Heart Goes Thud and Peace and Calm in Oceanic Languages, a Daily Dose of Peace
A Daily Dose of Peace. Each week, I focus on Love, Joy, and Peace in the world languages. January’s first week focuses on Papua New Guinea in Oceania.
Mona Lyuu Lenge, an Enga Metaphor in a Daily Dose of Peace
Mona lyuu lenge
a metaphor in Enga
a Papua New Guinea language
means to be at peace in your heart
or to be serene
“Mona” means heart
seat of thought and emotion
“Lenge” is produce a sound
“lyuu” means thud
“Auu” means well, nicely
“auu kaenge” is to like or to love
while “auu lenge” is to pleased
“Mona nepengeto” is be awesome
or amazing
“Lyuu lenge” is translated
to have peace or
the sound made when a large object
thuds on ground
a cluster of pandanus nuts
hits the ground
When you feel anxious
it is like your heart is hung up
when anxiety is relieved
your heart falls back into place
When your heart falls back into place
it makes a metaphorical thud
just like a cluster of pandanus nuts
falling to the ground.
What is the sound is produced
when your heart is at peace?
— Found Poetry with Kimberly Burnham. Word explanation from My Heart Will Go Thud at The PNG Experience
Anteŋ as a Characterization of Peace
“Anteŋ” means still, calm and quiet
in Proto-Western Malayo-Polynesian
an ancient language
gave rise to many Oceanic languages
In Malay spoken in Jakarta and parts of Indonesia
“anteŋ” is gentle and quiet
said of children who play without disturbing their elders
In Sundanese of Oceania
“anteŋ” means calm, peaceful, still, quiet
sweet as a child or a woman
In Old Javanese of Java
“anteŋ” means quiet and calm
working steadily
In Madurese
“anteŋ” means still and calm
describing a quiet person who doesn’t speak much
In Makassarese
“antaŋ” is to be still and keep quiet
remain and reside
As if children, women and men
who reside in moments of stillness and quiet
are the ones who live in peace and sweetness
— Words from the Austronesian Comparative Dictionary
Originally Published in Peace Poetry Dictionary, The Meaning of Peace and Calm in 5000 Languages on January 6, 2021.
