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Palauan Adjectives

The following is a brief discussion about Palauan adjectives. For a longer exploration, please refer to discussions of state verbs in the Joseph Handbooks. According to the official Lewis Joseph grammar book of Palauan, there are no Palauan parts of speech called adjectives. However, Palauan does, of course, have words used to describe other words. In English, we call these words adjectives. Examples of English adjectives are dangerous, beautiful, and hot.

Palauan Resulting State Verbs

In Palauan, words corresponding to English adjectives are called state verbs. There are several types of Palauan state verbs. The most common are resulting state verbs which occur as a result of a verb. Some examples:

Here is a list of seven random Palauan verbs and their resulting state verbs:

cheltinget, v.r.s.(pipe, etc.) blocked up.
a
a
mla
el
See also:
ilad, v.r.s.coaxed into doing something; flattered; whetted; sharpened.
See also:
iluil, v.r.s.rolled up.
a
mla
le
a
a
a
See also:
nglaml, v.r.s.(grass, garden, yard etc.) cut.
a
mla
a
See also:
rrodel, v.r.s.(child) adopted; (pot) lifted from fire.
a
el
mo
a
mla
el
See also:
uldor, v.r.s.shaded; sheltered.
a
mla
er
a
er
a
me
a
See also:

 

Palauan Anticipating State Verbs

Anticipating state verbs in Palauan are like resulting state verbs. However, instead of describing the state of something after a verb has modified it, these describe the state of something before a verb is anticipated to modify it. Here's seven random Anticipating State Verbs:

bebael, v.a.s.to be formed, shaped, created, or spanked.
a
el
a
el
mo
See also:
chemachel, v.a.s.(betel nut) is to be chewed; (tobacco) is to be smoked.
a
el
er
a
el
er
a
me
a
a
me
a
el
See also:
ongengall, v.a.s.is to be stared at.
See also:
osisechekill, v.a.s.is to be taught, instructed, trained.
a
el
a
el
a
See also:
sbungel, v.a.s.is to be snapped/pecked at; is to be harvested.
See also:
terudall, v.a.s.is to be broken, torn or smashed down; is to be taken apart.
See also:
udall, v.a.s.is to be glued or pasted.
a
el
mo
er
a
a
a
See also:

 

State Verbs with Related Nouns

In English, a common thing to do is to ask 'how XXXX is something,' where XXXX is an adjective. For example, 'how hot is that,' or 'how dangerous is that,' are common English expressions.

This is true in Palauan as well in a form like, 'ng uangarang a kleldelel,' which translates literally perhaps to something like, 'it is like what, its heat,' or figuratively as, 'how hot is it.' The word kleldelel is a possessed noun meaning 'its heat.' See the nouns page for a longer explanation of possessed nouns.

Many of these Palauan nouns have related state verbs which translate to, and are used as, English adjectives. Here is a list of seven random Palauan nouns along with their corresponding state verbs.

Palauan_NounEngish_NounPalauan_AdjEnglish_Adj
mechasold woman; titled woman; foreign woman; male's father's sisters; girlfriend; wife.mechasget blackened with soot or ink; (pot) get burned or discolored.
maiscorn.maiscorn.
smuuchscorpion fish (hardly moves in water).smuuch(person) calm, placid, or unperturbed by problems or challenging circumstances.
chelechelouldandruff.chelechelouldandruff.
tutkwart on sole of foot; disease of kebui leaves.tutkwart on sole of foot; disease of kebui leaves.
bikodelhives or rash from allergies; allergic reaction affecting the skin.bikodelbroken out in hives.
chemadechcoconut sap.chemadechcoconut sap.

Reng Idioms as Adjectives

There are many Palauan expressions which use a state verb to describe the Palauan word reng which means spirit or heart. These are idioms which mean their literal and figurative meanings are not the same. Typically, but not always, the figurative meaning describes an emotion. An example is kesib a reng, which literally means a sweaty heart but figuratively it means to be angry. Here is a list of seven random examples of these reng idioms:

PalauanEnglish
techetech
a
: Palauan of techetech a rengul'>
a
stubborn; obsessed; determined.
smiich
a
: Palauan of smiich a rengul'>
a
feel proud about (someone).
tmuu
er
a
: Palauan of tmuu er a rengul'>
er
a
(something) occurs to (person)/enters (person's) mind.
mesmesim
a
: Palauan of mesmesim a rengul'>
a
unstable; changing one's mind easily.
Dirrengulbai : Palauan of Dirrengulbai'> title of feminine counterpart or assistant to chief in Imeliik.
melai
er
a
: Palauan of melai er a rengul'>
er
a
persuade.
oba
a
: Palauan of oba a rengul'>
oba
a
independent; self-willed.


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