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 euid el klok e ak oubail e songdii a bdeluk.

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

A bdeluk a merengelang.

> I'm getting a headache.

Ng bleu a bdelul.

> He cracked his head.

Kau, ng kmal milkolk a bdelum?

> Are you stupid or something?

A Toki a rirurt el bedul a skuul.

> Toki ran in the direction of the school.

Proverbs:

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.

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.

More Examples:

Mretechii a bdelum.

> Touch your head.

Ng meringel a bdeluk e chetelaol.

> My head is aching and I feel dizzy.

Ak merael el bedul a dimes.

> I'll be going due south.

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

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

Ng rirebet er a laidang le lobeu a bdelul.

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

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

Search for another word: