man

A man no ben man taki.


ten

Atleba ten no sa de moro ini Sranan / Den bakra, den ben hori wi na baka / Den de bow den kondre kon na fesi / Meki wi e pina

1975, Mighty Botai (lyrics and music), “Sranang Kong Fri”, in Onafhankelijkheid (Srefidensi) Suriname:

The period of toiling will be no more in Suriname / The Dutch, they held us back / They built up their country successfully / Made us suffer


anu

>? Aukan: ana

From English hand. Compare Maroon Spirit Language anu, Jamaican Creole an, Krio an.

money that is paid out to the participants of a kasmoni


spun

Spun no de.


bere

Aukan: bee

Saramaccan: bë́ë


bana

Possibly from Anyi bana or from English banana or Portuguese banana, both possibly from Wolof banaana (“banana”). Cognate of Aukan baana.


brada

Aukan: baala

Saramaccan: baaa

→ Dutch: brada


felem

Borrowed from Dutch film, reflecting the Northern Dutch phonetic realisation /ˈfɪləm/.


mofo

Aukan: mofu

na fotto dem no habi da muffe so menni; da Djutongo: ma nuffe plantasi habi hem.

1783, C. L. Schumann, Neger-Englisches Worterbuch [Negro English Dictionary], archived from the original on 2023-02-08, s.v. bringi:

In the city, they don't have [use] this word so much; it's Saramaccan. But enough plantations have [use] it.

Mi wan tákki wan mófo nánga joe

1855, Hendrik Charles Focke, Neger-Engelsch woordenboek [Negro English Dictionary], Leiden: P.H. van den Heuvell, page 83:


oso

→ Dutch: osso


sonde

From English Sunday, equivalent to son + dei.


asi

ace (playing card marked with "A", having one icon)


gitara

Borrowed from Dutch gitaar or from English guitar.


boda

Probably borrowed from Spanish boda or less likely from Portuguese boda.


iri

Probably a borrowing from Dutch hiel. The other creole languages have terms corresponding to bakafutu.


meti

Aukan: meti


stari

Aukan: sitali

From English star. Likely a late borrowing, as st- typically simplifies to t- in words of English origin (see tan, tori, tiki).


boyo

a sweet cake made of grated cassava (manioc) and cocos


blaw

Aukan: baaw

Saramaccan: baáu


barba

Aukan: baiba

Wan dei Anansi ben koiri ini a busi. Dan di ai koiri a si wan sani di noiti a ben si bifo: wan ston di abi barba.

2002, SIL, “Anansi nanga a ston san abi barba”, in Languages of Suriname, Sranan Tongo Library:


lawman

From the same root as law but with the suffix -man.


soso

Possibly from Igbo sọ̀ọsọ̀ and Yoruba ṣooṣo.


koto

→ Dutch: koto


Kofi

a male given name from Akan, feminine equivalent Afiba, given to a male born on a Friday


oli

Probably borrowed from Dutch olie (“oil”).


liba

Ei Selecta, mi granmama ben leri mi altèit, "no kosi kaiman fosi abra liba, boi".

2011, Selectabeats, Kayente (lyrics and music), “Djoegoe Djoegoe”:

Hey Selecta, my grandmother always taught me: "don't curse the caiman before crossing the river, boy"


kino

Possibly borrowed from Dutch kinofilm, itself likely from German Kinofilm.


buru

desc

→ Caribbean Javanese: bulman, bulmang, buru

→ Dutch: boeroe


biri

Aukan: bii

Saramaccan: bíi

→ Kari'na: biri

Now di Sranan e meki en biri / ala tra biri kan tan tiri

c. 1955, Eddy Vervuurt (lyrics and music), “Lied [Parbo-Mambo]”performed by Orkest Eddy Vervuurt and Big Jones:

Now that Suriname is making its own beer / all other beers can keep quiet


mati

Aukan: mati

Ndyuka-Trio Pidgin: mati

→ Dutch: mattie

→ Kari'na: mati

Borrowed from Dutch maat and/or English mate.

(slang, euphemistic) woman in a lesbian relationship


neki

Aukan: neki


huru

to have sexual relations with more than one person


asema

Possibly from Fon azema (“vampire”), equivalent to ase + -man. Cf. Saramaccan azéma.

A vampire who has the appearance of an elderly person during the day and hides his or her skin at night when out for blood.


dri

Borrowed Dutch drie or from English three.


bosi

From English buss, of uncertain origin. Compare southern German Bussi which may or may not be related.


feti

→ Dutch: fittie


karton

Borrowed from Dutch karton, from French carton.


yesi

A bom sutu so tranga taki a broko mi yesimama. Furu yari langa mi no ben man yere bun, ma te fu kaba mi yesi kon betre baka.

2007, “Yehovah kibri wi libi na a ten fu den ogri-ati tirimakti”, in Jehovah's Witnesses:

The bomb exploded so loudly that it broke my eardrums. For many years I couldn't hear well, but in the end my ears healed again.


brede

Aukan: beele

Saramaccan: bëë́ë

→ Kari'na: perere


sensi

(numismatics) cent (a subunit of currency equal to one-hundredth of the main unit of currency, such as the former Surinamese guilder and the current Surinamese dollar)


spari

Porcupine River stingray (Potamotrygon hystrix)


dosu

→ Lokono: dosu

→ Caribbean Hindustani: dosu


alen

From English rain. For the initial vowel, compare alata from English or Dutch rat and aleisi from Dutch rijs.

Blesi sa kon bogobogo, Masra pramis' m'anga yu, Lek'wan alen a sa wiki, Kraf' den di bribi fu tru, Sula fu seigi, wan dei sa was' kon na gron, now wan tu dropu de spiti, ma sibibusi sa kon

1999, Hillary de Bruin, “Liederen uit de praktijk van de duman [Songs from the Winti priest's practice]”, in OSO. Tijdschrift voor Surinaamse taalkunde, letterkunde en geschiedenis, Instituut ter Bevordering van de Surinamistiek, →ISSN, page 152:

Blessing will come abundantly / the Lord promised to me and you / like a rainshower it will awaken / strengthen those who truly believe / With cataracts of blessing / one day the ground will be awash / now a few droplets are spitting / but torrential rains will come


pingo

Borrowed from a Cariban language, ultimately from Proto-Cariban *pôinôkô; possible direct sources include Kari'na pyinko, poinko and Yao (South America) pingo.

wan lo pingo

1783, C. L. Schumann, Neger-Englisches Worterbuch [Negro English Dictionary], archived from the original on 2023-02-08:

white-lipped peccary
white-lipped peccary

Tayassu pecari
Tayassu pecari#Translingual


dosi

cassava bread with a sweet cocos filling


paisa

From Caribbean Hindustani paisa, from Hindi पैसा (paisā) / Urdu پَیسَہ (paisa).


futu

Aukan: futu

Saramaccan: fútu


munde

Adapted from English Monday, equivalent to mun (“moon”) + dei (“day”).


empi

→ Aukan: impi

→ Caribbean Javanese: èmpi

→ Kari'na: empi

→ Saramaccan: hémpi


skoro

→ Dutch: skorro

→ Wayana: sikoro


lobi

Mi lobi yu.


lobi

Aukan: lobi

Saramaccan: lóbi


dokun

→ Dutch: dokoen

Apocopic form of dokunu, possibly from Abé òdúkō (“dish of banana or tuber and sauce”), Twi Akan ɔ-dɔ̀kóno (“boiled maizebread”). Compare English duckanoo, English ducana.

der

dokkunnu. Klössel (z.B. von Welschkorn, gelber Bananne, Pinda[)]

[1783, C. L. Schumann, “dokkunnu”, in Neger-Englisches Wörterbuch [Negro English Dictionary] (in German), archived from the original on 2023-02-08:

Dokunu. Dumpling (e.g. of maize, yellow banana, peanut)

A krabdagu taki: - Angri e kiri mi ba. A di mi si yu e nyan, ne mi kon.
Adyuku taki: - We san mi e nyan, mi no sabi efu yu sa nyan en. Na kasaba dokun mi tyari. Efu yu sa nyan en, dan mi sa gi yu.

1975, “Basya Adyuku koni”, in Ursy M. Lichtveld, Jan Voorhoeve, editors, Creole drum. An Anthology of Creole Literature in Surinam, New Haven, London: Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 86:

The crab-eating raccoon said: 'I'm starving, brother. When I saw that you're eating, I came over immediately.
Adyuku said: 'I say, I don't know whether you'll want to eat what I'm eating. I brought cassava duckanoo. If you'll eat it, then I'll give it to you.

The Afro-Surinamese version of duckanoo; a sweet treat made of grated cassava (manioc) and cocos, wrapped in a banana leaf and then steamed


skowtu

Aukan: sikowtu

Saramaccan: sikooútu

→ Caribbean Hindustani: skoutu, skotu

→ Dutch: skotoe

→ Trió: sikoutu


switismeri

From switi (tasty, pleasant) + smeri (smell).


sarasara

[ˈsɑ̟ɾɑ̟sɑ̟ɾɑ̟]

Probably from Kongo nsala (“lobster, shrimp”), and possibly Awutu asasaw (“lobster”).


batra

Aukan: bataa

→ Kari'na: patere

bottle, jar (it can be made of glass, earthenware or plastic)


kerkisma

(Christianity) believer (religious person)


bonuman

[ˈbɔ̝numɑ̟ŋ]


lanti

Kwinti: lanti

Saramaccan: lánti

→ Caribbean Javanese: lanti

→ Trió: ranti

From Dutch land (“territory, territorial (colonial) government”).


grun

Borrowed from Dutch groen, from Middle Dutch groene, from Old Dutch *gruoni, from Proto-West Germanic *grōnī, from Proto-Germanic *grōniz.


grun

Aukan: guun

Saramaccan: guúun


wiwiri

Contraction of wiriwiri, a reduplication probably from English weed; compare siri (“seed”).


ambeyri

From Dutch handbijl (hand= hand + bijl= axe).


masra

Baſſia hoe fafi maſtra gi permiſſi fo pree.

ca. 1765, Pieter van Dyk, Nieuwe en nooit bevoorens geziene Onderwyzinge in het Bastert, of Neeger Engels, zoo als het zelve in de Hollandsze Colonien gebruikt word [New and unprecedented instruction in Bastard or Negro English, as it is used in the Dutch colonies], page 107:

Basya, how are you? Did master give permission to play?


sisa

From English sister or from Dutch zuster.


ka-olo

→ Dutch: kaolo


ede

Aukan: ede

Saramaccan: hédi


noso

Aukan: nosu

Saramaccan: núsu


dala

(numismatics) a coin or banknote worth 250 cents; a rix-dollar


pikin

Borrowed from Portuguese pequenino, pequeno.

Di Kresneti kisi, Nana ben seni en pikin / na ini a grontapu fu krin wi ala siki / A no ben kon leki wan kownu, ma leki wan mofinawan / na ini wan pina-oso, na ini na sabana / Kon meki wi begi, begi da Anana / Kon meki wi begi, begi da Anana

1978, “Di Krisneti Kisi”, in Kerstmis in Suriname, performed by Alberto en het gemengd koor "Gloria":

When Christmas occurred, God sent his son / into the world to cleanse all our illnesses / He didn't come as a king, but as a poor man/ into a hut in the desert / Come let us pray to the Creator / Come let us pray to the Creator


ondrobere

Compound of ondro (“under”) + bere (“belly”).


berebanti

[ˈbɪ̞ɾɪ̞bã̠nti]


abongra

[ˈa̠bʊ̞̃ŋɾa̠]

[ˈɑ̟bɔ̝̃ŋɾɑ̟]


Anansi

[ˈɑ̟nɑ̟̃nsi]

From anansi, from Akan ananse (“spider”), Twi Akan ananse (“spider”), Awutu ananse (“spider”), Abron ànãnzi (“spider”).

(mythology) Anansi (trickster spider in West African and Caribbean folklore)


kwata

red-faced spider monkey (Ateles Paniscus)


buba

Aukan: buba

Saramaccan: búba

Compare Yoruba bùbá (“outer garment”), Baoule bui (“bark (skin)”), Kongo búuba (“outfit; small piece of cloth worn by a woman”), Mandinka bubá (“blouse”), Wolof buba (“garments”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Niger-Congo *-kwuba (“skin (bark, husk)”).

der

Pieri me na boeba, fo na ningre

1855 April 23, “De slavernij en hare gruwelen in Suriname [Slavery and its horrors in Suriname]”, in Algemeen Handelsblad, Amsterdam, page 4:


babun

Colombian red howler (Alouatta Seniculus)


alanya

Citrus aurantium
Citrus aurantium#Translingual

Citrus sinensis
Citrus sinensis#Translingual


bangi

From English bank or borrowed from Dutch bank.

Tra sani di temreman ben e meki, na sani soleki tafra, sturu, bangi, nanga kisi pe sma ben poti sani na ini, èn sosrefi sani soleki doro, fensre, udu sroto, nanga postu fu poti na a plafon.

2008, “Yu ben sabi a sani disi?”, in Jehovah's Witnesses:

Other things that the carpenter used to make were things such as tables, chairs, benches, and boxes where people put things into, as well as such items as doors, windows, wooden locks, and beams to put on the ceiling.


blaka

Aukan: baakaa

Saramaccan: baáka

→ Caribbean Hindustani: blaaka

From English black. Compare Maroon Spirit Language blaka, Jamaican Creole blak, Krio blak.


blaka

Aukan: baaka


deinen

day name (ritual name of Ashanti origin, given to a child born on a given day of the week; e.g., Kwaku for a boy born on a Wednesday)


botro

Aukan: botoo

→ Caribbean Hindustani: botro

→ Caribbean Javanese: botro


sabaku

Egretta thula
Egretta thula#Translingual

Bubulcus ibis
Bubulcus ibis#Translingual

Any of several small white egrets (Egretta alba, Egretta thula, Bubulcus ibis)


agida

Probably from Ewe adzidá (“drum”), Fon àgiɖá (“drumstick”).

Miɛ̮-go pre A - gi - da tɛ - dei̯ / Miɛ̮ - go pre A - gi - da tɛ - dei̯ / Kop-si pur' 'a wi - si / fo ka - ka a ba - ro / Miɛ̮- go pre A-gi - da tɛ - dei

1936, Melville J. Herskovits, Frances S. Herskovits, Suriname folk-lore, New York: Columbia University Press, page 240:

I will play the agida today / I will play the agida today / Kopsi will remove the evil magic / That the cock may crow, oh! / I will play the agida today

(music) agida (a conical bass drum two to three metres long and 40-50 centimetres in diameter, the sound of which resonates in the ground and is used in the Afro-Surinamese Winti religion to communicate with snake gods; it is played with both hands, with the player using a drumstick in one hand)


Sranantongo

[ˈsɾa̠nã̠ntʊ̞ŋʊ̞]

[ˈsɾɑ̟nɑ̟̃ntɔ̝ŋɔ̝]

Sranantongo na wan fu den Sranan tongo.
Sranan Tongo is one of the languages of Suriname.

Tide mamantin, wan bigi soema kon aksi mi, iffoe mie no kan taki wan pikien sani na ini Sranang tongo, bikasi alla soema no verstan alla sani fini fini.

1950 January 23, Gerard van der Schroeff, “Einde van de koloniale voogdij. (Radiorede van de heer G. van der Schroeff) [The end of colonial tutelage. Radio address by Mr G. Van der Schroeff]”, in De West, page 5:

This morning, an elderly person came to ask me if I could say something in Sranan Tongo, because not everybody understood everything in detail.


papira

→ Caribbean Javanese: papirah

→ Wayana: pampira


bruku

→ Aukan: buuku

→ Caribbean Hindustani: bruku

→ Kari'na: puruku, puluka

→ Saramaccan: buúku


poku

→ Dutch: pokoe


batyaw

Aukan: bakiyaw

→ Caribbean Hindustani: bacau

→ Dutch: batyaw

[bɑ̟ˈt͡ʃɑ̟u̯]

From Dutch bakkeljauw, from Portuguese bacalhau, or possibly directly from the Portuguese. Cognate of Saramaccan bakajáu, Hawaiian pakaliao, Shona bakayau.


Amba

a female given name from Akan, masculine equivalent Kwami, given to a female born on a Saturday


Yaw

a male given name from Akan, feminine equivalent Yaba, given to a male born on a Thursday


bonboni

Brazilian squirrel, Guianan squirrel (Sciurus aestuans)


dusun

→ Dutch: doezoe

→ Saramaccan: dúsu

Wan dusun.


duku

→ Caribbean Javanese: duku

→ Dutch: doekoe


beiri

Borrowed from Dutch bijl, from Middle Dutch bile.


alenbo

[ˈa̠lɪ̞̃mbʊ̞]

[ˈɑ̟lẽ̝mbɔ̝]

From English rainbow, equivalent to alen + bo.


bromki

Aukan: boomiki

→ Kari'na: poromiki

[ˈbɾɔ̝mt͡ʃi]

Borrowed from Dutch bloemetje, diminutive of bloem.


kantoro

Aukan: kantoo

Saramaccan: kantoo

→ Caribbean Hindustani: kantoro

→ Wayana: kantolo


afdaki

[ˈɑ̟fdɑ̟t͡ʃi]


baisigri

Aukan: baisigii

Saramaccan: baisígi

→ Kari'na: paisiki


froktu

→ Caribbean Javanese: fruktu

→ Saramaccan: fuúta


kukru

Aukan: kukuu

From English cook room. The final nasal is absent in Sranan due to lack of stress (compare uma, lusumbe, kakumbe).


ayun

Aukan: ayun

→ Kari'na: ajunu, junu


boskopu

Aukan: bosikopu

Saramaccan: bosikópu


Dyu

Jew (adherent to Judaism; one who belongs to a Jewish (sub)culture)


Anitri

Borrowed from German Herrnhuter or Dutch hernhutter.

(Christianity) Moravian (adherent of the Moravian Brotherhood)


srudati

→ Aukan: suudati


skrifi

Aukan: sikiifi

Saramaccan: sikífi

Fri yu no kan skrifi na / ini den nangra fu den opete.

1961, Michaël Slory, ““Sarka – Gi Yomo Kenyata (Kenya)” [Bitter struggle – For Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya)]”, in Sarka / Bittere strijd, Amsterdam: Pegasus:

Freedom cannot be written / in the clutches of vultures.

Mi no man leisi san skrifi ini a brifi.

I can't read what is written in this letter.


fiadu

→ Dutch: fiadu, fiadoe, viado, viadoe

From Portuguese bolo folhado, also spelled bolo fiado.

a sweet fluffy cake filled with rum-soaked raisins, almonds and succade


Santa Yeye

[ˈsã̠nta̠ ˈjɪ̞jɪ̞]

[ˈsɑ̟̃ntɑ̟ ˈje̝je̝]


bobi

Derived from English booby or bubby. Compare Jamaican Creole bobi.


bereman

[ˈbɪ̞ɾɪ̞ma̠ŋ]

[ˈbe̝ɾe̝mɑ̟ŋ]

From bere (“womb, belly”) + -man (person suffix).


bonkoro

[ˈbʊ̞̃ŋkʊ̞ɾʊ̞]

[ˈbɔ̝̃ŋkɔ̝ɾɔ̝]

A black person with a (relatively) light skin.


drungu

Aukan: duungu

Saramaccan: döö́ngö


nangra

Aukan: nangaa

Borrowed from Dutch nagel. For the unexpected nasal consonant, compare nyun, mangri, onfu, mindri, kwinsi.


grebi

Aukan: geebi

Ef mi ben sab pe joe grebi de, / mi gran afo, di krodong tjari / kon na Sranan, / so farawe fjoe eegi doti, / biten tédei, Manspasidei / psa hondro jari di keti koti, / mi ben sa saka libi foto, / mi ben sa pari mi eegi boto / f'kon saka kiendie na joe sei.

1974 June 29, Fred W. Omskirk Sr., “Manspasi”, in Vrije Stem: onafhankelijk weekblad voor Suriname, page 1:

If I knew where your grave was, my grand ancestor, whom forced labour / brought to Suriname / so far away from your own native soil, / early today, Emancipation Day / hundred years after the chains were broken, / I would have left the city, / I would have paddled my own boat / to come and kneel by your side.

Den gorogoro de leki wan opo grebi, èn den tongo e taki soso lei. Den mofobuba e kiri yu leki te wan takru sneki beti yu.

2002, Nyun, Suriname: Wycliffe Bible Translators, Roma [Romans] 3:13:

Their throat is like an open grave, and their tongues speak only lies. Their lips kill you like when an evil snake bites you.


golu

(historical, numismatics) The Surinamese guilder (currency unit, abolished in 2004)

(historical, numismatics) The Dutch guilder (currency unit, abolished in 2002)


Bakratongo

[ˈba̠kɾa̠tʊ̞ŋʊ̞]

[ˈbɑ̟kɾɑ̟tɔ̝ŋɔ̝]


Doisritongo

[ˈdʊ̞isɾitʊ̞ŋʊ̞]

[ˈdɔ̝isɾitɔ̝ŋɔ̝]


Franstongo

[ˈfɾã̠nstʊ̞ŋʊ̞]

[ˈfɾɑ̟̃nstɔ̝ŋɔ̝]


Yaba

a female given name from Akan, masculine equivalent Yaw, given to a female born on a Thursday


brudu

→ Aukan: buulu

→ Saramaccan: buúu


libimakandra

Calque of Dutch samenleving, equivalent to libi + makandra.

in libimakandra / d'e pré kibridóeman, / den ipokrit! / ma ten sa kon / te kibri-sí-man-kandra / sa leti.

1977, Henri Frans de Ziel, Ala poewema foe Trefossa [All poems by Trefossa], Paramaribo: Bureau Volkslectuur, page 80:

In society / they act as manipulators in the shadows, / the hypocrites! / but the time will come / when the candle of the people who see hidden things / will ignite.


satra

From Dutch zaterdag or from English Saturday.


mutyama

Probably from Kongo mukiama (“rainbow”). Cognate of Aukan muntyama.


Kwasi

→ Translingual: Quassia

a male given name from Akan, feminine equivalent Kwasiba, given to a male born on a Sunday


pikinnengre

Compound of pikin (“small”) + nengre (“Negro; person”).

compound

Ala pikinnengre / te we go na foto / unu mu luku den bon / nanga den strati tu

1960, Big Jones And His Kawina Band (lyrics and music), “Ala Pikin Nengre”, in Suriname:

All you kids / when we go into town / have a look at the trees / and the streets too

Mi no ben kan tan arki den betiyesi tori fu Basedi, bika na bigisma no ben lobi te pikinnengre mofo e warsi na ini en tori efu den bradi den yesimama e arki.

1975, Edgar Cairo, “Wan pisi fu libi [A piece of life]”, in Ursy M. Lichtveld, Jan Voorhoeve, editors, Creole drum. An Anthology of Creole Literature in Surinam, New Haven, London: Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 256:

I couldn't stay to listen to the ear-catching stories of Master Edi, because the old man didn't like it when children's mouths wandered into his tale if they had stretched their eardrums and were listening in.


temreman

Aukan: tembee man

→ Caribbean Hindustani: temremán

→ Caribbean Javanese: témbréman

From Dutch timmerman, equivalent to temre (“to perform carpentry”) + -man.


wagiman

porter (person who transports goods for a fee)


Wiwirikampufesa

Calque of Dutch Loofhuttenfeest, itself a calque of Hebrew חג הסוכות (ḥaḡ has-sukkōṯ). Equivalent to wiwirikampu (“hut made of foliage”) + fesa (“feast”).


tibri

(historical, numismatics) stiver; a former pre-decimalization Surinamese coin worth eight doits


sren

Tangie Masra! Tangie Missie! / Ti dée mi de njan jaari; / San joe gi mi, joe sa kissie / Dobbroe na tra jaari! / Wan sreng sa tron toe sreng, effi Masra Gado prissie / Da sanie joe lassie na vaja, joe sa venni na inni assissie.

c. 1836, “Njoe-jaari-singi voe Cesaari. [Cesar's New Year song]”, in Jan Voorhoeve, Ursy M. Lichtveld, editors, Suriname: Spiegel der vaderlandse kooplieden, Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff, published 1980, →ISBN, page 294:

Thank you sir, thank you madam! / Today, I celebrate New Year / Whatever you give me, you'll get / twofold in the next year! / One shilling will become two shillings, if it pleases the Lord God / The thing you leave in the fire, you'll find in the ashes.

(historical, numismatics) Surinamese shilling; a former pre-decimalization coin worth 5 Surinamese stivers


drisren

Compound of dri (“three”) + sren (“shilling; the amount of money equal to 8 cents”).

com

Mi sa gi joe aiti drisren nanga vijfi tiensensi.

1913, Jac. van Ginneken, Handboek der Nederlandsche taal. Deel 1. De sociologische structuur der Nederlandsche taal [Handbook of the Dutch language. Part 1. The sociological structure of the Dutch language], Nijmegen: L.C.G. Malmberg, page 269:

I'll give you eight quarters and five dimes.

(archaic, informal, numismatics) quarter (a coin worth 25 cents)


tinsensi

Compound of tin (“ten”) + sensi (“cent”).

(numismatics) dime (a coin worth 10 cents)


feifi

From Dutch vijf and/or from English five, both from Proto-Germanic *fimf.


pakira

→ Dutch: pakira


brifi

Aukan: biifi

Saramaccan: biífi

→ Kari'na: brifi


Arabiatongo

[ˈa̠ɾa̠bia̠tʊ̞ŋʊ̞]

[ˈɑ̟ɾɑ̟biɑ̟tɔ̝ŋɔ̝]

Compound of Arabia (“Arabia”) + tongo (“language”).


yesimama

Compound of yesi (“ear”) + mama (“mother”).

A bom sutu so tranga taki a broko mi yesimama. Furu yari langa mi no ben man yere bun, ma te fu kaba mi yesi kon betre baka.

2007, “Yehovah kibri wi libi na a ten fu den ogri-ati tirimakti [Jehovah saved our lives in the time of the malicious regimes]”, in Jehovah's Witnesses:

The bomb exploded so loudly that it broke my eardrums. For many years I couldn't hear well, but in the end my ears healed again.


yesilinga

Compound of yesi (“ear”) + linga (“ring”)


dyuku

Aukan: dyuku

Ultimately from Fula jukka. Compare Jamaican Creole and Bahamian Creole jook (“to stab”), Nigerian Pidgin chook (“to pierce”), Grenadian Creole English djuck (“to stab”).


bonyo

Saramaccan: bónu

From English bone. The ending -yo may have been added to avoid confusion with bon (“tree”)


busititei

Compound of busi (“forest”) + titei (“rope”)


bakabonyo

[ˈba̠ka̠bʊ̞ɲʊ̞]

[ˈbɑ̟kɑ̟bɔ̝ɲɔ̝]

Compound of baka (“back”) + bonyo (“bone”).

Di mi gebore na ini 1956, mi ben abi wan siki na den senwetitei fu mi bakabonyo. Dati meki mi no ben man waka bun èn mi ben kisi tra siki tu.

2013, “Yehovah ’e tyari a lai fu mi ala dei’”, in Jehovah's Witnesses:

When I was born in 1956, I had an illness in the neural cord of my spine. Because of that, I couldn't walk properly and I got other illnesses too.


weti

Aukan: weti

Saramaccan: wéti


sribikamra

Compound of sribi (“sleep”) + kamra (“room”). A calque of Dutch slaapkamer.


gowtusmeti

Borrowed from Dutch goudsmid. Equivalent to gowtu (“gold”) + smeti (“smith”).


fayaworon

Compound of faya (“fire”) + woron (“worm”).


tudewroko

Equivalent to tu (“two”) + dei (“day”) + wroko (“work”).


dridewroko

Equivalent to dri (“three”) + dei (“day”) + wroko (“work”).


fodewroko

Equivalent to fo (“four”) + dei (“day”) + wroko (“work”).


legre

Di a kon sabi taki Elisa ben de na ini a foto Dotan, a seni a legre fu Siria fu go teki en.

(Can we date this quote?), “Wan bigi legre di de leki faya”, in Jehovah's Witnesses:

He found out that Elisha was in the city of Dothan, and he sent the Syrian army there to capture him..


kownusturu

Compound of kownu (“king”) + sturu (“chair”).

com+

Na ini a fisyun disi wi e si taki a kownusturu fu Yehovah de na tapusei fu den kerub-engel.

(Can we date this quote?), “„Mi kisi wan fisyun fu Gado””, in Jehovah's Witnesses:

In this vision we see that Jehovah's throne is above the cherubs.


koranti

Aukan: kolanti

→ Caribbean Hindustani: koraanti

→ Caribbean Javanese: kranti

Borrowed from Dutch courant, an archaic form of krant (“newspaper”). Compare Afrikaans koerant and Indonesian koran.


mindrifinga

Compound of mindri (“middle”) + finga (“finger”).


pikinfinga

Compound of pikin (“small”) + finga (“finger”).


ketre

→ Saramaccan: ketè


fokofoko

Aukan: fuku fuku

Saramaccan: fuköfukö


krabu

→ Caribbean Hindustani: krabu

→ Caribbean Javanese: krabu

→ Saramaccan: kaábu


skapuloiri

Compound of skapu (“sheep”) + loiri (“sloth”).

Linnaeus's two-toed sloth
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth

Choloepus didactylus
Choloepus didactylus#Translingual

Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus)


mirafroiti

Borrowing or calque from Dutch miereneter.

southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla)


tamanwa

→ Dutch: tamanoa

[ˈtɑ̟mɑ̟̃nwɑ̟]

Probably from Kari'na [Term?] and/or Lokono [Term?]. Compare French tamanoir (“anteater”), Old Tupi tamandûá (“anteater”).

Bɔfru dɛ krei̯, Dia dɛ krei̯, Tamanwa 'ɛ krei̯. Nō mō ala den meti 'ɛ gowe wą' wą'. Nō mō Hagu drapɛ, 'ɛ bari, ‘Bia, bia, bia, / Mi yɛre suma dɛdɛ, / Ma karaki dɛ bro.’

1936, Melville J. Herskovits, Frances S. Herskovits, Suriname folk-lore, New York: Columbia University Press, page 424:

Buffalo was crying, Deer was crying, Anteater was crying. No sooner did all the animals go away one by one, than Hog called out, ‘Bia, bia, bia, / I hear a person died, / But his backside breathes.’

Myrmecophaga tridactyla
Myrmecophaga tridactyla#Translingual

(zoology) giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)

nl:Instituut ter Bevordering van de Surinamistiek


tigrikati

Felis pardalis
Felis pardalis#Translingual


kuriaku

grey brocket (Subulo gouazoubira, syn. Mazama gouazoubira), of South America.


kakumbe

Aukan: kakumbe


edekrabasi

Compound of ede (“head”) + krabasi (“calabash”).


mofobuba

Compound of mofo (“mouth”) + buba (“skin”).


apteiki

Aukan: aputeiki


broki

Aukan: booki

Saramaccan: boóki

→ Caribbean Javanese: broki

→ Caribbean Hindustani: broki

dock (a structure attached to shore for loading and unloading vessels)


skowtu-oso

Compound of skowtu (“police”) + oso (“house”).


lontu-oso

Compound of lontu (“to confine”) + oso (“house”).


berpe

Aukan: belipe


manyapiren

Compound of manya (“mango”) + piren (“piranha”).


powisi

→ Dutch: powisi

According to Van Donselaar, borrowed from Dutch pauwies, from Spanish pauxi, possibly of Amerindian origin. Alternatively, borrowed from Kari'na [Term?]. Compare Guyanese English powis.

Mi safu dagwe, / mi moi powisi, / mi pikin watra-mama! / Mi lobi Ana!

1984, Edgar Cairo, “Jonguwenke fu mi dren [Virgin of my dreams]”, in Lelu! Lelu! Het lied der vervreemding, Haarlem: In de Knipscheer, →ISBN, page 786:

My soft boa constrictor / my beautiful black currassow / my little mermaid! / My beloved Ana!

Powisi tya' koni. A pres' a si gowtu / a e swar' en bika a de ab' en fanowdu.

1985, Albert Helman, “Powisi e ridyeri [The black currassow plays up]”, in Adyosi / Afscheid, Nijmegen: Instituut ter Bevordering van de Surinamistiek, published 1994, page 89:

The black currassow is clever. As soon as it sees gold / it will swallow it, because it needs it.

Nanga wan ‘Dag mis, dag mis’ a ben e waka leki wan powisi - en alanya-tiki na wansei fu en mofo - go miti na oso fu Sa Jana, di ben e kon na dronmofo^([sic – meaning dromofo]) fu miti en.

1986, Ané Doorson, “Owpa Paulus [Grandad Paulus]”, in Michiel van Kempen, editor, Nieuwe Surinaamse verhalen, Paramaribo: Uitgeverij de Volksboekwinkel, →ISBN, page 100:

With a 'Good day, Miss, good day, Miss', she walked like a black currassow - her bitter orange chewstick on one side of her mouth - up to the house of Sister Jana, who was coming into the front yard to meet her.


Kodyo

a male given name from Akan, feminine equivalent Adyuba, given to a male born on a Monday


Kwamina

a male given name from Akan, feminine equivalent Abeniba, given to a male born on a Tuesday


Kwaku

a male given name from Akan, feminine equivalent Akuba, given to a male born on a Wednesday


Kwami

a male given name from Akan, feminine equivalent Amba, given to a male born on a Saturday


Kwasiba

a female given name from Akan, masculine equivalent Kwasi, given to a female born on a Sunday


Adyuba

[ˈɑ̟d͡ʒubɑ̟]

a female given name from Akan, masculine equivalent Kodyo, given to a female born on a Monday


Abeniba

a female given name from Akan, masculine equivalent Kwamina, given to a female born on a Tuesday


Akuba

a female given name from Akan, masculine equivalent Kwaku, given to a female born on a Wednesday


Afiba

a female given name from Akan, masculine equivalent Kofi, given to a female born on a Friday


skrufu

Aukan: sukuufu

Saramaccan: sukúfu

to screw (to connect or assemble pieces using a screw)