Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

di

, mod.

only; just; any.
di a olkael; di kau a mei e diak a ngodech; di tedei el buik a mong; se di kau, se di ngii.

el di mle ngii

expr.

all by himself; on his own.

ngii di lebong

expr.

whatever it is; whatever there may be.

Examples:

Ngii el siseball a di mle ngii el mengai a chesmerel.

> The gate opened for them by itself.

Aika di ralm.

> That's as easy as pie.

Ng di Kot el Ngar er Bab el Dios a diak lekiei a blai el rruul er a rechad.

> But the Most High God does not live in houses built by human hands.

Ngera melungd er kau me ke di diak chomngar er a blai?

> What is it that makes you stay away from home so much?

Aike el omesubem er a demam el rokui a di mo delebesel.

> All those things you learned from your father won't work or won't be of any use.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a besos Lechemai, el di ngariou el meritech

> Like the oar of Ngerechemai, breaking on the down stroke

A rapid stroke technique in rowing, originated at Ngerechemai in northern Palau, consists of dipping the paddle deep with a strong, rapid stroke and bringing it forward with a smooth flip. The technique gives the appearance of considerable ease, while the canoe obtains great speed. The coxswain desiring more speed of his men may shout at them: "Besos Lechemai!" ("Oars Ngerechemai!"). The secret of the success of Ngerechemai racing canoes was not known until observers noted that the oarsmen frequently broke their paddles on the swift downstroke. Thus, when the secret of a successful leader-the leadership technique or magic that he uses-is revealed, this idiom may be applied.

Kau, ke ngelekel a Redechor, me ke di dechor?

> Are you the son of Redechor

is that why you're standing around so much?

Ng ko er a bekerurt el chebis el di ruebet e melalem.

> He's like a good (lit. fast) top that steadies itself soon after touching the ground.

i.e. he understands or learns quickly. In Palau the top is spun in the air and dropped to the ground where it usually wobbles for a spell before it becomes "planted" or stable. The better the top, the less the wobble. A statement that is right to the point, or a decisive and good decision, is like a good top. The idiom may be applied to a person who is quick to get the point or learn a new skill.

Ke ko er a kedam el suebek e ak di oba okum.

> You're a flying kite, but i hold the guide string.

No matter how much you play around, you always come back to me.

Ng ko er a kaeb er a Chelong el di bekerurt er a ongor.

> Like a racing canoe of Ngerchelong, fast by word of mouth.

Apparently refers to a canoe race of the past when a club of Ngerchelong lost after having given verbal display of greatness. Refers to the bluff or braggart (all-mouth, no action).

More Examples:

A chelebirukel a diak lochellii a llemalt, e ng di chebirukel.

> Crookedness will not bear straight, it will always be crooked.

Ochoi, se er a tutau el me er elechang el di lechull.

> Yes, it's been raining since morning.

A bo lemeoud e ng mo ngerang, ngii di le mlei.

> So what if he is late, as long as he comes.

Ng ko er a ngodech a debechiil. Ng mla mo diak e di lkau. Ng di uaia lengar er ngii a bereked er kau er a bek el taem.

> It is weird being married. You're not on your own anymore. It's like something is attached to you all the time.

Ak omdasu e a rechad er a Irrai a bai ungil el meruul a omelai el oleng er a ngii di el chad el mo er a skozio.

> I think people in Airai should make toll booths at the airport and collect fees.

medengei

, v.s.t.

know (person or thing); understand; memorize.
medengei a ngar er ngii a klaodengei er ngii; medengelii a tekoi.

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 siasing a mle lluches er a chelsel a eim el bung.

> The picture was drawn in five minutes.

Ke mlo er a Siabal er oingara me oingarang?

> On what occasions or at what times did you go to Japan?

Becherie me uriul.

> Leave it until later.

Ak mle telkib el smecher er a elii.

> I was a bit sick yesterday.

Ng ketengel el me er a Hawaii.

> It's her first time coming to Hawaii.

Proverbs:

A uel el kuk meremang el me omeklatk me ng mo uchul a klengitereng

> When the purple swamp hen appears, it brings remembrance

There is a song (Oumachas) from which this saying derives: Once there was a young couple who made love in a secluded spot in the taro garden. While they were lying together a purple swamp hen darted out of the brush startling the couple. Eventually love cooled, but thereafter whenever the girl saw a purple swamp hen while she worked in the gardens, she recalled her lover. Hence any occurrence that brings back fond memories.

Ng ko er a chad er a Ngcheangel, el di me chemed er a Ngkesol.

> Like the man of Kayangel, who procured his gifts from Keso

The saying refers to a man from the atoll of Kayangel, some twenty miles north of the main islands of Palau, who, on his way south to visit friends, stopped at an intermediate reef, Kesol, to fish for a present for his host. Refers to a person who, en route to a visit, tries to borrow a present from another guest; any person who suddenly wants to borrow money.

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 diak kobetik rengii recheroid e me douchi er a rebai.

> Without looking afield, it was cut down behind the house.

From the folk tale concerning Mesubed Dingal, the inventor of the Palauan kite (see also No. 73). After his wife had been kidnapped, he constructed a kite using feathers from all the birds of Palau and he needed also wood from an Edebsungel tree to fashion the body of the bird-kite. After looking all over Palau and being on the point of giving up, he found the tree he needed behind his own house. The saying may be applied to anyone who does things the hard way, or who goes far afield to find something which is close at hand.

Ng kora bechars er a Ngerdobotar, el di kiei me ng chelengang

> Like the cockroach of Ngerdobotar, staying on till it became white.

Presumably if a cockroach remains in the darkness for a long time, as one at Ngerdobotar (in Aimeliik) apparently did, it will turn white. Application pertains to a visitor who stays on and on, especially one who is not helpful in the household. Such behavior is not properly human; the person is somehow different, like a white cockroach.

More Examples:

Aki mlo mukai er a ochedak el mlei el ngar er a ngebard.

> We went to pick up my brother that flew in from the states.

Ak mera el ko er a songerenger.

> I am so starving.

Lak be mtuu.

> Don't come inside.

Ke mera el ko er a aika el bidabd el diak a bo tab er ngii.

> You're like the jellyfish that do not have a destination.

A delal a mesesuau me ng kmal di ua ingii.

> Her mother is an idiot and she is just like her.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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