Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

chedil

, n.

mother (used as term of address).
chedil a okedongel a ngalek el mo er a delal, chedil a kubengkem.

delak

n.poss.1s

delam

n.poss.2s

delal

n.poss.3s

delal a chedil er ngii; dil el oungalek er ngii a delal.

delmam

n.poss.1pe

delad

n.poss.1pi

delmiu

n.poss.2p

derrir

n.poss.3p

delal a blai

expr.

very large house.

delal a chelebuul

expr.

disaster; calamity.

delal a delak

expr.

my maternal grandmother.

delal a diall

expr.

tremendous ship.

delal a kar

expr.

syn. ongael.

See also: , , , ,

Examples:

A delak a mesengaked.

> My mother is slim.

Bengud a derrir!

> Their mothers smell of fish. (Used as insult against people from Ngerechelong.)

A delak a ngar er a uum.

> My mother is in the kitchen.

A delak me ngak a mo er a Oreor.

> My mother and I are going to Koror.

A Kukumai a ngiluu a kall el mo er a delal.

> Kukumai brought the food to her mother.

Proverbs:

A mesei a delal a telid.

> The taro field is the mother of our life

Not only is taro an important staple in the Palauan diet, but a serving of taro is essential at any feast and taro is the essential food in a food-money exchange. Its importance is recognized in this idiom.

Ng kolia a delal.

> He ate his mother.

To marry or have intercourse with the wife of one's brother. There is a potential reciprocation in which money may go from an elder brother in return for food and service from a younger brother. Once established, particularly where the younger couple have children, a cycle of this type may continue after the younger husband has died. Marrying the wife of a deceased younger brother, then, will interrupt such a cycle. Similarly, sexual relations with this woman may jeopardize the cycle.

Bengud a derrir.

> Stinking of fish

Used of the people of Ngerechelong (northern Palau) who specialize in trap fishing. Trap fish are said to be especially oily and smelly.

More Examples:

A delak a milsa ta er a bekerkard el techel a til.

> My mom gave him a piece of Palauan money for his wallet.

Ng techa ngklel a delam el mechas?

> What's your grandmother's name?

Tia el olbingelek a kerresek er a delak.

> This necklace was my moms and I treasure it so much.

A delak me a tonari er kemam a mlo er a sers, aleko te mo meruul a billum.

> Our neighbor and my mom went to the farm, they will be making grated cassava.

A kumekedong e a delal a kmo ng mechiuaiu.

> When I called her mother said he is sleeping.

diall

, n.

ship.
diall a meklou el mlai er a daob el oltak a rechad me a uleklool; diall er a mekemad, diall er a usaso, dillel.

diall

, n.

money collected for a new widow.
diall a udoud el dillel a mad el redil el mesobil; melecha a diall, rukdemaol a mesuk a diall. Udoud e mo otobedall a le medei a mechas el diak el bechiil.

melechelbakl

, v.t.

dive into.
melechelbakl a tuchelbakl; mo riou er a ralm, daob; tuchelbeklii; techelbeklel.

tuchelbeklii	v.pf.3s	tuchelbeklii a melechelbakl er ngii.
tilechelbeklii	v.pf.3s.past
tuchelbakl	v.pf.3p.inan.	tuchelbakl a melechelbakl er a daob; tuchelbakl er a ralm; techelbeklel.
tilechelbakl	v.pf.3p.inan.past
melechelbakl	v.i.	dive when fishing.
metechelbakl	v.erg.
techebekill	v.a.s.	is to be dived into. techebekill a sebechel el metechelbakl; diak el sal dmolech; melechelbakl.
telechelbakl	v.r.s.	dived into. telechelbakl a mla metechelbakl; te mla melechelbakl er ngii; Ngeremechiuch a techelbeklel.
melechelbakl el diall	expr.	submarine.
See also:

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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