mlai, n.canoe; car; automobile; transportation.
mlai
a
olidiuul
er
a
beluu
me
a
daob;
mlai
a
oltak
a
rechad
me
a
uleklool.
mlikn.poss.1s
mlimn.poss.2s
mliln.poss.3s
mlil
a
mlai
er
ngii
el
chad.
mlimamn.poss.1pe
mlidn.poss.1pi
mlimiun.poss.2p
mlirirn.poss.3p
blil a mlaiexpr.garage.
mlai er a Siabalexpr.Japanese car.
Examples:
Ng
kmal
klou
a
cherrodech
el
kirel
a
cherredechel
a
mlai.
> There are a lot of complaints about the noise from cars.
A
Droteo
a
milsuub
el
meruul
a
mlai
er
a
demal.
> Droteo learned how to make canoes from his father.
Ng
ulemekall
er
a
mlil
a
Ioseb
el
mo
er
a
ngii
di
el
beluu?
> Did Joseph drive his car anywhere?
A
Ioseb
a
ulemekall
er
a
mlil
el
mo
er
a
blik.
> Joseph drove his car to my house.
Ng
sebechek
el
longir
a
mlim?
> May I borrow your car?
Proverbs:
Ng
ko
er
a
omelkesel
Ngirakerisil,
el
di
diak
lecheldereder
a
mlil.
> Like Kerosene, poling his canoe with no obvious destination
Under the German administrator Winkler before World War I, a Palauan named Ngirakerisil (Mr. Kerosene) was employed as a canoe operator. Daily he would take the tireless administrator to a different part of Palau to inspect the various economic programs (largely coconut planting) instituted by the now legendary Winkler. The operator, least of all, could predict where they would be going next. The idiom is applied to any aimless person or action; indecision; a changeable person.
Ng
ko
er
a
chad
er
a
Ngerechemai,
el
metom
er
a
uel
el
metom
er
a
mlai.
> Like the man of Ngerechemai, who lost his turtle and lost his canoe.
Relates to a fisherman who jumped from his canoe to catch a turtle only to find that his canoe had drifted beyond recovery. Applies to any situation where a person fails at a task, or, aptly, to a situation where a man, through his own foolishness, loses both his wife and his mistress.
Lak
bo
mua
chad
er
a
Ngerchemai
el
miltom
er
a
uel
el
metom
ra
mlai.
> Don't be like the man from Ngerchemai who lost both the turtle and the canoe.
Don't bite off more than you can chew...don't be selfish.
More Examples:
A
mlik
a
lilengir
a
tonari
er
ngak
e
nguu
el
tuchelii
a
iedel.
> My neighbor borrowed my car and drove it into a mango tree.
Ng
tuobed
a
cherik
el
tirka
el
chad
er
a
kabelment,
aika
el
mlai
lomekall
a
rengrir
klokir
a
bedengir.
> I'm smirking at the people working for the government, do they think they own these government vehicles when they're behind the wheels.
Ng
mla
ngmasech
er
a
mlai
e
merael
mo
er
a
kmung
ker.
> He climbed into the car and went I don't know where.
A
sechelil
a
sechelik
a
miltuchel
er
a
mlai.
Kmal
ngeltengat
el
dimlak
lemad.
> My friend's friend got hit by a car. She is so lucky she didn't die.
Ak
osiik
er
a
mlik.
> I am looking for a car.

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