teptep

Typically refers to:

• clipping the tips of a fowl’s wings to prevent flight;
• removing the fins of a fish during cleaning;
• chipping off the pointed tip of a soso’ shell to create an opening for sucking out its contents;
• figuratively, restricting someone’s freedom of movement.

Usage

Tineptepan nira yo pakpak nyo manok.
“They trimmed the chicken’s wings.”

Teptepan mo yo parikpik nyo isra’.
“Trim the fish’s fins.”

Tineptepan nira yo soso’.
“They chipped off the tip of the shell.”

Teptepen ko ana mga samingkil mo.
“I’ll cut off your feet.” (A cautionary expression directed at a child who repeatedly wanders far from home.)

Semantic Note

Unlike taras, which emphasizes complete severance or amputation, teptep denotes the purposeful trimming of projecting or pointed parts to reduce function or prepare an object for use.

COMPARE

• taras — sever; amputate.
• tapas — lop off a branch.
• teptep — trim projecting or pointed extremities.

Semantic Disambiguation of the Boie’nen Cutting and Tactile Lexicon

Cutting, Breaking, Splitting and Tearing