Post #82152 by Tiki_Bong on Mon, Mar 22, 2004 12:09 PM

In the Hawaiian alphabet, there are 13 letters (including the okina). The vowels are A, E, I, O and U; the consonants are H, K, L, M, N, P, W and the okina (').

There are countless Hawaiian words which use the okina; if they were pronounced without the okina, would mean something totally different.

For example, in the two island names often mispronounced as "Molokai" and "Lanai", there should be an okina. They should be pronounced "Moloka'i" and "Lana'i". Lack of an okina in "Lana'i" is Lanai which is a patio or deck.

Some basic rules in Hawaiian are: each consonant if always separated by a vowel, and every word ends in a vowel. Thus, there are never two consonants joined together.

Hawaii should also be Hawai'i.

"I'm ashamed to be here, but not too ashamed to leave..."

Celebrate 'International Tiki Day' the second Saturday in August - hau'oli la tiki!

[ Edited by: Tiki_Bong on 2004-03-22 12:10 ]