tagata uliuli
The English phrase "black person" is translated into Samoan as tagata uliuli.
The phrase is used to describe a person who has dark skin, typically of African descent.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tagata (person) and uliuli (black).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Samoan, the adjective uliuli follows the noun tagata to describe the person.
Did you know?
- Because the term tagata uliuli is primarily used for people of African descent, Samoans typically use different terms to describe their own naturally dark brown skin.
- The concept of 'black' in Samoan can vary between uli and uliuli, where the doubling of the word often indicates a more intense or deeper shade.
- The word tagata is a cognate of the Hawaiian word kanaka and the Māori word tangata. These words all descend from the same ancient Proto-Oceanic root.
Examples in context
- O se tagata uliuli o ia.He is a black person.
Example conversation
Manu and Talisa are talking about a new coworker.
- ManuO ai o le tagata uliuli fou?Who is the new black person?
- TalisaO le tagata uliuli fou o David.The new black person is David.
- ManuE sau mai fea o ia?Where is he from?
- TalisaE sau o ia mai Amerika.He comes from America.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tagata, CC BY-SA 4.0.
