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:

Ng ulemekall er a mlil a Ioseb el mo er a ngii di el beluu?

> Did Joseph drive his car anywhere?

Ng di renguk el mo er a Merikel.

> It's my own desire or decision to go to America.

Ng di mle ngii a butiliang el ulebeu.

> The bottle broke on its own.

Ng kmal mechesang er omilil meng di chelitang a ngerchelel.

> He's so busy playing around that his responsibilities are neglected.

Ng di derta el kbo er a chei.

> I only go fishing once in a while.

Proverbs:

Kemam a remeteet a ko er a redechel a bngoal el di ruebet e oulkou.

> Our elite, like the seed pods of the mangrove tree, when they fall (are born) they are upright with hats on.

The bngaol, a mangrove tree, bears a long pod which is sharply pointed on one end and has a leafy "cap" on the other. When it falls from the tree it generally lands standing in the mud with "cap" end up. Hence, the quality of being socially elite (meteet) is gained naturally at birth. One is born in good standing with a cap or insignia of high rank. It follows, then, that the elite need not display their high standing, everyone knows they are elite when they are born (and there is no other way to become elite). Going a step further, the elite may display proper humility and refer to a group including themselves as kid a remechebuul (we commoners).

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.

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.

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 kora tengadidik el di melekoi el suebek.

> Like the kingfisher, chattering while taking to wing.

The kingfisher, a restless, bullying bluebird, may be heard to chatter loudly when flying up from the ground or from a perch. The saying applies to one who suddenly spouts instructions to a group, then leaves, or to a leader at a meeting who impatiently interrupts a discussion with a burst of pronouncements, then ends the meeting.

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