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 dachelbai el chad er a chei a milurech a bdelul a lluich el ngikel.

> The skillful fisherman speared 20 fish in the head.

Ng kmal meringel a sils e ng ngar er a sers el di blechetoel a bdelul.

> The sun is shining so hard and she's at the farm with nothing on her head.

A skuul a dechor el bedul a M-Dock.

> The school faces in the direction of M-Dock.

Me ksengdii a bdelum.

> Let me comb your hair.

A Droteo a melecholb er a bedul.

> Droteo is bathing upstream.

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:

A Yigo a ngar er a mo bedul a diluches.

> Yigo is located on the north side of the island.

Ak merael el bedul a dimes.

> I'll be going due south.

Ng diak bai debo dongedub er a bdelul a chang?

> Why don't we go take a swim at the dock?

A euid el klok e ak oubail e songdii a bdeluk.

> At 7:00 a.m. I dress and comb my hair.

A debar a mlo chebecheb e odbechii tia el ulebangel er ngais el mo bedul a Templeton.

> The duck bent down and pushed the unhatched egg towards Templeton.

klok

, n., [From English]

clock.
klok a klalo el olecholt a taem.

tedobech

, n.

(one) half.
tedobech a bita er a cherrungel; tedobech el bobai; tedebechel a ngikel; kekebelung el chad a tedobech.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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