Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

ko

, mod.

just; kind of; similar to; like.
ko a chelutel; ua ingii, chad er a Merikel e mengedecheduch el ko er a chad er a Belau.

ko er a

mod.

kind of; like.

kora

cont.

ko er a

Synonyms: ,

Examples:

Ng ko er a medal a temamuu.

> His or her face is ugly.

Ng ko er a chemaidechedui.

> He's very good at climbing./He's always beating around the bush.

Ak ko er a sesmecher.

> I'm kind of sick.

A delongelel a Satsko me a Tony a ko er a klsakl.

> Something's wrong between Satsko and Tony.

Kede ko er a di telokl le ng diak dodengei a telngachet.

> We are completely uninformed because we don't know any information (about that).

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a debar er a Ngechur, el klungang e me ngal modekriker.

> Like the duck of Ngechur, he became industrious after growing old.

The idiom is applied to a person who has more or less vegetated into maturity and old age and who, already far past his prime, suddenly tries without success to do all the things he might have done when younger. It may be used with reference to an elder who tries to be a dandy.

Ke ko er a sechou el suebek e mekebekabes ochil.

> You're like the stork which flies with its legs dangling.

You leave unfinished business behind and split.

Ng ko er a uul, el teleu a blil e oleker er a chull.

> Like the uul [Cettria cantans?] with its house open, calling for rain.

The uul may be heard to call out usually just before it rains; some say that it is calling for rain. This seems foolish, since the bird constructs its house with an opening at the top that will let rain in. A person who makes a decision or starts some action without adequate preparation is likened to the uul.

Ng ko er a mengang er a beritengetang el kukau.

> Like eating a forked taro corm.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) generally grows like a single fat carrot. Some corms, however, develop one or more points or forks. The image conveyed by this idiom is that of a man beset by many tasks, trying to decide among them.

Ng kora omengelel a Laib, el mengang e melakl

> Eating like laib-while eating, burying.

The laib, a bird with a long, white tail, according to lore eats ripe fruit in season, as other birds do, but also gathers scraps dropped by other birds and buries them. When other birds are hungry, the laib will dig up the scraps and eat them. Hence, one should plan ahead for lean times.

More Examples:

Ka mdort ailecha el kukau ngkung e ke ko er a kmeed.

> Would you clean them taros as you are closer to them.

Ke ko er a kim er a bengall el di kled e siungel.

> You are like the clam of bengall, never moves an inch but always adored.

Ak mera el ko er a songerenger.

> I am so starving.

Ng kora soak el menga delul el diokang.

> I feel like eating burnt grated casava.

Errang, diak el ko er a sebechem remusech a belsiich e domengur?

> Honey, cant you pound some taro so we could eat?

kom
/ko

, pro.

you (nonemphatic, plural).
ko a kemiu; ko mekerang? ko mo er ker e sechelei? ko mla mei!

Examples:

Ke ko er a melecholb el terriid.

> You take a shower really fast.

Tia el party er a Tokia a ko er a omenga el Raus, el sosokod e di keang.

> Toki's party was just getting interesting when it ended.

Ak merael e ko er a di meleluluut a renguk.

> I'm leaving, but I don't know if I really want to (lit., my heart keeps returning).

Ng ko er a bebeot a rengul a Droteo er a omerael el mo er a Hawaii.

> Droteo is rather undecided about travelling to Hawaii.

A Toki a ko el rongesa a chais.

> Toki has just heard the news.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a char er a Kosiil, el lecheraches e ng mong me a lekeriik e ng mei.

> Like seaweed at Kosiil, out with the tide and in with the tide.

Kosiil is a location in the lagoon where the seaweed can be seen to bend in and out with the tide. The idiom is applied to a leader who is too flexible and unreliable. In the short form (Kora char ra Kosiil) it may simply mean, "I'll go along with what you decide."

Ng ko er a bukitang, el meduch el meldelodech a bedengel.

> Like the octopus, able to change the color of its body.

He's too erratic or too easily persuaded. A leader, or any person, who is highly erratic, too adaptive; one who appears capable of taking any convenient or easy position.

Ng ko er a kaeb er a Chelong el di bekerurt er a ongor.

> Like a racing canoe of Ngerchelong, fast by word of mouth.

Apparently refers to a canoe race of the past when a club of Ngerchelong lost after having given verbal display of greatness. Refers to the bluff or braggart (all-mouth, no action).

Ke ko er a otaor el di omtitechakl el diak a blil.

> You're like a floating log without a resting place.

You have no fixed abode.

Ng ko er a rrull el di mededeod el mengang el merael.

> Like a ray-fish, eating while walking.

The ray-fish does not stop swimming while chewing food it has gathered while weaving along the ocean floor. The saying may be applied to any rude behavior or particularly to the act of walking and eating, which is considered impolite. It can also be applied to a person who is trying to hurry through a job without giving it careful attention.

More Examples:

Ke mera el ko er a aika el char er a Kosiil!

> You are so like them seaweeds at Kosiil!

Kom di belsiochel e kemam a ngar er tiang el menga tungd.

> You all are so pretentious and fancy and meanwhile we are just eating scrap.

Aki ko oltak er kau er a tela el klok?.

> What time am I picking you up?

Ng diak. Ng bai ko er a di chetelaol.

> No. He or she only feels dizzy.

Ke ko er a kim er a bengall el di kled e siungel.

> You are like the clam of bengall, never moves an inch but always adored.

omesiich

, v.t.

adorn (oneself, something); pretty (oneself) up; decorate; beautify.
omesiich a locha besichel; mesiich; mesichii a skuul; menglebokel, dil a mla mesichii, belsiochel.

ta
/tang

, num.

1 [one] (unit of time; human; counting).
tang a ochur el chimong , ta el buil, ta el tekoi, ta el chad.

tal

cont.

ta el

tara

cont.

ta er a

el di ngak el tang

expr.

alone; by myself.

ko el tang

expr.

the very first time; the first time after a long while.

ngii di el tang

expr.

either one; anything.

ta el chad

expr.

one person; (persons) having same mother or father; (persons) of same blood.

ta el rak

expr.

one year.

ta el sils

expr.

one day.

ta er kemam

expr.

one of our relatives (usually, close); one of us.

ta er ngak

expr.

one of my relatives (usually, close).

ta er tir

expr.

one of them.

Examples:

A Toki a mla chomeklii a ta el bilel.

> Toki has completed her first month of pregnancy.

Te mlo merek el mengedub a resechelik er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> My friends finished swimming in an hour.

Te miltik a bresengt er tir er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> They found their presents in an hour.

Te oumesingd el omuchel a rechad el me er a ta el klok.

> People tend to start arriving at one o'clock.

A resoldau a nguu a ziu el omoes el di mle ta temetemir a remechas me a rengalek.

> The soldiers took rifles and shot the women and children all at once.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a chelebed er a Utaor, el di ta temetemir

> Like the blow at Utaor, one stroke for all

A person or perhaps a club of the hamlet of Utaor (a hamlet of either Koror or Chol) offended a major village and, in consequence, the village retaliated by attacking the whole hamlet. The idiom applies to any general statement or punishment that might better be directed toward a particular group or individual

Ng ko er a cherellel a beab el di ta e keroker.

> It's like the birth of a rat with one offspring per mother.

It's something that happens just once, something I put up with only once. According to this saying, the rat bears but one litter. Hence the application "once is enough" about an act that bears no repeating.

Ng kora chebiei el Cheangel, el di ta e chutur a ta el suk.

> Like the breadfruit of Kayangel, just one rotten piece will spoil the whole bunch.

One bad person can ruin the reputation of a whole group. It is said of the Chebiei variety of breadfruit found at Kayangel atoll that one rotten one will spoil others packaged with it. Similar to "One bad apple spoiled the bushel."

Ng ta el suk me ng diilut re Meduu.

> A full basket was dropped in Ngeremeduu bay.

From the folk tale about Obak era Kedesau on his way to a feast being given in honor of his wife by her adoptive father. While crossing Ngeremeduu Bay between Ngatpang and Ngeremlengui, Obak dropped a basket of Palauan money overboard. Despite this terrible loss, he still had the courage and sufficient cash to carry off his visit in high style. The saying may be used to reassure someone, following a loss, reminding them that Obak era Kedesau recovered from an even greater loss.

Ng cheiko e omekrael er a ta er a cheiko.

> A blind man leading another blind man.

The application is identical to that of the familiar English idiom

More Examples:

A ochellek a di tang.

> I have one younger brother. (Can only be said by a maile).

Mosischeklii a ngelekem el dongmesii me lesebechel dongmesii a ta er a chad.

> Teach your child to respect themselves so that they can respect others.

Ochoi, Ng di mle ta el bo kuloik.

> Yes, but I only danced once.

ngdi ungil a kumekedong er kau er a tara taem

>

Rungalek, ka bo mocheuir a ta er a taxi el mei me lotekak el mo er a bdelul a chang.

> My child, go hail me a taxi cab so that I can take it to the dock.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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