gone lailai
The Fijian word for baby is gone lailai.
The term gone lailai is used to refer to a baby or a very small child.
Meaning: very young human being (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of gone, meaning child and lailai, meaning small.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term is used for both a baby and a very small child.
Did you know?
- The word gone is used in various compound phrases to describe offspring of animals, meaning the same word for 'baby' can apply to a puppy or a kitten depending on the context.
- In traditional Fijian kinship, the care of a gone lailai was often shared by the extended family, meaning the biological parents were not the only primary caregivers.
- The word lailai is a versatile diminutive that can be added to many nouns to make them feel more endearing or affectionate.
Examples in context
- E gone lailai oqori.That is a baby.
- Sa gone lailai na gone.The child is a baby.
Example conversation
Sairusa and Mere are looking at a new baby.
- SairusaSa gone lailai sara na bebe oya.That baby is very young.
- MereIo, sa vuna vosa mada.Yes, he is just starting to speak.
- SairusaE rui vinaka na gone lailai oya.That baby is very cute.
- MereVinaka, Sairusa.Thank you, Sairusa.
