)
Maduke
(Pacific Reef Heron)
Manu Dahongo
(Brown Noddy)
Koomol
(Fruit Bat)
Mammal
Koomol
(Fruit Bat)
Big
(pig)
Paan
(dog)
Buti
(cat)
Gimo-Buti
(rat)
Belu (Reptile)Gimo-Buti
(rat)
Gimo
(gecko)
Galia
(skink)
Gee
(sea turtle)
Mok
(crocodile)
Giha
(snake/eel)
Mehanik
(tree monitor)
Honu
(Hawksbill Sea Turtle)
Gee
(Green Sea Turtle)
Findings Taxonomic Differences Useful Compound Names
Giha
(Snake/Eel)Kiha Sedan
(Banded Snake Eel)
Nohu
(Scorpionfish)
Liba
(Surgeonfish)
Liba Luuli
(Lavender Tang)
Liba Hai Ono
Tau
(Brown Tang)
Liba Buawa
(Blue-Spotted
Bristletooth) Liba Tau
(Orange Shoulder Tang)
Dahidi
(Butterfly Fish)
Hai
(Rays)
Hai Hagallop
(Manta Ray)
Hai Bongo
(Whale)
Humu
(Triggerfish)
Humu Dee
(Undulate Triggerfish)
Humu Hole
(Whitespotted
Filefish)
Igha (Fish)
Hai Manu
(Eagle Ray)
Tun
(Squaretail
Grouper)
Ngatalate
(Grouper)
Tonu Mada Hale
(Saddleback Coral
Grouper)
Ngatala Mute
(Blacksaddle Grouper)
Bulu Ngame
(Brown Marbled
Grouper)Ngatalate
(Speckled Blue Grouper)
Madabagu
(Peacock Grouper)
Madaele
(Coral Grouper)
Ono
(Barracuda)
Tabadu
(Blackfin Barracuda)
Makamaka
(Starfish)
Barab
(Crown of Thorns)
Magamaga
(Mimic Octopus)
Wali
(Puffer Fish)
Hokouru
(Shark)
Hongobaba
(Blacktip Reef Shark)
Mogolewe
(Reef Whitetip Shark)
Maulungi
(Nurse Shark)
Moea
(Zebra Shark)
Matadalima
(Hammerhead
Shark)
Introduction
• Taxa with more perceived importance to the Kapingese lifestyle
have more complex folk taxonomies
• The fish taxonomy has more classifiers than any of the other
evaluated taxa as might be expected due to the Kapingese’s
reliance on the sea for food and material goods
• Some organismal families can be broken down further. For
instance, Kapingese classify Triggerfish by fish size and
edibleness
• Primary breakdowns are by body plan first and then species size
• The Kapinga language has a prevalence of
compound names – For example, Liba Hai
Ono Tau means Surgeonfish-Stingray-
Barracuda-Spine
• Compound names show links between
taxa.
Gimo Buti – Lizard-Cat (Rat)
Hai Manu – Ray-Bird (Eagle Ray)
These links suggest that the Kapinga folk
taxonomies are a continuum rather than
separate groupings of organisms
We thank Brook Lillehaugen and Ted Fernald, the Co-PI’s on the grant KDH received from NSF. Also, thanks to Jamie Thomas
and Jeremy Fahringer for their help in elicitation and data workflow, Greg Anderson for vetting ideas and the rest of the
linguistics team for making the experience an adventure. None of this work would have been possible without the generous aid
of my Micronesian hosts and teachers – Johnny Rudolph, Hawortson Heinreich, Collin Saick, Swingly Judas and J.M. Mateak
– thank you for putting up with my stumbling phrases and poor spearfishing. Additionally, we would like to thank Swarthmore
College and Haverford College for the use of their facilities, food and equipment. Finally, thank you to Stephanie Carrera
Lozano for help with poster design and implementation.
Methods
The connections between species and cultures have been recognized and described by the
languages of indigenous peoples for centuries. The Kapinga language, which is an
endangered Micronesian language spoken by only 3,000 people, is one example of a
language that reflects a coupling between a human system and natural system. Due to its
endangerment and isolation, efforts to study Kapingese human-environment interactions
often reveal unstudied aspects of South Pacific fishing cultures and double as
opportunities to preserve unique and threatened language structures.
Placing Animals in the Kapinga Folk Taxonomies
Data collection was done on Pohnpei Island, FSM, by an intercollegiate linguistics team. The work involved field
elicitation of species names and interviews with native Kapingese fishermen regarding taxonomic relationships.
• Interviews with locals about language loss, irresponsible fishing methods and shifting baseline principles
• Hand-collection, netting, videotaping and photography of hundreds of island species resulting in 580 Kapingese
names for island flora and fauna
• Shared data including over 800 recordings of words, definitions, videos and photographs on online Talking
Dictionaries to maintain the language for locals and diaspora communities
HAVERFORD
Kapinga folk taxonomies representing the conceptual framework
and relationships for Micronesian reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals.
Acknowledgements
Compound names connect independent
taxonomies and illustrate relationships for
Micronesian reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals.
Swingly Judas piloting a boat before a fishing trip Heinrich (left) and Swingly identify species from a field guide A sample entry in the Kapinga Talking DictionaryA Pohnpei Lorikeet (T. rubiginosus) known as GokiiCollin Saick translates a fishing tale shared by Stewan Duiai
Folk taxonomies, species naming, and linguistic diversity:
An ethnobiological approach to Micronesian fauna
Joe Corcoran and K. David Harrison | Swarthmore College Department of Linguistics, Swarthmore, PA: Haverford College Department of Linguistics, Haverford, PA: Pohnpei, Micronesia
Bird Taxonomy Fish Taxonomy
Highly accurate
but inefficient
Highly efficient but
inaccurate
Includes only
birds and bats
Catch all for all
marine species
Classified by
species type
Classified by body
plan and size
Few compound
names
Abundance of
compound names
Manu
(bird Unique
Beginner)
Igha
(Fish Unique
Beginner)
Mammal
(Unique
Beginner)
Belu
(Lizard Unique
Beginner)
Hai Manu
(Bird Ray)
Koomol
(Fruit Bat)
Giha
(Snake/Eel)
Gimo-Buti
(Rat)