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dobuan: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Very Low
UK/ˈdəʊ.buː.ən/US/ˈdoʊ.bu.ən/

Academic/Anthropological

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Quick answer

What does “dobuan” mean?

A member of an indigenous people inhabiting Dobu Island and surrounding areas in Papua New Guinea.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A member of an indigenous people inhabiting Dobu Island and surrounding areas in Papua New Guinea.

Of, relating to, or characteristic of the Dobu people, their Austronesian language, or their culture, which is famously documented in anthropological studies for its practices, beliefs, and social organization.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in usage. The term is used identically in British and American anthropological literature.

Connotations

Neutral, technical, and referential. The term carries the connotations of the specific cultural practices (e.g., renowned for certain rituals and exchange systems like the Kula ring) as described in classic ethnography.

Frequency

Extremely rare in both varieties, confined to specialized texts.

Grammar

How to Use “dobuan” in a Sentence

[the] Dobuan (people)[adjective] Dobuan (culture/language)of the Dobuan

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
Dobuan peopleDobuan cultureDobuan languageDobuan islanders
medium
Dobuan societyDobuan ritualstraditional Dobuanstudy the Dobuan
weak
Dobuan communityDobuan beliefsamong the Dobuana Dobuan village

Examples

Examples of “dobuan” in a Sentence

noun

British English

  • The classic ethnography 'The Dobuans' was essential reading for the course.

American English

  • A Dobuan explained the intricacies of the Kula exchange to the researcher.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Not applicable.

Academic

Used in anthropology, ethnography, linguistics, and Pacific studies. Example: 'Reznikoff's analysis of Dobuan kinship terms revealed a complex classificatory system.'

Everyday

Virtually never used in everyday conversation.

Technical

A precise identifier for a specific ethnolinguistic group within the anthropological taxonomy of Papua New Guinea.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “dobuan”

Neutral

Dobu islander

Weak

indigenous PapuanMelanesian

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “dobuan”

  • Misspelling as 'Dobuan' (correct) vs. 'Dobuan' or 'Dobuan'.
  • Using it as a common adjective (e.g., 'a dobuan custom' is correct, but 'it was very dobuan' is atypical).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is a very low-frequency term used almost exclusively in anthropological contexts.

Yes, it can function as a noun (a Dobuan) or an adjective (Dobuan culture).

Dobuan is an Austronesian language spoken by the Dobu people. It is part of the Papuan Tip cluster.

The Dobu were famously studied by Reo Fortune, whose 1932 work 'The Dobuans' highlighted their practices related to magic, witchcraft, and the Kula ring, contributing to key debates in the field.

A member of an indigenous people inhabiting Dobu Island and surrounding areas in Papua New Guinea.

Dobuan is usually academic/anthropological in register.

Dobuan: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdəʊ.buː.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdoʊ.bu.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: DOBU Island + -AN (belonging to) = DOBUAN, belonging to Dobu.

Conceptual Metaphor

Not applicable for this proper noun.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The renowned anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski conducted fieldwork in the Trobriand Islands, which are near the home of the people.
Multiple Choice

In which field is the term 'Dobuan' primarily used?

dobuan: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore