Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

A man of Airai in central Palau, apparently during a period of hostilities, brought to his home from the lagoon all manner of shell food still attached to coral boulders. In the security of his own yard, he removed the shell foods and eventually with the stones he was able to construct a stone platform for his home. A lot in Airai, supposedly where this platform stood bears the name, Olbed-e-kall.

Msebechii

a

kelel

Ngersuul.

> Weigh the food of Ngersuul.

Don't overdo things/Keep things in proper proportion/This is too much for me or us to deal with. According to folk history, Koror once sent a very large force of warriors against the tiny village of Ngersuul (Ngchesar in central Palau). When the force was seen offshore, the people fled to a sheltered hill and one of the village club leaders shouted to the enemy, "Why don't you weigh the food of Ngersuul?" suggesting that Koror either pick on a village its own size or send a more equivalent-sized force. The idiom expresses nicely the ideal of balanced opposition characterizing appropriate competition in Palau.

More Examples:

Kede

ousbech

a

ochadu

el

omchadu

a

kall.

> We use tongs to pick food.

Mruul

a

kall.

> Cook or prepare the food.

Kede

ousbech

a

konro

el

meruul

a

kall.

> We use kerosene stove to cook food.

Ak

mo

omechar

a

kelam

el

beras

me

a

kansume.

> I'm going to the store to buy rice and canned meat.

Ak

mlo

er

a

McDonalds

el

mo

omechar

a

kelel

a

ngelekek

er

a

sueleb.

> I went to McDonalds to buy my son his lunch.

chelsel

, n.poss.3s

inside; within.

chelsel

a

diak

el

ikr;

chelsel

a

rengul,

chelsel

a

blai.

chelsek

n.poss.1s

chelsem

n.poss.2s

chelsam

n.poss.1pe

chelsed

n.poss.1pi

chelsiu

n.poss.2p

chelsir

n.poss.3p

chelsel a bad

expr.

in or among the coral.

chelsel a blsibs

expr.

inside of the hole.

chelsel a kall

expr.

in/inside the food.

chelsel a klengar

expr.

within (one's) lifetime.

chelsel a skidas

expr.

inside of the drawer.

chelsel a taoch

expr.

in/inside the channel.

Examples:

Te

mle

meched

a

rengrir

a

remerael

er

a

chelsel

a

bebil

el

sikang.

> The travelers were thirsty in a few hours.

A

siasing

a

mle

lluches

er

a

chelsel

a

eim

el

bung.

> The picture was drawn in five minutes.

A

siasing

a

milluches

er

a

chelsel

a

eim

el

bung.

> The picture was drawn in five minutes.

Te

miltik

a

bresengt

er

tir

er

a

chelsel

a

ta

el

sikang.

> They found their presents in an hour.

A

blai

a

mlukbeches

er

a

chelsel

a

ta

el

buil.

> The house was renovated in a month.

Proverbs:

Ngelek

el

chelsel.

> Inside child.

A child of the inside is a member of an elite lineage, one who is not bashful before elite persons.

More Examples:

Mchubel

a

disech

er

a

chelsel

a

olekang.

> Pour the coconut milk in the pot.

Mngai

a

meduu

el

locha

er

a

chelsel

a

olekall.

> Put the breadfruit in the pot.

Dimlak

kisterir

er

a

chelsel

a

bai.

> I didn't see them in the men's club house.

kets

, v.s., [From Japanese]

stingy.

kliou

, n.

sweet food or dessert (usually, prepared especially for guests); one's favorite child (usually, youngest).

kliou

a

olengel;

kliou

a

umesingd

el

merekos

el

kall;

delul;

seboseb

me

a

tuu

a

kliou.

mad

, v.i.

die; (electricity, etc.) go out; go numb.

mad

a

mo

diak

a

telil;

kodall,

medei,

mla

mad,

diak

el

outeliil,

kodellel.

mesil

, n., [From English]

machine; motor; engine.

mesil

a

klalo

el

merasm

a

mamed;

klekedall

el

usbechall

er

a

meruul

el

klalo;

mesil

er

a

dengki;

mesil

el

mesib;

meselengel.

ngebard

, n.

west; west wind; (non-indigenous) pineapple.

ngebard

a

meklou

el

beluu

el

diak

el

iungs;

chad

er

a

ngebard;

klalo

er

a

ngebard.

omerous

, n.

distribution.

omerous

a

bingel;

omerusel,

omerukel,

rousii

a

babii,

remous

a

beras;

rusel

a

kall.

sesei

, v.s.

a few; a little; some; not enough.

sesei

a

diak

le

betok;

di

kesai;

sesei

el

udoud;

sesei

el

kall.

telkib

, v.s.

a little; a bit; part of piece of.

telkib

a

diak

le

klou;

kekerei;

telkib

el

kall.

di telkib

expr.

only a little; just a bit.

el telkib

expr.

for a while.

telkib a bebetok

expr.

a shade too much.

telkib el betok

expr.

a bit too much.

telkib el kekesai

expr.

just barely not enough.

telkib el kesai

expr.

not enough.

telkib el taem

expr.

a short while; a short time.

telkib er a Ngiual

expr.

part of the village of Ngiual.

telkib er a kall

expr.

part of the food.

telkib er a lius

expr.

small piece of coconut.

See also: ,

Examples:

A

telkib

er

a

kerrekar

a

mla

motaut.

> Some of the wood has been burned up.

Ak

omengur

el

menga

er

a

telkib

el

ngikel.

> I'm eatin a piece of fish.

Ak

mle

telkib

el

smecher

er

a

elii.

> I was a bit sick yesterday.

Ak

di

telkib

el

smecher.

> I'm a bit sick.

Ng

ko

er

a

mlo

telkib

el

suebek

a

rengmam.

> We sort of became a little bit worried.

Proverbs:

Ng

ko

er

a

Beachedarsai

el

di

telkib,

e

diak

bo

lak

> Like Beachedarsai's food, only a little but it does not disappear.

Beachedarsai and a friend, one day, went to heaven. On arrival they were very hungry, so they visited one of the gods who provided food for them. The "food" was one tiny piece of taro and a bit of fish. Beachedarsai thought to himself that this would hardly suffice, but he picked up the taro and ate it. As he did so another piece appeared on the plate. He ate the piece of fish and another piece of fish appeared. His friend also ate and on his plate as well a new piece of taro or fish appeared as each was consumed. When they were satisfied, there remained on their plates a piece of taro and fish. The idiom is applied to any small blessing, such as a small but steady income, or Western meals that, in contrast with the Palauan tray full of food, are served in small portions, and so on.

More Examples:

Ak

telkib

el

mechad

a

dingak.

> Im a bit hard of hearing.

Ng

telkib

el

meringel