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There's Craft, Conflict In Creating New ??lelo Hawai?i Words

Hawaiian Language Newspaper Translation Project

Languages often adapt naturally to the world around them. Speakers create new words to communicate new concepts. But when a language isn’t spoken widely enough to adapt on its own – as with Hawaiian – it may need help to move things along.

The Hawaiian language has nearly 30,000 words. But up until the late 1980s, the language didn’t have words for subjects like soccer, computer or recycling.

So a group of linguists and language advocates formed a lexicon committee in 1987to invent new words. Keoni Kelekolio has served on the committee for over 20 years.

“Mamake e ho?olako i n? koho i ka po?e haum?na, i n? ??pio i hiki ke ??lelo Hawai?i ma n? p??aiapili a pau,” said Kelekolio.

He said the ultimate goal of the committee is to aid in the revitalization of Hawaiian by creating words that language learners can use in everyday conversations.

“Nui n? ?enehana hou. Nui n? mea ?epekema hou i k?l? l?, k?ia l?,” said Kelekolio, “In? ?a?ole hiki i? k?kou ke ??lelo i k?l? mau mea ma ka ??lelo Hawai?i, he aha ka waiwai o ka ??lelo Hawai?i ?ana?”

He said new technologies and scientific discoveries are being made every day. And if these words can’t be said in ??lelo Hawai?i, what’s the use of even speaking Hawaiian?

Kelekolio estimates the committee has created at least 7,500 new words since its inception. Many of the committee's entries have been published in a modern Hawaiian language dictionary called M?m?ka KaiaoMuch of the group’s work helped to make Hawaiian teachable in language immersion schools.

But some are skeptical of the committee’s work.

Aloha ‘o wau Kap?maika?i Stone a he kumu a?o wau ma ke Kula Nui ?O Hawai?i ma M?noa.”

Kap?maika?i Stone is a Hawaiian language instructor at the University of Hawai?i at M?noa.

“No laila aia kekahi hui li?ili?i e haku ana i n? hua??lelo “pono” i? k?kou i k?ia manawa, a ?a?ole paha ak?ka i? k?kou ke kumu, ke ?ano i haku ?ia ai, a i kekahi manawa ka puana,” says Stone.

She said, basically, there is a small group creating words that we "need" now, but it’s unclear why that word was chosen or how. Even the pronunciation of new words can be confusing, she adds.

Disagreements among Hawaiian speakers may seem like bad news for spreading the language. But Larry Kimura, UH-Hilo Hawaiian language professor, says it’s a sign that the language is growing.

He said the lexicon committee helps speed up what would have been an otherwise natural process of ??lelo Hawai?i adapting to the world around it.

“‘A?ole hiki ke kali na ke au o ka manawa e loa?a mai ai,” said Kimura, “No ka mea ?a?ole lawa n? k?naka ??lelo ana i ka ??lelo Hawai?i.”

Kimura said time is of the essence because there simply aren’t enough speakers of Hawaiian language.

Advocates say if creating more words helps encourage more Hawaiian speakers, then it’s all for the good.

February is ??lelo Hawai?i Month in the state of Hawai?i dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and encouraging the use of Hawaiian language. Throughout this month, we'll be exploring discussions surrounding the role that standardization has played in efforts to perpetuate and grow ??lelo Hawai?i.

Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi is a general assignment reporter at Hawaiʻi Public Radio. Her commitment to her Native Hawaiian community and her fluency in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi has led her to build a de facto ʻōiwi beat at the news station. Send your story ideas to her at khiraishi@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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