17th Lexember Word

retáppa [ɾe̞ˈdäˑpːə̆], transitive verb: “to save/rescue (someone); to help/aid (someone); to resucitate (someone)“

Two days ago, I explained how nihárpa only refers to “non-vital” help, i.e. help in “safe” situations like helping someone with their homework or helping them put an IKEA closet together (which is only dangerous if you do it with your partner! ;-P). I also mentioned how there was a way to refer to helping someone out of a dangerous or even lethal situation. And retáppa is the way!

Like nihárpa, retáppa is a causative form of retáp that has shifted in meaning. From its original meaning of “to make (someone) alive” (which is still used in the sense of “to make (someone) alive again”, i.e. “to resuscitate”), it has come to mean “to save” or “to rescue”, and by extension “to help (someone) out of a dangerous situation”. Saving someone from drowning, or from a vicious badger attack, or helping them deal with that contract that’s on their head, are all cases where retáppa is the right verb to use (at least to describe the situation, not necessarily to solve it :-P).

Like nihárpa, retáppa also has a slightly irregular plural form retámmo. It’s used exactly like nihámmo, so refer to that post for more information.

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