| Hawaii Travel - A Short Guide to the Hawaiian Language
A little knowledge of the Hawaiian language will enrich your visit to Hawaii and give you some insight into the Hawaiian culture. Although English is spoken everywhere in the Hawaiian Islands, you will also see and hear many Hawaiian words in place names, street names, shops, restaurants and everyday life.
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language. After facing extinction in the middle of the twentieth century, it is now undergoing a revival as a living, spoken language. Hawaiian is the native language of approximately 2,000 people and an increasing number of subjects are taught in Hawaiian throughout the education system on the islands.
The Hawaiian alphabet consists of only twelve letters – five vowels and seven consonants. The vowels are the same as in English (a, e, i, o, u) but are pronounced somewhat differently:
a is pronounced as the ‘a’ in aargh! (or, in British English, as the ‘a’ in cat).
e is pronounced as the ‘ay’ in pay
i is pronounced as the ‘ee’ in meet
o is pronounced as the ‘oa’ in float
u is pronounced as the ‘oo’ in root
The consonants are: h (as in heat); k (pronounced like the ‘c’ in cat); l (as in lake); m (as in mother); p (as in paint); n (as in number); w is a more difficult sound – its pronunciation can vary from being like the ‘v’ in ‘vote’ to sounding like the ‘w’ in ‘weak’ and sometimes it is a sound mid-way between the ‘v’ and the ‘w.’
There is also the ‘glottal stop’ with which speakers of German will be familiar. It is a short pause within a word and is written in Hawaiian with a backward apostrophe. For example, the word Hawaii itself is written in Hawaiian as Hawai’i to show that there is a slight pause before the last sound. The only other mark you will see in the Hawaiian language is a bar above a vowel denoting that it is a long vowel. For example, ? would indicate a longer sound than a.
Some of most common words that you will come across on your vacation or business trip are:
Aloha (pronounced a-low-ha) – the traditional Hawaiian word of welcome that usually accompanies the giving of the lei (see below). Aloha is often translated as ‘Hello’ but it means so much more than this – it conveys the love and warmth of the Hawaiian people as they welcome you to their beautiful country. Aloha can also be used as a parting greeting, meaning much more than ‘goodbye.’
Hula – the graceful Hawaiian dance. Both traditional (hula kahiko) and modern (hula ‘auana) forms exist. You will see many hula demonstrations in public places, such as parks and shopping centres.
Kai – the sea or the ocean. Directions are often simplified to ma kai meaning ‘towards the sea’ or ma uka – towards the mountains or inland.
Keiki (pronounced kay-key) – child or children. You may come across the keiki menu or children’s menu in restaurants.
L?nai (pronounced l-ah-n-eye) – a balcony or terrace for sitting outside and enjoying the Hawaiian sunshine!
Lei (pronounced ‘lay’) – the traditional Hawaiian garland – a symbol of aloha. It is often made with the large, velvety tropical plumeria flowers that grow abundantly in the Hawaiian islands. Apart from flowers, shells, feathers and other materials can be used to make a lei.
L?’au – a traditional Hawaiian feast at which a pig is roasted in a pit oven or imu.
Mahalo (prononounced ‘ma-ha-low’) – means ‘thank you’ – it a word that is in everyday use in Hawaii and the Hawaiians will appreciate it if you make the effort to use it in shops, restaurants, etc.
Ohana – means ‘family’ but the word conveys a sense of acceptance and belonging (as demonstrated very well in the Disney film, Lilo and Stitch).
Poi (pronounced ‘poy’) is a traditional Hawaiian staple food made from the roots of the taro plant.
Wikiwiki – ‘fast’ – when you arrive at Honolulu airport, you may take the wikiwiki bus. This is a shuttle bus linking the airport’s terminals.
This is just a short taster of the Hawaiian language. Your efforts to speak the Hawaiian language will be appreciated, even if you just say ‘mahalo’ in shops and restaurants. You will undoubtedly come across many other Hawaiian words during your visit. If you show an interest and ask for their meanings, you will further enhance your experience of life in this unique part of the world. |
