Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

kelekolt

, n.

coldness.
kelekolt a mekelekolt; kerrasem; diak lemekeald; kelekeltel.

merek

, v.t.

end; finish.
merek a rrekui; merekong; ng mla mo merek a urreor; rekil a urreor.

rekir
/rekil

n.poss.3s

its ending; its finish; its completion.

mo merek

v.t.

finish; end.

mo merek

v.i.

end; cease.

mochu merek

v.t.pred.

is about to finish.

See also: , ,

Examples:

Ng sebechek el mesang a ngalek e le ng mle ungil a blekerdelel er tia el mlo merek el taem.

> I can see the child because he behaved well last time.

Ng/Te mlo merek el meched a rengrir a remerael er a chelsel a bebil el sikang.

> The travelers stopped being thirsty in a few hours.

Ng mlo merek el meched a rengrir er a chelsel a bebil el sikang a remerael.

> The travelers stopped being thirsty in a few hours.

Ak mla mo merek er a subelek.

> I've finished my homework.

Te mlo merek el mengedub a resechelik er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> My friends finished swimming in an hour.

Proverbs:

Rekil-ongos.

> Year-east.

The word rak in Palauan is commonly used to mean year (rekil: year of). Actually the traditional Palauan year lasted six months, dividing the solar year into two parts conforming generally to spring-summer and fall-winter. The "Year-east," when the wind blows from the east, is the time of spring-summer.

Rekil-ngebard

> Year-west.

The Palauan year, conforming roughly to fall-winter, when the wind blows generally from the west.

More Examples:

Ng tela rekil a delam?

> How old is your mother?

Ng tela rekil a ochellem?

> How old is your younger brother? (only said by a male)

Ng tela rekil a ochedam?

> How old is your opposite sex sibling?

Ng tela rekil a merrengem?

> How old is your younger sister? (only said by a female)

Ng teruich me a eai a rekil.

> He's 18 years old.

mong

, v.i.

go (in a direction not towards either the speaker or listener).
mong a merael mo cheroid; skuul a ngar a mong.

Bong!

v.imp.

Go! Go ahead!.

bocha
/bochang

v.inch.hypo.

may become.

bochung
/bochu

v.hypothetical

is about to go.

bong

v.hypothetical

mlong

v.past

went.
mlong a mla mong; mlo er a skuul.

mochang
/mocha

v.inch.

is beginning to arrive; is just arriving.
mochang a omerolel el mong; locha mochang.

mochung
/mochu

v.pred.

is about to go.
mochung a kmeed el mong; ke mochung? ak mochung.

el mo

expr.

until.

el mo el mong

expr.

(do something) in a continuous fashion; go on or keep on (doing something).

ng mochu er ngii

expr.

there is about to be.

nguu el mong

expr.

take.

Examples:

Ak mengetmokl er ngak el mo er a chei.

> I'm preparing myself to go fishing.

Te ngar er tiang el mo tela el klok?

> Until what time will they be here?

A rebebil er a rengeleked el redil a mla moterau el mo sibai.

> Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves.

Ak ngmasech el mo er a chetebtel a eabed.

> I will climb to the tops of the clouds.

Ke kot el mo omengur.

> You go ahead and eat first.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a chad er a Ngerechelong, el di bita el mo dechor er a debsel a lei.

> Like the people of Ngerechelong, standing together on the base of the coconut tree.

The mound or hump that forms at the base of the coconut tree is said to represent the highest ranking village clan. The leader of that clan is spoken of as "standing on the mound." In the idiom, it is suggested that the people of Ngerechelong (northern Palau) would all like to be leaders-all standing on the mound at the same time. The idiom may be applied where too many people try to direct an operation; too many leaders.

Metkul a bkul a Ngirair, e klou el Belau el mo er a Ngerechelong.

> From the Metkul boundary point at Ngirair, Palau is yet huge up to Ngerechelong.

This saying is given two meanings, both negative, pertaining to the people of northern Palau and to Ngaraard particularly: (i) the people of northern Palau are so provincial that they still think Palau is a huge country; (2) the people of northern Palau are the biggest liars (a play on "to deceive," which sounds like Belau [Palau] ). The idiom may be shortened to "Men of the point" (Chad ra bkul), referring to a point of land at Ngirair marking the boundary of Ngaraard. Or the act of patting the elbow (bkul) may carry the same meaning. Actually, the idiom is of fairly recent vintage, pertaining in part to resistance on the part of some of the people of northern Palau to administrative programs instituted by the Japanese.

Ng kora osechel a mengur, el di ngar er a milkolk el mo er a milkolk.

> Like coconut water, passing from darkness to darkness.

Water, drunk from a coconut, passes from the dark of the nut to the dark of the mouth. Some discussions, such as those of village leaders, are secretively passed from mouth to mouth without public discussion.

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.

More Examples:

Ke mekudem el mo er a Oreor me a kuk kesengil e bo mtuchakl el oldingel er a rechedam.

> You visit Koror frequently so at least visit your relatives.

Ka mesa blim me a delengcheklem e bochu molemalt er a rengelekir a rubliil.

> Look at where you came from let alone your household before you try to wise up a stranger.

Aike el blil a sobdringk a sebeched el mo oterau.

> We can sell the soda cans.

Ngera rolem el mo chedal?

> How are you related?

Ak mera el mo oureng er a demak me a delak se el bebil er a taem.

> Sometimes, i really miss my father and mother.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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