Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

bedul

, n.

head; leader.
bedul a bdelul; bdelul a chad, bingsbedul, bdelul a beluu; bedul er a omoachel

bdeluk

n.poss.1s

bdelum

n.poss.2s

bdelul

n.poss.3s

bdelul a bedul er ngii; bdelul a chad bdelul a beluu, bdelul a cheldebechel; bdelulachang.

bdelmam

n.poss.1pe

bdelud

n.poss.1pi

bdelmiu

n.poss.2p

bdelrir

n.poss.3p

bdelul a chang
/bdelulachang

expr.

end of jetty; landing pier.
bdelulachang a olekerodel, omekuul er a mlai, bilas; kerodel.

bdelul a cheldebechel

expr.

group leader.

bdelul a omerael

expr.

tour leader.

btil a bedul

expr.

back of head.

mekngit a bdelul

expr.

stupid.

tedobech a bdelul

expr.

crazy.

See also: ,

Examples:

A lluich el ngikel a mle blurech a bdelul er a dachelbai el chad er a chei.

> 20 fish were speared in the head by the skillful fisherman.

A bdelum a di kelkat.

> Your head is wounded all over.

A lluich el ngikel a uleburech a bdelul er a dachelbai el chad er a chei.

> 20 fish were speared in the head by the skillful fisherman.

Ng bleu a bdelul.

> He cracked his head.

Ng blechoel el me melecheluches a medam er a bdeluk.

> The image of your face is always appearing in my mind.

Proverbs:

Ng meredem er oiaol bedul ngii.

> Attaching the drain spout to oneself.

Pertains to favoritism, the adjustment of the flow of favors from the leader to one-self. It is considered unsporting and in poor taste to seek favoritism through undue support of a leader in direct anticipation of favors.

A bdelul okdemelem a cheloit er a Emerert.

> Your mother's brother's head is discarded at Emerert.

In head-hunting days villages on the same side-haven as Koror, or otherwise allied, would visit Koror last with heads taken in raids or ambush after visiting several allied villages for dances and money collections marking a successful hunt. By and large, the purpose of head-hunting was economic, with money paid the men of the successful raiding club at each allied village where the heads would be displayed. The collection went to the coffer of their village chief. By the time the warriors reached Koror, then, the heads would often be quite odorous and unpleasant (economically useless). So they would be discarded at a place called Emerert in Koror. From the standpoint of any male ego the mother's brother (okdemaol; okdemelem: your mother's brother) is always significant, since one such individual usually acts as guardian and financial advisor for the younger clan member. The idiom, then, is used by the people of Koror to insult persons of other, generally hostile, villages.

More Examples:

Ng meringel a bdeluk.

> My head hurts. I have a headache.

Ngar er a mo bedul ker a Yigo?

> Which direction is Yigo located on the map?

Ng rirebet er a laidang le lobeu a bdelul.

> He or she fell off a ladder and cracked his or her head.

Ng techa a meringel a bdelul?

> Who has a headache?

Locha sebeched el kmo te ko er a aika el iwashi diak a bdelul e seluk er a beached.

> We can say they're like sardines without heads in a can.

melengel

, n.poss.3s

any section of road; tree; etc. between beginning and end; top and bottom; etc.
melengel a lengel; ngii di le ker er a rael.

merech

, v.t.

move (oneself) (to get comfortable; etc.); ready (oneself) to go; set (things) in order.
merech a osiik a rolel el mo ungil; meruul besul; rochur a delengcheklel; remech a udoud; rechul a delengchokl.

omerael

, n.

travelling; trip; journey; process; group of travellers; parade; procession.
omerael a merael; omerael el mo er a buil, omerollel el mo er a Merikel.

melengek	n.poss.1s
melengem	n.poss.2s
melengam	n.poss.1pe
melenged	n.poss.1pi
melengiu	n.poss.2p
melengir	n.poss.3p
belelengel	v.s.redup.	very long/tall. belelengel a mekemanget; kekemanget.
melengel a omerael	expr.	middle of journey; on the way.
melengel a skuul	expr.	middle of school day or year.
See also: , ,

rochur	v.pf.3s	rochur a merech er ngii; osiik a rolel; mo blil a smecher.
rirechur	v.pf.3s.past
remech	v.pf.3p.inan.	remech a merech; sumechokl; smiik a rolel el mo ungil; mdasu, remech a blil a klalo; rochur a oba smecher; rechul.
rirech	v.pf.3p.inan.past
rechuul	v.a.s.	is to be moved, readied or set in order. rechuul a kirel el merech; udesuall, siokel a rolel, rochur a blil a melekdik a delengchokl; rechuul a delengcheklel.
rrech	v.r.s.	moved; readied; set in order. rrech a kldmokl; mla mudasu; mla merech a rolel a blengur; mlil a omerael a rrech; rechul.
diak lemerech	expr.	complicated; immovable.
merech besul	expr.	get ready or set (to do something).
merech er a omerael	expr.	prepare to leave.
See also: ,

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

Search for another word: