afafa
The Chamorro word for armpit is afafa.
afafa is a noun used to refer to the cavity located beneath the junction of the arm and the shoulder.
Meaning: the cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder (noun)
Did you know?
- Chamorro is an Austronesian language, meaning afafa is a distant relative to words for body parts in languages spoken as far away as Madagascar and Hawaii.
- While many Chamorro nouns for modern objects are loanwords from Spanish, afafa is a purely indigenous term. It has survived centuries of colonial influence without being replaced by a Spanish equivalent.
- The repetitive sound structure of afafa is a common feature in several Austronesian languages, which often use reduplication to create meaning.
Example conversation
Maria and Luis are getting ready to go outside.
- MariaLuis, manpuña i afafa-mu.Luis, your armpit smells.
- LuisHåga i afafa-hu?What about my armpit?
- MariaKåli deodorant i afafa-mu.Put deodorant on your armpit.
- LuisHåga i afafa-hu, sa' muna'i.My armpit is fine, it's just a little.
