Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

> And there was a poor man who lived in that village whose heart was so light that it was his ability to make the town survive, but there wasn't anyone who thought about him.

Mletkak,

el

oeak

a

diak

lemengodech

el

bltkil

a

rengum

me

a

ungilreng

er

kau.

> In your constant love and goodness, remember me.

Proverbs:

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.

A

rengud

me

chodab.

> The heart and assessment.

This might better be translated, "Assessment with knowledge." The mind or head is thought to be the locus of knowledge in Palau, but such knowledge is made useful or is measured with the heart (reng). Chodab, in this context, would appear to mean "to take stock of" or "to measure." In essence, then, the phrase cautions one who seems on the point of making a rash decision to temper his thoughts with his heart.

Ke

mera

el

di

medochii

el

rouar.

> You grab and then you pick it up.

Like telling a joke, you're still telling it yet you laugh like you just heard it.

Ng

ko

er

a

char

er

a

Kosiil,

el

lecheraches

e

ng

mong

me

a

lekeriik

e

ng

mei.

> Like seaweed at Kosiil, out with the tide and in with the tide.

Kosiil is a location in the lagoon where the seaweed can be seen to bend in and out with the tide. The idiom is applied to a leader who is too flexible and unreliable. In the short form (Kora char ra Kosiil) it may simply mean, "I'll go along with what you decide."

Mengar

me

a

mecherocher.

> Bitter and salty.

The strategy of "doing things the hard way." When alternatives are available, the appropriate choice is the more difficult one. In voice, expression, and action there is a positive accent on personal ability.

More Examples:

A

dentist

a

mildelii

a

ungelek

me

ak

kmal

mlo

mbesaol.

> The dentist pulled my tooth so now I am drooling a lot.

Ng

mera

el

ungil

a

cheritel

me

a

klekedellel

e

ng

di

aika

el

berdel

a

ngerel

a

ko

er

a

ulechero

er

tia

el

kutsibeni

er

ngii.

> She looks so beautiful with her traditional grass skirt and decorations except her lips look inside out with that lipstick.

Ngak

me

a

ochellek

a

mirruul

er

a

mlimam

er

a

daob.

> My younger brother and I were making our canoe.

Ng

dirkak

a

tang

me

kumelechesiu

el

sabisi

el

uaisei.

> I had never felt so alone.

Tia

el

isngel

a

mera

el

odbachel.

> His nose is broad.

melai

, v.t.

bring; take; get; receive; obtain; take (amount of time); lay claim to; take away; remove.

melai

a

ngmai;

nguu;

ngeiul.

melechang

, v.t.

put (into particular position); take (to particular place).

melechang

a

lochang;

ngmai

el

mechei;

loiang,

lechengel.

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.s.hypo.

may become.

bochung
/bochu

v.s.hypo.

is about to go.

bong

v.s.hypo.

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).

er a ngar er a mong

expr.

in the past.

ng mochu er ngii

expr.

there is about to be.

nguu el mong

expr.

take.

Examples:

Ng

mochu

er

ngii

a

chull.

> It's about to rain.

Ng

soam

el

mo

ousbech

er

a

kekerei

el

blai?

> Do you need to use the bathroom?

Ak

melemedem

er

a

chutem

el

mo

beot

a

dorael

er

ngii.

> I'm leveling the ground to make it easy to walk on.

Te

mla

er

a

skuul

e

milrael

el

mo

er

a

chelechol.

> They were at the school and then walked to the beach.

Kau

ng

blak

a

rengum

el

merirem

er

a

renguk

el

ua

a

omoachel

el

mo

medirt

er

a

blsechel

a

kleald?

> Do you intend to disappoint me like a stream that goes dry in the summer?

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

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.

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.

More Examples:

A

ngelekek

a

mlo

er

a

omerael

el

mo

er

a

Mexico.

> My kid went on a trip to Mexico.

A

orekemel

ngii

el

udoud

a

diak

di

lultuil

er

a

klungel

el

meliuekl,

ng

mo

uldak

er

a

rengelel

a

omelsechel

me

a

ngeiul

el

mo

er

a

Beluulechab

el

ngar

er

a

debii.

> The value of such stone money is not only the sheer size of the discs, but the physical and treacherous labor of carving them, and then transporting them back to Yap via outrigger canoe.

Karui

e

obekuk...Hal

e

kusiik

rolel

e

a

bo

luangerang

ek

dik