Tonga’S New
p. 47 · Read in the full issue
Dictionary
For the first time in 20 years, the Kingdom of Tonga has an up-to date Tongan-English dictionary.
The first edition of Functional Tongan-English/English Tongan Dictionary has arrived in Tonga from the printers in Fiji. The 276page dictionary is also being dis tributed in New Zealand and the United States.
Edited by Dr Thomas Schneider, Associate Professor at ’Atenisi University in Nukualofa, the paper bound dictionary was compiled in about 11 months, including time for the research of the present-day Tongan vocabulary.
In addition to sections giving English equivalents for Tongan and vice-versa, the work includes 27 special vocabulary sections in tech nical fields. These vocabularies in clude oil drilling, medicine, human anatomy, chemistry, agriculture and other subjects. Many of the special word lists offer drawings or diagrams to help explain more com plicated techniques or concepts, Dr Schneider said.