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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
 Posted - 08/15/2003 : 01:58:26 AM
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Quick question on the Hawaiian language...what is the significance of repetition in a word? For example: "waiwai", "likiliki", "moemoe", "hinuhinu", "ke`eke`e", etc.
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Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2003 : 12:13:53 PM
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Too bad Kaliko Beamer-Trapp is not on this site, he could give you the definitive answer. Actually, he is teaching this week at Aloha Music Camp. I am sure Sarah can chime in here too cause she is so good with the language.
My understanding is that, in most cases, repetition strengthens the original meaning (like using the word VERY in english).
For instance: Huli means to turn around or roll over. Hulihuli means to roll over and over again and again (like hulihuli chicken rotates on the spit).
However: Make (maa kay) Means dead,...but Makemake means strong desire (like you gonna die if you can't get it  ). But there is another word for very very strong desire which I cannot recall at teh moment.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2003 : 5:17:04 PM
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Aloha käkou,
I, too, wish that Kaliko were here to answer questions! He is a font of knowledge as well as an exceptional and dynamic teacher.
Lawrence is right about the most common significance of reduplication being the general intensification of meaning, where the intensification is in the form of continuing, frequentive, increased, or plural action. Hulihuli, the turning on the spit, is an example, I think, of frequentive or continuing action.
Lawrence mentioned make. Make indeed does mean dead, but it has a second major meaning, want or desire - and makemake is the reduplication of that, and used more frequently, actually, than its root word. (E Lawrence, ake and li’a are other words meaning desire too, in different shades of meaning.)
But - you guessed it - the plot does get a bit thicker So here’s a not-so-quick posting responding to cpatch’s quick question, for those who want to explore reduplications further. I have tried to present a summary of points and examples, below. My source is Samuel Elbert and Mary K. Pukui’s book Hawaiian Grammar, pp. 64-67.
BTW, Elbert and Pukui note that “frequently it is difficult to carry over into English the subtle semantic force that the reduplication conveys to the Hawaiian,” a point to keep in mind. Also bear in mind that the English translation here is usually not the only meaning of the Hawaiian word, just a very common one. After all, I’m trying to keep this concise! 
Most Common Significance
Reduplication most commonly indicates continuing, frequentive, increased, or plural action [p.66], that is, many people performing the action.
e.g.:
hoe, to paddle
hoehoe, to paddle continuously, frequently, or for a long time; for many persons to paddle
(Even the dictionary, when stating a word is a reduplication, does not repeat the meaning but refers you to the root word, with the understanding that the common “frequentive, increased, or plural action” meaning will apply.)
All types of verb bases may be reduplicated, and many nouns can be reduplicated [p.65].
However... Sometimes...
1. Different Meanings - in the case of quite a few words [p.67]
e.g.:
lau - leaf laulau - leaf-wrapped package of food
wai - water waiwai -wealth, value (may derive from waiho - deposit, leave, lay down)
hema - left hemahema -awkward
hula -hula hulahula - ballroom dancing; popular dancing with a partner
lawe - carry, bear lawelawe - serve, minister to
2. Diminutive Meaning [p.67]
e.g.:
‘ahole - adult ‘ahole fish ‘aholehole - young stage of ‘ahole fish
ma’i - sick ma’ima’i - sickish, a bit sick
mana - branch manamana - tiny branch, finger toe
3. Little Difference In Meaning [p.67]
e.g.:
‘öpio - young ‘öpiopio - young
(I might add here that at least in my reading, I have found the reduplicated form of this particular word, ‘öpio, to apply to a slightly younger set than the root form. Or that the root form has a wider application, and the reduplicated form narrows the field to a younger set of folks. Perhaps that is more current usage, or perhaps Elbert finds this a little difference.)
Four Notes About Reduplication in the Hawaiian language:
Note 1.
“Some reduplicated forms are so commonly used as to nearly, or totally, exclude an unreduplicated base” [p.66], i.e., the base is seldom used or is no longer in circulation.
e.g.:
'ao'ao - side (no related usage of ‘ao)
nänä - watch, look (no related usage of nä)
hilahila - shy, embarrassed hila - same in meaning, less frequently used
ikaika - strong ika - same in meaning, less frequently used
ki’eki’e - high ki’e - same in meaning, less frequently used
lehulehu - multitude, numerous lehu - related meaning, not commonly used
no’ono’o - think, consider, reflect no’o - same meaning, less frequently used
Note 2.
Reduplications can appear constructed in 7 different ways [p.65-66]:
1. complete
(hoe; hoehoe)
2. first syllable only
(nui - big; nunui - huge)
3. all but first syllable
‘ïniki - pinch, nip; ‘ïnikiniki - piercing wind)
4. double reduplication of first syllable or first two phonemes
(pau - finished; all; papapau - everyone)
5. reduplication of first two phonemes of first syllable
(pailua - nausea, nauseating; papailua - redup. {i.e. frequentive, etc.} of pailua; beginning to be nauseated)
6. reduplication of first two syllables, with shortening of long vowels in the base
(nïele - curious, nosy; nieniele - redup. of nïele; to investigate)
7. reduplication of first syllable (usually with shortening of long vowels in the base) and of a truncated second syllable
(nïnau - question, inquire; ninaninau - redup. of nïnau; to examine)
Note 3.
Some words have several reduplicated forms:
e.g.:
pau, papau, papapau
make (to like), mamake, makemake
Note 4.
A prefix or suffix is not reduplicated with the base.
e.g.:
helena, helehelena - features, appearance (-na is a nominalizing suffix)
mäkau, mäkaukau - prepared; proficient (mä- is a stative prefix indicating quality or state)
(BTW, mäkau and mäkaukau are related to the word ‘äkau - right (not left). So you have “state of right-right” signifying ableness and proficiency, and hemahema - “left-left” signifying awkwardness or clumsiness  )
*pau*
Hope this helps!
Aloha,
Sarah
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2003 : 7:56:23 PM
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| Wow! Mahalo nui loa to both of you...much more than I expected but all extremely useful. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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Bwop
Lokahi
USA
244 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2003 : 3:27:10 PM
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| Shoots! E Sarah, you waaped my jaw! Mahalo NUNUI for such a comprehensive answer! Onliest ting I might chime in on-- sometimes a redundancy that seems to change meaning IS actually an emphasis if you can put yourself into a kanaka maoli kahiko mind-set. "Wai" meaning fresh water and "waiwai" meaning wealth-- what would be a more important commodity to an ancient Hawai'ian than that which sustains life itself? I think I could easily spend the rest of my natural life trying to delve into the intracacies of this poetic and spiritual language. |
Bwop |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2003 : 09:12:21 AM
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Aloha e Bwop,
quote:
sometimes a redundancy that seems to change meaning IS actually an emphasis if you can put yourself into a kanaka maoli kahiko mind-set
Sometimes I've thought the same thing............. Like with hema [left, south] and hemahema [awkward].
But, one can't jump to conclusions about reduplicating a word.
In fact, in my experience, one can't jump to conclusions about a lot of Hawaiian, because of multiple meanings, local variations, and intra-cultural references.
quote:
I think I could easily spend the rest of my natural life trying to delve into the intracacies of this poetic and spiritual language.
One could indeed. This reminds me of a memorable quote I heard somewhere (I forget where, darn it) about someone learning the Hawaiian language, and the response being, "You should live so long." Something like that, anyway, the point being made
me ka ha'aha'a ma ka 'ölelo,
Sarah |
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Dana
Akahai
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2003 : 10:43:55 AM
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Aloha everyone,
While we are on the subject of Hawaiian language, i would like to point out an excellent site for learning of the language:
http://ksdl.ksbe.edu/kulaiwi/index.html
Check it out as was soooooooo happy to find this on the internet!
Dana
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2003 : 11:44:52 AM
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Yep that's a great site! There are streaming-video lessons. Since it has audio, it's a great way to get acquainted with the right way to pronounce Hawaiian words. I liked the teacher's introduction of colloquial expressions, and I found the skits lots of fun, too. Don't be deterred by the first 10 miniutes of each lesson being devoted to local calendar events long-outdated. It was originally, after all, a TV hour.
Aloha,
Sarah |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2003 : 1:28:01 PM
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Sarah,
Thanks so much for your long explanation above. I wonder a little about some language expert's (not yours) English usage of "reduplicated". That sould make a reduplicated "hoe" into "hoehoehoehoe", maybe fast enough to water ski behind?
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Pauline |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2003 : 08:58:57 AM
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Hö! E Pauline!
It does sound a little re-dundant!!
Maybe it signifies the "emphatic" part of the concept, not the "frequentive" *hee hee!*
aloha,
Sarah |
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