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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:

bldobed, v.r.s.taken or torn off.
a
a
See also:
nglimet, v.r.s.bailed.
a
mla
a
a
er
See also:
rrodel, v.r.s.(child) adopted; (pot) lifted from fire.
a
el
mo
a
mla
el
See also:
telechiir, v.r.s.caught with a handnet.
a
mla
mla
a
a
See also:
uldiu, v.r.s.shouted or yelled to.
a
mla
el
a
a
a
See also:
ultoched, v.r.s.made to give up.
See also:
ultour, v.r.s.carried on the back; held behind the back.
a
a
mla
mla
a
el
a
er
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:

bsechall, v.a.s.(feathers, hair, etc.) is to be plucked.
a
el
a
a
See also:
kekerongel, v.a.s.is to be watched over or guided.
a
el
er
me
lak
le
a
a
a
a
See also:
kiokl, v.a.s.is to be dug; is to be opened or unlocked; (clock, watch) is to be wound.
a
el
el
mo
a
er
See also:
ochertall, v.a.s.is to be taken to the toilet.
a
el
a
See also:
okesebekill, v.a.s.(fingers) are to be snapped; (hands) are to be clapped.
a
el
a
See also:
osiaol, v.a.s.(drawer, suitcase, etc.) is to be closed; (clothes) are to have seam sewn; (fire) is to be fed.
See also:
otekiall, v.a.s.is to be carried aboard/transported in vehicle.
a
el
er
a
a
er
tir
er
a
er
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
martilionghammer.martiliongclumsy; ungraceful; untalented; (person) blunt or hard-hitting (in his words).
bsibsdrill; termite.tereblsibsfull of holes.
uidglue; resin; fuel for lamp.muduidsticky; adhesive.
semumtrochus.semum having deformed fingers or toes.
rubakelder; old man; chief; foreign man; boyfriend; husband.rubakelder; old man; chief; foreign man; boyfriend; husband.
bausmell; odor; scent.bekebausmell of vagina.
mudechvomit.bekemudechsmell of vomit.

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
ungil
er
a
: Palauan of ungil er a rengul'>
er
a
fine or all right with.
merat
a
: Palauan of merat a rengul'>
a
deeply disappointed or hurt.
ngar
er
a
eou
a
: Palauan of ngar er a eou a rengul'>
er
a
eou
a
(person is) humble/respectful.
bechedechudel
a
: Palauan of bechedechudel a rengul'>
a
irritable.
melaok
a
: Palauan of melaok a rengul'>
a
adulterous; acquisitive.
mengaidesachel
a
: Palauan of mengaidesachel a rengul'>
a
competitive.
ngoaol
a
: Palauan of ngoaol a rengul'>
a
confronted with and perplexed by large task or responsibility.


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