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keoladonaghy
Lokahi
257 Posts |
 Posted - 04/25/2007 : 10:28:08 AM
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There were greater differences in Hawaiian pronunciation around the state at the time of western explorers arrival and immediately thereafter than there is now. Ni‘ihau Hawaiian is much different than the Hawaiian of lower Puna and other areas of the state, but native speakers from those areas had no issue at all conversing. Native speakers from East Hawai‘i actually used a "tch" sound in some contexts where we normally hear "k".
You could attribute the differences you hear in sung pronunciations of these songs to regional differences, but more so to the performers choice and the music they were exposed to as they learned the instrument. There are differences in sung and spoken Hawaiian, there are ways by which performers can play with the pronunciation, like using "a'o" in place of "o" or "a", inserting an "h" in a vowel ("ke-he-ia" for "këia"). In fast speech Hawaiian sometimes vowels or entire syllables are dropped in a way you will rarely or ever hear dropped in sung pronunciation.
You also need to take into account many contemporary performers do not speak the language, and are performing the songs as learned them. Regional pronunciation differences may come into play here. Dennis wrote Koke'e and many other songs now considered standards, and I would consider his interpretation of his own as definitive, both from a language and musical perspective. |
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