He Buys Kona Coffee, He Makes Kana Coffee

I have decided to talk about only one lesson in this post because the distinction which it introduces is one to which I have referred several times before, namely the o-a distinction. Hawaiian is far removed from the vowel-based grammatical content of the Semitic languages (since the consonants bear the semantic load) and even the ablaut grades of Classical Greek, but in this instance, the contrast between prepositions and pronouns with o or a is the key to a semantic distinction not made in English. Its expressed absence in English, of course, does not mean that English speakers cannot perceive the distinction. The contrast can be expressed most effectively by the Christmas wreath (ka lei kalikimaka)  I bought from the youth group at church Sunday morning. The important fact here is that I bought the wreath, therefore it would be ko'u lei kalikimaka (my Christmas wreath, the one which I bought). If I had made the wreath myself rather than supporting the youth group mission trip, the wreath would be ka'u lei kalikimaka (my Christmas wreath, the one which I made). Thus the forms with a are more intimate than those with o; the detailed classification is more complicated than this simple description, but presumably no more baffling to native speakers of Hawaiian than the "cities and small islands" rule of the Latin locative.

On other matters, I have decided that Monday will be the regular posting dating for this most unlikely of columns, which still lacks a catchy overall name. Any suggestions in this matter are welcome.


Lesson 11
1. Ke ike nei oukou i ka wai maemae. You will see the clean water.
2. Ke kali nei lakou ma ka hale kahiko. They waited by the old house.
3. E pii kakou i ka hale loihi. We shall climb to the tall house.
4. Ua ai makou i ka uala kahiki a me ka i'a maloo. We have eaten the Irish potato with the dried fish.
5. Ke waiho nei oia i ka eke ko paa ma ka papahele. She puts her secure bag (purse?) on the floor. (Note that ko indicates she did not make the bag.)
6. Ke ike nei au i kona papale maemae  ma ka pakaukau. I see his clean hat (which he bought) on the table.
7. He kanaka naauao a kaulana loa ke kanaka mai Kahiki mai. The man from Kahiki is a very educated man.
8. He wahi maemae loa keia, aka, he wahi paumaele loa kela wahi. This place is very clean, but that place is very dirty.