Protoform: TEFE [OC] Circumcise

Description: Circumcise
Reconstruction: Reconstructs to OC: Oceanic
Notes:

*0 >> CE *paa-tefe "castrate"
*4 POC (?) *tepa-i "slice (flesh), circumcise" (LPO I:253).
*8 Note. New Zealand Maoris were the only Polynesians that did not practise superincision though it was mentioned in tradition (e.g. Kahungunu-ure-haea, Kahungunu-of-the-cut-penis). In NZ an exposed glans was a source of shame and amusement. Cook (?) mentions that in MQA the superincised foreskin was tied back over the glans with a penis cord which suggests that superincision may have been an intrusive custom there.

Pollex entries:

Language Reflex Description Source
East Futuna Tefe To superincise penis (Bgs)
Fijian Teve Circumcise (Cpl)
Hawaiian Kahe To cut or slit longitudinally, to circumcise (Pki)
Ifira-Mele Tefe/tefe Circumcise (Clk)
Mangareva Teʔe Circumcise, castrate. (Rch)
Mangareva Teʔe Circoncision; circoncire, castrer; couper bien (se dit d'un tranchant) (Rch)
Manihiki-Rakahanga Tehi-a Cut in pieces Problematic (Bck)
Marquesas Tehe Châtrer, couper un animal, l'affranchir; hongrer, hongre. Supercirconcire (Lch). Circoncire. Castrer. (Atl). (Dln)
Marquesas Tehe uʔe Circoncire (Dln)
Marquesas Táihhe To castrate or to slit the prepuce (Crk)
Mota Teve Cut with a drawing motion (Cdn)
New Zealand Maori Tehe Penis with exposed glans (Wms)
New Zealand Maori Kauae tehe Woman with tattooed chin (Wms)
Nggela Teve Cut out a piece of flesh; flay (Fox)
Niue Tefe/kula Young man in the prime of his life Uncertain Semantic Connection (Sph)
Penrhyn Tehe Superincise; castrate (Sta)
Pukapuka Teetee Scrape or peel taro with downward motion Problematic (Bge)
Raga Teve(na) Penis (???)
Rarotongan Teʔe Superincise (Mka)
Rennellese Tehe Vagina (Ebt)
Samoan Tefe Circumcise (Prt)
Sikaiana T/taha To circumcise (not practised on Sikaiana) Phonologically Irregular (Dnr)
Tahitian Tehe Circoncire (supercision) (Lmt)
Tongan Tefe Circumcise (Cwd)
Tongan Tefe To circumcise in the Tonga manner (Mar)
Tuamotu Tehe Superincise; penis with retracted prepuce (Stn)
Tuvalu Tefe Superincise (Rby)

27 entries found

Download: Pollex-Text, XML Format.