belabela

Ternate edit

Etymology edit

Said by Hayami-Allen to be from N- (nominalizer) +‎ fela (“to open”), with reduplication, possibly as that which opens the sky. Likely cognate with Sahu ḇelanga (“lightning”). However, also compare Proto-Trans-New Guinea *(mb,m)elak (“lightning, light”).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): [ˌbe.laˈbe.la]

Noun edit

belabela

lightning

References edit

Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh