Islands of Aloha 2009 - (Page 4) May Day Celebration. TOr JOHNsON The Language of Hawai‘i Perfect the native tongue Hawai‘i’s two official languages are Hawaiian and English. The melodious Hawaiian language is a Polynesian dialect. There are only 13 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet: A, E, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, U, W and the ‘okina (‘). The ‘okina is a glottal stop like the sound between the ohs in oh-oh and is considered a consonant. The glottal stop (‘) or ‘okina, and macron ( ¯ ) or kahako are often used to ¯ help clarify pronunciation. The 18 sounds in the Hawaiian language are a, e, i, o, u, a, e, ı, o, u, h, k, l, ¯¯¯¯¯ m, n, p, w, and w with a v sound. The vowels are pronounced: a like a in above a like a far ¯ e like e in bet e like ay in pay ¯ i like y in city ¯ like ee in see ı o like o in low o like o in sole ¯ u like oo in hoot u like oo in moon ¯ Some vowels are diphthongs, forming a single sound as in ai in Waik¯ k¯ . In general, the consonants ıı are pronounced as in English with the exception of w. W can be either a v or a w sound. A few words you should know: Aloha: A greeting with love Hello, good-bye and more Mahalo: Thank you Lei: A flower garland given for an occasion Wahine: Woman K¯ ane: Man Keiki: Child ‘Ohana: Family Pau: Finished ‘Imina Discovery Discovery truly sums up the story of Hawai‘i. During the first millennium, the earliest settlers followed the stars that guided their sailing canoes to the Hawaiian Islands. They found a collection of islands unsurpassed in natural beauty. Thus began an epic story that sets this place apart from any other. Over time, each major chapter of Hawai‘i’s history—the arrival of Captain Cook, the reign of the Hawaiian Monarchs, the influx of missionaries, the development of a plantation economy, the impact of World War II and statehood—added rich layers to our cultural heritage. Today, in the third millennium, you’ll discover a place still blessed with the enchantments encountered by the earliest settlers. Experience the cultural contributions that have lasted a thousand years like the stories told by hula. Add to this the multi-cultural contributions from later waves of immigrants and you will get a picture of today’s Hawai‘i—a melting pot where some of the world’s most interesting cultures have lent their customs, language and cuisine to the seductive beaches, spectacular scenery and beautiful weather that frame the landscape for those who would visit. The memorable thing you discover about Hawai‘i may be what you discover about yourself. Open your heart to our island culture and your vacation will take on an unexpected richness. Add your footprints in the sand and discover Hawai‘i. 4 Hawai‘i - The Islands of Aloha® 1-800-GoHawaii
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.