C

This dictionary contains only those words that differ from standard Indonesian, following the lists compiled by Takaria & Pieter (1998), Devin, and Pattiasina, with orthography standardised between the three. Stress tends to be noticeably on the penultimate syllable, which plays a significant part in producing the distinctive Ambon accent. Many words are derived from Indonesian by applying the following substitutions:

• Initial -e, -er syllables in grammatical prefixes become -a

  • berdiri → badiri, terbakar → tabakar

• Final -n, -m modifiers become -ng

  • teman → tamang, asam → asang

• Final -k, -h modifiers are dropped

  • anak → ana, bersih → barsi

• Final -u syllable becomes -o

  • arus → aros, mabuk → mabo

• Initial -e, -er syllables more generally become -a

  • mesin → masing, lentera → lanterna

cabar₁   incite, stir-up   verb

cabar₂   challenge   verb

cabu-cabu   nail removal tool   noun

cabu₁   extract   verb

cabu₂   pull out (as a car from a parking spot)   verb

cacupu₁   a small round bowl for incense or sugar   noun

cacupu₂   a small piece of wood in a canoe to which outriggers are tied   noun

cacurang   a tool to help fill oil in stoves, bottles, etc.   noun

cah   (exclamation of acclaim for something well-done)   interjection

caka   strangle   verb

cakadidi₁   aggressive   noun

cakadidi₂   agile   adjective

cakadidi₃   overexcited (sexually)   adjective

cakalang banda   dried and salted cakalang   noun

cakalang   the skipjack tuna (katsuwonus pelamis)   noun

cakalate   middle-aged   adjective

cakalele   traditional war-dance, now ceremonial   noun

cakar ayang   chicken scratch (bad handwriting).   noun

cakar   scavenge   verb

cakar-cakar   a cake made from a fried mixture of cassava, papaya, and palm sugar   noun

cake   eat (vulgar)   verb

cakiba   a type of folk dance performed by women   noun

cako   give cough medicine to a baby   verb

calakate   somewhat ripe   adjective

calana panjang   trousers   noun

calana simpang konto   overalls   noun

calana tali   traditional boxer shorts   noun

calana   trousers   noun

calong   prospective   adjective

camara   clump of hair used to make a hair bun larger   noun

cambok   whip   noun

cambok   whip   verb

campada   the chempedak tree (artocarpus integer) and its fruit   noun

camparadu   disorganised   adjective

campor₁   mix, blend   verb

campor₂   meddle   verb

canela   traditional blouse, roughly the maluku version of a kebaya   noun

cangkol₁   hoe   noun

cangkol₂   hoe   verb

cangkor   kencur (kaempferia galanga), a rhizome in the ginger family   noun

cap forok   fork brand. steel knives having this brand were long considered to have the best steel available in maluku   noun

cap tikus   sopi produced in manado   noun

capa   the lump of tobacco that is chewed together with betel nut   noun

caparune   [see caparuni]   adjective

caparuni₁   irregular   adjective

caparuni₂   filthy   adjective

capat   fast   adjective

capat-capat   “hurry up”   interjection

capatu lars   military boot-   noun

capatu   shoes   noun

capeu   hat   noun

caplok   steal someone’s belongings   verb

capoci   a traditional children’s game   noun

car   sound of underbrush or gravel disturbed by footsteps.   adverb

cari mati   take a foolhardy risk   verb

cari tau   investigate, try to find out   verb

caripu   wooden sandals   noun

carita   story   noun

carming   mirror   noun

cartau₁   see   verb

cartau₂   visit a shaman to predict one’s fate   verb

caya   light   noun

cebo   wash the anus or genitals after defecating   noun

cecelepu₁   not useful   adjective

cecelepu₂   become exhausted   noun

cega-cega   test someone’s patience (?)   verb

cege   try   verb

cege-cega   attempt   verb

ceh   (exclamation of admiration)   interjection

ceke   [see cake]   verb

cele   chintz   noun

cengke polong   clove that has become swollen and unsuitable for trade   noun

cengke raja   a variety of clove, possibly syzygium richii   noun

cengke tema   ceremonial cloves planted first before planting more, a tradition specific to buru island   noun

cengke tuni   clove (syzygium aromaticum)   noun

cengke utang   a variety of clove, possibly syzygium makul or the syzygium cumini   noun

cengke   clove (syzygium aromaticum)   noun

cere gandong   estranged from family   adjective

cere   divorced   noun

ces   [see ceh]   interjection

cet   paint   noun

cica bingkarong   the lizard calotes nigriplicatus   noun

cica   gecko   noun

cicilepu₁   foul (mouthed)   adjective

cicilepu₂   (of a person) useless   adjective

cicilepu₃   bankrupt   adjective

cicilepu₄   sit down on the floor   adverb

cicorang   funnel   noun

cidaku₁   support   noun

cidaku₂   traditional bra   noun

cidaku₃   loincloth   noun

cidaku₄   carry   verb

cigi   pull suddenly, yank   verb

cigulu   riddle   noun

cih   [see ceh]   interjection

cikar₁   crowded, full   adjective

cikar₂   want to do something immediately   verb

cikuang   hit, strike   verb

cilaka₁   misfortune, disaster   noun

cilaka₂   “woe!” (exclamation of grief)   interjection

cili boku   a small variety of chilli (capsicum fruitescens)   noun

cili bua basar   a large variety of chilli   noun

cili kanop   a round, yellow variety of chilli   noun

cili padi   a small variety of chilli (capsicum fruitescens)   noun

cili tali   a long, crinkled variety of chilli (capsicum annuum, longum group)   noun

cili   chilli   noun

cincao₁   seaweed   noun

cincao₂   agar derived from seaweed   noun

cincing   ring   noun

ciong₁   kiss   verb

ciong₂   smell (sense by odor)   verb

ciong₃   sniff   verb

cip-cip   a kind of fish(?)   noun

cita   chintz   noun

co₁   try   adverb

co₂   please   adverb

cobang   a broad, needle-like bamboo tool for making and repairing fishing nets   noun

cobe   the mortar (of a mortar and pestle)   noun

cole₁   traditional bra / corset worn beneath a kabaya   noun

cole₂   hairpin   noun

colo   dip   noun

colo   dip   verb

colo-colo   a condiment served with grilled fish; a raw salsa made of green tomato, chilli, calamansi juice, shallot, and lemon basil   noun

congka   the southeast asian variety of mancala games; congklak or dakon in standard indonesian   noun

cor₁   reinforced concrete   noun

cor₂   pour concrete around a steel frame   verb

cubi   pinch   verb

cucu₁   impale   verb

cucu₂   string (of things)   noun

cucur   a sweet fritter made of a deep-fried mixture of rice flour and palm sugar   noun

cui   the olive-backed sunbird (cinnyris jugularis)   noun

cuka minya   [see cuki minya]   interjection

cukardeleng   (exclamation of frustration, slightly less vulgar than cukimaai or cuki)   interjection

cukardellen   [see cukardeleng]   interjection

cukarica   (exclamation of frustration)   interjection

cuki mai   “motherfucker” (exclamation of frustration)   interjection

cuki minya   “fuck” (exclamation of frustration)   interjection

cuki   fuck (vulgar)   verb

cukimaai   [see cuki mai]   interjection

culas   envious   adjective

cuma-cuma   free   adjective

cungkel   pry, prise   verb

cupa   sweetened condensed milk can used for measuring   noun