Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

e

, conj.

and; (and) then or consequently; (if...,) then; while; but.
e a omechoel; omuchel e omech a bebil er a tekoi, e sechelei, toktang echad er a chei; e ngerang?

eng

cont.

e ng

Examples:

A bocha lemeched a rengum e ke melim a bodes er a bngal a kerrekar.

> Whenever you get thirsty, you drink nectar from the flowers in the trees.

Ak di olteterau a iasai e mecherar a mlik.

> I'm just selling vegetables a little at a time, and then I'll (be able to) buy my car.

Ng di kea a rolel e lluut.

> There's no longer any way for him to return.

Te mla er sei e milrael el mo er a chelechol.

> They were over there and then walked to the beach.

Ng di sengsongd e mrechorech a klengoes.

> It's just a twig, but it brings to klengoes to a boil. - i.e., someone or something small can have a lot of value, power, effect, etc.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a chelatngikl el diak lebeldakl oltellel e dingemuu.

> Like the honey bee, celebrating without first boiling down the coconut syrup.

Once coconut syrup, dripping from the cut flower stem, is collected it is thickened by boiling. The honeybee, however, collects his nectar, puts it in the hive without boiling it, then proceeds to fly around noisily as though celebrating the completed task. Hence, to talk or boast loudly about successes and accomplishments when one has none; to make plans but never carry them out; to celebrate without cause.

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 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 chellel ongos el di mengeleu e tmat a deluus.

> Like eastern showers from white clouds, still the raincoat is ripped

During the months of the east wind, During the months of the east wind, roughly January through June, rain often comes from innocent-looking white cloud and is accompanied by brief gusts of wind strong enough to tear the traditional betel-nut-spathe raincoat; hence, an opponent whose strength is greater than anticipated.

A mekngit el tekoi a dub, e a ungil el tekoi a ollak.

> Bad words are a curse, good words are a blessing.

Words of insult or scolding are destructive (like dynamite), while kind words will make you liked (like a love charm).

More Examples:

Se el lebo lemarek a rokui e mongarm.

> Taste them when you finish.

Ak mechiuaiu er a iasumba e omchederrenges er a ngerel a daob el me obuu er a kederang.

> I was sleeping on the bench and listening to the waves breaking on the shore.

E kau, te tela a rechad er a blim?

> And you, how many people are in your family?

Ak chetitau a bedengek e melemalt a chiuk e meklou a medak.

> I'm brown skinned with straight hair and big eyes.

Aki mlo er a chei er a kesus e mera el mle tairio.

> We went fishing last night and had large catch.

e

, mod.

contentless word (used with name when addressing someone).

Examples:

A Rehina a ulemdasu er ngii el kmal klou el dil e le ng mle oubail er a dores.

> Rehina thought herself to be a big girl because she was wearing a dress.

A klukuk e te me er a blik.

> Tomorrow they're coming to my house.

A Toki a kmal soal el mo er a Guam, e ng di ng mla mo diak a ududel.

> Toki wanted to go to Guam, but her money ran out.

Ng diak a rolek e kbo er a Merikel.

> I don't have any way of going to America.

Ak ko el mesuba e le ng mla merael a Toki.

> I've finally gotten to study because Toki has left.

Proverbs:

Kmakm mechab: charm er a chab el kmeed er a ngau e diak lemedul.

> Like the insects which stays at ashes of fire but doesn't burn.

You're near a situation which needs immediate attention but you don't lend a hand.

Ng ua kukau el omertort a ditel e chemoes.

> Like taro, though the leaves are tall, still immature.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is mature only when the leaves produced by the plant are small. When the plant produces its largest leaves the tuber in the ground is still quite small. The saying may be applied to a person who, while yet young and inexperienced, is proud and boastful.

Ngiull e ngedall.

> To accompany and send back.

Used of the people of Ngaraard district, especially Ngebuked villagers, as a reference to cowardice. When the clubhostess system (mongol) was practiced, in which a group of women from one village would be "abducted" (with the consent of village leaders) to serve as hostesses in the men's club of another village, it was customary for the women of Koror to be taken to a men's club in Ngebuked. This involved four trips by the men of Ngebuked past the hostile villages of Aimeliik: (i) to go to Koror to "abduct" the girls at a pre-designated place; (2) to bring the girls "secretly" back to Ngebuked; (3) to take the girls back to Koror for the payment (money payments to the girls' village chief, to the club to which the girls belong, and to the fathers of the more active girls); (4) the final trip home by the men. In each instance, the canoes of Ngebuked would be joined, by prearrangement, by canoes and warriors from Ngeremlengui as an escort past Aimeliik.

Ng ko er a omenga el Raus, el sosokod e di keang.

> It's like the way they eat in Ngeraus (where food is scarce): as soon as they get to like or enjoy the food, it's gone.

Just as something becomes popular, it becomes unavailable. Ngerraus is a small village in Ngchesar (central Palau). The idiom suggests a person who begins to feel hungry just as the food runs out. The reference is to the meager food resources of a small village. In contemporary Palau the idiom may be applied to some popular import that soon disappears from the shelves of the stores.

Ng ko er a terriid el teloi er a klab e di mengerem.

> Like the terriid, in the taro garden but hungry

The terriid, a bird, is often seen in the taro garden but, unlike the purple swamp hen which eats taro corms, the terriid seems to eat nothing. The idiom may apply to anyone who works hard without recognition, or to a man frequently in the company of women but with no success as a lover.

More Examples:

E ng tmoech a beab me a katuu a somkemkii.

> And when the mouse appeared, the cat snatched him.

Ulekum ke ngelekek e ak mla kodmungau!

> If you were my kid, I would have whooped you already!

Choi, ak di omes er a eanged me a lsa el mo mekngit e ak merael.

> Yes, if the weather gets worse, I'll leave.

Ng betok a cheldim me a kuk kesengil e beskak a chimo el keremlal.

> You caught a lot of fish so at least give me one red snapper.

Ng milekesakl e mecham?

> How did you sprain it?

e ng di

, mod.

but.

kele

, mod.

don't ... (because); I wonder if; maybe.
kele a tekoi el kirel a omengelechel; alii ng diak; kele bochu mongesuch; kele morutech er tilecha el kall.

klebesei

, n.

night; tonight.
klebesei a ngeltel a sils el mo lmuut er a ngesechel a sils, milkolk.

le
/e le

, mod.

[contentless linking word]; because.

mei
/me

, v.i.

come; arrive.

mei a okedongel a chad; mei er tiei, mei me kulekoi, ka mei.

be

v.imp.

be a ta er a telengtengil a tekoi el mengai er a tekoi el mei; be bong, be metengel.

ble

v.past.hypothetical

mera

cont.

mei er a

merekung
/merkung

v.i.pred.

is about to come or arrive.

mermang
/meremang

v.inch.

meremang a merael mei; ngar er a omerolel el mei; dumiang er a dmuil.

mlei
/mle

v.past

came; arrived.

mlei a mla mei me ngar tiang; skoki a mlei er a tutau.
mle a melekoi er a rrekui; Bung a mle tmuu; ng mle mekerang?

mlera

cont.

mlei er a

be kbong

expr.

goodbye; I'm leaving.

me e mong

expr.

pass by; go on; "(in a direction) towards me and then keep going (past me)."

nguu el mei

expr.

bring.

ta el buil er mla me e mong

expr.

one month ago.

Examples:

A recherroued a mla me er a Dan.

> Our enemies are already in the city of Dan.

Ng mle soak el me er tia el iungs.

> I wanted to come to this island.

A president a ngilai a rengrir a rechad er a Olbiil er a Kelulau el mle kedidai a rengrir.

> The president persuaded the senators that were being stubborn. The president obtained the hearts of the senators that had high hearts.

A Toki me a Droteo a smecher el terung.

> Both Toki and Droteo are sick.

Te ultirii me ng obekall el tmuu er a chereomel.

> They chased him so he was driven into the jungle.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a Beriber me a Chemaredong.

> It's like the case of Beriber and Chemaredong (who for a long time lived in adjacent caves unaware of each other's existence but who finally discovered each other and began to share their surpluces).

People wasting things and not sharing or cooperating as they should. Cooperative reciprocity among equals should be patterned on that exemplified by these two men. Beriber, who harvested coconut syrup, and Chemaredong, who was an expert fish trapper, lived in two small caves near the village of Oikuul in Airai (central Palau). These caves are side by side, separated by a natural wall about one foot thick. However, for a long time the neighbors did not know that the other existed. Finally, they discovered one another, and from that time on they engaged in mutually profiitable exchange of their surpluses in fish and syrup. An elder source said that this is more than a proverb (blukul a tekoi) and referred to it as ollach idnger, the "law of neighborliness."

Ngara eseos e olengimech el mera dalem.

> From the mature tree the sapling dribbles.

Eseos is a mature tree, dalm is a sapling; olengimch means to drip, drizzle, or dribble. Application is to the similarity of the child to its parents, generally its father.

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.

Ng ko er a ibuchel er a Ngemai el di kiei me a dekedekel.

> He's like the sea urchins between Ngiwal and Melekeok, on the ocean floor with its cover.

The sea urchin can be seen lying quietly on the lagoon floor, occasionally with a leaf like a hat covering its head. Applied to a man who acquires a wife or great wealth without working for it.

Ng okouik me ng obached, e a lokouim eng diak lobached.

> If it is my lunch it can be divided, if it is yours then it cannot

Two men habitually trapped fish in the same region of the lagoon. One would occasionally ask the other to join him at lunch, the other would always refuse. One day the man who refused arrived with no lunch. When the usual invitation was extended the man refused, saying that, anyway, he had no lunch. The invitation was insistently pressed until the reluctant one gave in. As they split the taro between them the one who shared made the above statement. The idiom is a mild rebuke of a retentive person

More Examples:

Ng mle chetil lomengur e kmo ng smecher.

> He did not want to eat and said he's sick.

A omelngod a mle olangch er a blirir a rechad.

> Tattoos were distinguished symbols from each family or clan.

Aika el bechachau el blil a bata binats el butiliang a chomngatech me ng sebeched lousbech el kob.

> The empty peanut butter jars can be washed and used as drinking glasses.

A ochedak a mle blechoel el mesauch a buuch. Chelecha el bla lorael e ng kuk urerek.

> My brother used to get the betelnuts. Now that he left, it's my duty.

Me dorael el mo melim a rrom.

> Lets go drink alcohol.

melechang

, v.t.

put (into particular position); take (to particular place).
melechang a lochang; ngmai el mechei; loiang, lechengel.

merekui

, v.t.

finish (completely; entirely); consume; accomplish.
merekui a mochu merek; merekui er a urrereel a blai; kmedu el mo merek.

ngikel

,

/uploads/pics/5479.jpg, n.

fish.
ngikel a charm er daob me a ralm el kall; temekai me a meas a ngikel.

obo e

, conj.

but.

omechei

, v.t.

leave around; leave alone; let.
omechei a diak lolai, mecherei, merael e mechei a klalo.

omilt

, v.t.

repeat or rehash (matter).
omilt a omelekl; melekoi a mla medung; omilt a mla memong.

rael

, n.

road; path; way; canal; means; solution; way out (of); way to someone's heart; connection (between families, etc.).
rael a ulekrael el usbechall er a omerael; ledes a rael el mo er a blai; rolel a mlai; ngar ngii a ungil rolel a omengedecheduch, rolel a tekoi.

reng

, n.

heart; spirit; feeling; soul; seat of emotions; will; desire; decision.
reng a tebechelel a chad; reng a omesiur er a chad; rengul, rengelngalek.

renguk

n.poss.1s

renguk a reng er ngak.

rengum

n.poss.2s

rengul

n.poss.3s

his/her/its heart; spirit; feeling; soul; seat of emotions.
rengul a reng er ngii.

rengmam

n.poss.1pe

rengud

n.poss.1pi

rengmiu

n.poss.2p

rengrir

n.poss.3p

rengrir a reng er tir.

omai er a rengul

v.t.

hesitate; be unsure about.

a renguk e

expr.

I think/thought that.

ochemchuml a rengul

expr.

seething inside with anger or hate.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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