Some Problematic Kadazan Words

These are some of the problematic Kadazan words. If the emphasis is wrongly placed, the meaning can change dramatically.

1. potodon (po-to-don), pootodon (poh-to-don), potoodon (po-toh-don), potodoon (po-to-dohn), potoodoon (po-toh-dohn)

a) potodon (po-to-don), to cut something to make it shorter
Potodon iho dukug. Cut that rope. Shorten that rope.

b) pootodon (poh-to-don), to send
Pootodon ihia suat kumaa di Jimmy. Send that letter to Jimmy.

c) potoodon (potoh-don), to stop, to cease
Potoodon ino. Stop that. Root word: tood

d) potodoon (po-to-dohn), to say goodbye.Potodoon zioho. Say goodbye to them.

e) potoodoon (po-toh-dohn), to arrange.
Potoodoon no ngaavi buuk nu moi avasi tokito. Arrange your books so that they are nice to see.

2. asaasau, oium, timpoon

a) asaasau (a-saa-sa-uh), now written as asaasau'. It means 'repeatedly' Asaasau no zioho do nosunudan nga aiso kinovohion. They have been told repeatedly with no effects.

b) oium (o-ium), now written as o'ium which means 'can be found'. O-ium ih usin. Money can be found.

c) Just as in other languages, some Kadazan words can have more than one meaning. 'timpoon' is one of these.
i) timpoon (timpo-on), verb, to stay back. Timpoon no doiti. Stay here.
ii) timpoon, noun, thorn, wood splinter that has embedded itself in one's flesh. Kivaa timpoon id hapap nu. You have a thorn/splinter in your foot.

Note:
Additional information on this matter will be published in a different posting.