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Palauan Adjectives

The following is a brief discussion about Palauan adjectives. For a longer exploration, please refer to discussions of state verbs in the Joseph Handbooks. According to the official Lewis Joseph grammar book of Palauan, there are no Palauan parts of speech called adjectives. However, Palauan does, of course, have words used to describe other words. In English, we call these words adjectives. Examples of English adjectives are dangerous, beautiful, and hot.

Palauan Resulting State Verbs

In Palauan, words corresponding to English adjectives are called state verbs. There are several types of Palauan state verbs. The most common are resulting state verbs which occur as a result of a verb. Some examples:

Here is a list of seven random Palauan verbs and their resulting state verbs:

deludeu, v.r.s.bent in many places.
a
el
mla
a
See also:
selarech, v.r.s.stepped on; toured or visited.
a
mla
a
a
See also:
telab, v.r.s.(ear, nose) pierced for ring etc.
See also:
telekuau, v.r.s.carried in cupped hands.
a
el
el
a
el
a
See also:
ulchob, v.r.s.brought to surface of water.
See also:
ultechakl, v.r.s.intimated; insinuated; stuck (on beach against dock, etc.) after floating ashore; staying in another house or village.
a
mla
a
mla
el
mei
er
a
me
a
eng
el
mo
er
a
ta
er
a
e
a
el
a
e
el
See also:
ultekerekl, v.r.s.taken out of water.
a
mla
er
er
a
mo
See also:

 

Palauan Anticipating State Verbs

Anticipating state verbs in Palauan are like resulting state verbs. However, instead of describing the state of something after a verb has modified it, these describe the state of something before a verb is anticipated to modify it. Here's seven random Anticipating State Verbs:

bechedall, v.a.s.is to be broken off/broken into pieces.
a
el
er
a
See also:
buchall, v.a.s.is to be split or cracked.
a
el
a
a
See also:
chesuechesall, v.a.s.is to be splinted.
See also:
kesadel, v.a.s.is to be decreased or reduced.
See also:
otebengall, v.a.s.is to be placed on raised surface.
a
el
er
a
e
See also:
ukall, v.a.s.is to be cut or pushed down.
See also:
ukiill, v.a.s.is to be stopped or restrained.
See also:

 

State Verbs with Related Nouns

In English, a common thing to do is to ask 'how XXXX is something,' where XXXX is an adjective. For example, 'how hot is that,' or 'how dangerous is that,' are common English expressions.

This is true in Palauan as well in a form like, 'ng uangarang a kleldelel,' which translates literally perhaps to something like, 'it is like what, its heat,' or figuratively as, 'how hot is it.' The word kleldelel is a possessed noun meaning 'its heat.' See the nouns page for a longer explanation of possessed nouns.

Many of these Palauan nouns have related state verbs which translate to, and are used as, English adjectives. Here is a list of seven random Palauan nouns along with their corresponding state verbs.

Palauan_NounEngish_NounPalauan_AdjEnglish_Adj
tedobech(one) half.tedobech(one) half.
besbastrash; rubbish; litter; debris.mekesbesiil
chudelgrass.chudelgrass.
secheleifriend; companion; boyfriend; girlfriend; lover; term of address from a woman to a group of people.bekesecheleifriendly; having many friends.
rubakelder; old man; chief; foreign man; boyfriend; husband.rubakhaving the qualities of an old man.
hambunghalf.hambunghalf.
brakgiant yellow swamp taro.brakhaving a vagina which stays dry during sexual intercourse.

Reng Idioms as Adjectives

There are many Palauan expressions which use a state verb to describe the Palauan word reng which means spirit or heart. These are idioms which mean their literal and figurative meanings are not the same. Typically, but not always, the figurative meaning describes an emotion. An example is kesib a reng, which literally means a sweaty heart but figuratively it means to be angry. Here is a list of seven random examples of these reng idioms:

PalauanEnglish
tmuu
er
a
: Palauan of tmuu er a rengul'>
er
a
(something) occurs to (person)/enters (person's) mind.
sisiokel
a
: Palauan of sisiokel a rengul'>
a
fastidious; particular.
merusech
a
: Palauan of merusech a rengul'>
a
repentant.
mekikngit
a
: Palauan of mekikngit a rengul'>
a
feel rather sad or sorry about; rather mean or inconsiderate.
meringel
a
: Palauan of meringel a rengul'>
a
feel bad about (something wasted); (something wasted) arouse sympathy; (something valuable) wasted.
ukab
er
a
: Palauan of ukab er a rengul'>
er
a
(something sentimental) arouses one's emotions (touch someone's figurative heart).
ngoaol
a
: Palauan of ngoaol a rengul'>
a
confronted with and perplexed by large task or responsibility.