bai, mod.comparatively; by comparison, instead; rather. Also used in conditional sentences to contrast two events.
bai
a
omuchel
a
bebil
er
a
omengedecheduch,
bai
ungil
me
ko
mlei;
bai
ba
morael,
bai
molekoi
e
kuleki
kung;
bai
de
kasmesumech
er
tiang
e
bo
de
kebii.
Examples:
A
eolt
a
bai
iliit
er
a
Belau.
> The storm missed Palau.
Kede
bai
mo
odngelii
er
a
kebesengei?
> Shall we visit her tonight?
Bai
molesei
el
ekong.
> Move a little away (from me).
Ng
bai
soak
a
kohi
er
a
tii.
> I like coffee more than tea.
Proverbs:
Ng
ko
er
a
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Chol:
a
Medederiik
> Like the name of the bai at Chol: "Empty."
A bai in the northern community of Chol is (or once was) called Medederiik, meaning "deserted" or "empty." The idiom may apply to a person without possessions, a poor man.
Ng
ko
er
a
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Ngerekabesang:
a
Telkakl
> Like the name of the community house at Ngerekabesang: "Buttressed."
At Ngerekabesang in Koror (central Palau) there is a community house (bai) called Telkakl, which means "to buttress" or "to be buttressed." Some of the older bai in Palau were thus supported with beams from the ground to the eaves, and the implication has been added that a bai so supported must be very full of important possessions. This idiom is used of a person who is wealthy, or of one's self, meaning that one has cash on hand.
Ke
ko
er
a
bisech
er
a
bai
el
dechor
er
a
rebai
e
diak
dousbech
er
ngii.
> You're like the bisech plant in the backyard which has no purpose.
A person who isn't trusted so he/she is not needed.
Ngalek
a
bai.
> Child of the clubhouse.
In former times, when Palauan women would sometimes serve as companions to the men of clubs in villages other than their own, a woman occasionally became pregnant. While pregnancy during this service, or as a result of it, was considered bad form, a child so conceived was not considered "illegitimate" but was differentiated in degree by this idiom.
More Examples:
Ak
bai
locha
mo
mecherar
a
otobai
er
ngak.
> I should buy me a motorcycle.
Ak
bai
mo
mengimd
er
a
kebesengei.
> I should go get a haircut tonight.
Ng
locha
bai
kirel
el
lmuut
el
mo
er
ngii
a
bul
er
a
beluu
e
meruul
a
skoki
el
di
me
soiseb
se
el
mellomes
el
ua
ngar
e
mong.
> I think there should be a curfew on land and have flights only come in during the day like before.
Ng
locha
bai
ungil
doruul
a
cheluch
er
Belau.
> I think we should make coconut oil.
Bai
di
beketeklii
el
kmo
ng
diak
el
soam.
> Just make it clear that you really do not want to.
bai
/abai		,
/uploads/pics/2979.jpg, n.		village meeting house; guest house; community house.
bai
a
ongdboll;
tbiil
a
llach
er
ngii;
bai
er
a
klobak;
a
bai
a
ongdboll
er
a
beluu,
orekuul,
blil
a
kldibel,
bailbeluu;
bai
er
a
remeau;
oremuul,
bai
er
a
rengeasek,
merael
a
kakerous
el
omeruul
er
a
chelsel
a
ngellakel
me
a
sius,
me
a
klautok
me
a
ngloik
er
a
chesel.
biln.poss.3s
bai er a rubakexpr.bai for old men only.
kebtot el baiexpr.twin bai; two bais adjacent to each other.
See also:
BAIBELUU
Examples:
Kede
bai
mo
odngelii
er
a
kebesengei?
> Shall we visit her tonight?
A
eolt
a
bai
iliit
er
a
Belau.
> The storm missed Palau.
Bai
molesei
el
ekong.
> Move a little away (from me).
Ng
bai
soak
a
kohi
er
a
tii.
> I like coffee more than tea.
Proverbs:
Ngalek
a
bai.
> Child of the clubhouse.
In former times, when Palauan women would sometimes serve as companions to the men of clubs in villages other than their own, a woman occasionally became pregnant. While pregnancy during this service, or as a result of it, was considered bad form, a child so conceived was not considered "illegitimate" but was differentiated in degree by this idiom.
Ng
ko
er
a
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Ngerekabesang:
a
Telkakl
> Like the name of the community house at Ngerekabesang: "Buttressed."
At Ngerekabesang in Koror (central Palau) there is a community house (bai) called Telkakl, which means "to buttress" or "to be buttressed." Some of the older bai in Palau were thus supported with beams from the ground to the eaves, and the implication has been added that a bai so supported must be very full of important possessions. This idiom is used of a person who is wealthy, or of one's self, meaning that one has cash on hand.
Ng
ko
er
a
ngklel
a
bai
er
a
Chol:
a
Medederiik
> Like the name of the bai at Chol: "Empty."
A bai in the northern community of Chol is (or once was) called Medederiik, meaning "deserted" or "empty." The idiom may apply to a person without possessions, a poor man.
Ke
ko
er
a
bisech
er
a
bai
el
dechor
er
a
rebai
e
diak
dousbech
er
ngii.
> You're like the bisech plant in the backyard which has no purpose.
A person who isn't trusted so he/she is not needed.
More Examples:
Ng
locha
bai
kirel
el
lmuut
el
mo
er
ngii
a
bul
er
a
beluu
e
meruul
a
skoki
el
di
me
soiseb
se
el
mellomes
el
ua
ngar
e
mong.
> I think there should be a curfew on land and have flights only come in during the day like before.
Ak
bai
mlo
er
a
chei
ngak
me
a
demak
er
a
elii.
> I went fishing with my dad yesterday.
Bai
di
beches
el
ouchais
el
kmo
ng
chetim
el
mong
e
lak
ko
bong
e
mouuchel
er
a
rengum.
> Be honest and say you don't want to go instead of going and then regretting it.
Ak
bai
mo
mengimd
er
a
kebesengei.
> I should go get a haircut tonight.
Ak
bai
locha
mo
mecherar
a
otobai
er
ngak.
> I should buy me a motorcycle.

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