As a result, the number of speakers dramatically declined. Originally, Hawaiian was a spoken language and did not exist in written form. in English. pronounce vowels marked by a glottal stop (`) quickly e.g., o`o sounds like oh-oh! But in the last 50 years, a Hawaiian language renaissance has swept the state, and is slowly bringing back the traditional tongue. 1. We recognize the proper use of the Hawaiian language including the ‘okina [‘], a consonant, and the kahakō [ō] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai‘i such as Lāna‘i). The cotnplete list appear s below and is extracted from the Hawaiian Dictionary (Univer­ Lesson one – prepare to see a lot of vowels. While the Hawaiian language is no longer widely used in fluency, many words and phrases are seamlessly woven into everyday life here in the islands. The list of words containing all vowels, instead of being a me re handful, is a copious collection of over 100. And while by no means necessary, it may be helpful become familiar with a few key words. It is said that speaking Hawaiian opens the heart and inspires the soul. The word for glottal in Hawaiian is 'okina. Pronounced a-lo-ha American missionaries arrived in 1820 and soon formulated a written Hawaiian language based on the sounds they heard. Hawaiian Language Basics: Alphabets, vowels, and proper pronunciation of Hawaiian language. Hawaiian Phonology: A great lesson on Hawaiian phonology. If you would like to learn more about the Hawaiian language, origin and literature, you can affordably buy a Hawaiian language guide book as the New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary or the little Instant Hawaiian guide, available online in many popular online book stores, which will give you the meanings and pronunciation for many Hawaiian words and … The okina indicates a break in the sound when the word is spoken, like the break when you say “uh oh” in English. The Hawaiian language contains only 13 letters, – five vowels, seven consonants and the ‘okina, which is called a ‘glottal stop’ in English. Hawaiian Language In ancient times, the culture and traditions of the people of Hawai`i were transmitted orally from generation to generation. In contrast to English, the Hawaiian language is very definitely vowel-oriented. Using Hawaiian Phrases . Hawaiian is kind of a linguistic outlier pushing out the boundaries of language diversity, testing what we thought we knew about language. And so the mystery continues. Play your part in keeping the language alive and learn these 10 useful Hawaiian phrases before you go. Aloha – Hello. Of the twelve letters of the Hawaiian alphabet five are vowels! Besides, it’s fun! Like the Hawaiian islands themselves, the Hawaiian language is unique among the world’s languages. The word for macron in Hawaiian is kahakõ. From its Polynesian roots, Hawaii has a unique cultural identity that’s reflected in the use of Hawaiian language. Once in danger of extinction, Hawaiian is one of three languages used in the state today. a sounds like ah e sounds like ay or eh i sounds like ee o sounds like oh u sounds like oo. Note: All proper Hawaiian spelling is used for all Hawaiian words on the Hawaiian language page only. If you plan to visit or live in Hawaii, you will need to know how to pronounce the following commonly used words and phrases. Hawaiian Vowels: Audio presentation that shows the sounds of vowels of Hawaiian and other languages. Click on the “Play” button to listen to these common Hawaiian words as spoken by a native Hawaiian language scholar. May the harmony of the Hawaiian language inspire Aloha within you, no matter where in the world you are. So, give it a try! 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