Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

merael

, v.t.

go; walk; travel (particular distance); leave; (water) flow/move (in pipe); (blood) flow out.

merael

a

omekebakes,

omakes;

merael

el

mong;

omerolel.

chais

, n., [From J?] ]

news.

chais

a

ongasireng

el

tekoi;

merael

el

tekoi,

"chad

a

milengchii

a

bilis"

a

chais;

chisel

a

desiu,

chisel

mekomad.

chisek

n.poss.1s

chisem

n.poss.2s

chisel

n.poss.3s

chisam

n.poss.1pe

chised

n.poss.1pi

chisiu

n.poss.2p

chisir

n.poss.3p

merael a chisel

v.s.

well-known; famous; infamous; (person) popular. (news) spreading quickly.

chad er a chais

expr.

person who always has news to tell.

chisel a Toki

expr.

news about Toki.

chisel a beluu

expr.

news about one's village or country.

chisel a kodall

expr.

news of (someone's) death.

melai a chais

expr.

take a look at (something unusual).

ngera chised

expr.

what's up?

See also: ,

Examples:

Ak

ko

el

rongesa

a

chais.

> I've just heard the news.

Ng

ulebuu

a

chais.

> The news came out/became known.

Ng

diak

a

chais?

> What's new?

Ng

merael

a

chais

er

a

beluu.

> A rumor is going around.

A

Osilek

a

ta

er

a

milrael

a

chisel.

> Osilek was very well known.

Proverbs:

Chais

Belau.

> Palauan news.

A paly on words invoving a form of the Palauan word for deception, which is similar in sound to "Belau" (Palau). According to one origin legend, the name "Belau" derives from a deception by which the people of Angaur tricked and killed the giant Uab, whose fallen body became the islands. Identifies a rumor, especially news that gathers detail as it travels farther and farther from its source.

Ng

ko

er

a

kim

er

a

Murael,

el

di

dengarech

e

oker

a

chais.

> She's like the clams at Murael, lying face up (and open) and asking for news.

i.e., she just sits at home asking passersby about what's going on outside. Murael is a reef near Ngerechelong where, as elsewhere in Palau, the various kinds of tradacna shell bask, open and feeding, in the shallow lagoon. The saying applies to gullibility combined with high curiosity for news and to persons who simply sit at home, letting the happenings of the community come to them via passing persons.

More Examples:

Ng

diak

a

beches

el

chais?

> Any news?

A

kabekel

er

a

Belias

el

Kesebekuu

a

bisaol

er

a

chisel

me

a

rretel.

> The famous war canoe of Belias is a show case item for its speed and performance.

diluches

, n.

north; north wind.

diluches

a

ta

er

a

eua

el

uchul

a

eolt;

Ngcheangel

a

diluches

er

a

Belau

dimes

, n.

south; south wind; southern part of Kayangel.

dimes

a

ta

er

a

eua

el

uchul

a

eolt;

lrrai

a

dimes

er

a

Ngchesar.

eabed

, n.

cloud.

eabed

a

ngar

er

a

bab;

melidiul,

eabed

a

melenget

a

diich,

merael

el

eabed,

ulat

el

eabed,

ebedel.

ebedel

n.poss.3s

merael el eabed

expr.

low, fast-moving clouds.

ulat el eabed

expr.

high, stationary clouds.

See also:

Examples:

Ak

ngmasech

el

mo

er

a

chetebtel

a

eabed.

> I will climb to the tops of the clouds.

Ng

ko

el

techa

a

mellomes

a

rengul

el

sebechel

el

mechur

a

eabed,

e

okellakl

me

ng

ruebet

a

chull?

> Who is wise enough to count the clouds and tilt them over to pour out the rain?

Proverbs:

Ng

ko

er

a

ebedel

a

Mengellakl

el

di

mochu

meleketek.

> Like the clouds of Mengellakl that just pile up

High points like Mengellakl in Palau sometimes create clouds as the moisture-laden air is lifted by the wind to higher cooler altitudes. This saying applies to a situation or a fad that spreads; drinking to excess.

Ebedel

a

kesol.

> Close to the turmeric plant.

Tubers more than once removed from the original turmeric root are referred to as ebedel ("beside" or "close to"). The reference is to ego's sister's children. More distant offspring of a single maternal line may be simply termed "kesol." A more detailed discussion of these "turmeric-kinship terms is provided by the Force article, as follows: "A man calls his sister's children by the same term which is used to designate the proximal tuber, ebedel a kesol (literally, 'close to the turmeric plant'), whereas a sister's female child's children are called by the name for the next nearest tuber, pkul a kesol (literally, 'projection of the turmeric plant'). Offspring of the next descending generation in the maternal line are called kedkengel a kesol. The term kedkengel means 'a new shoot' and is customarily used to designate a new shoot of taro."

Ke

ko

er

a

rubak

er

a

Ngerechelong

el

omtab

er

a

bngel

er

a

eabed.

> You're like the old man of Ngerechelong who uses a cloud to mark the location of his fishtrap.

i.e. you depend too much on people who are unreliable.

rasech

, n.

blood.

rasech

a

bekerekard

el

lmel

a

bdengel

a

outeliil;

osechel

a

klengar;

rasech

a

usbechall

er

a

klengar;

merserasech;

rsechel.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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