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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:

blekall, v.r.s.driven; sailed; (person) driven by desire to wander or spend time away from home.
a
mla
a
a
er
a
See also:
cheldecheduch, v.r.s.talked about; discussed.
See also:
chelderoder, v.r.s.put together or into order; arranged.
a
mla
a
a
el
See also:
delechudech, v.r.s.soiled (with dirt or mud); patched; tar; pitch; asphalt.
a
mla
a
er
a
See also:
kloi, v.r.s.(boat) placed on supports.
a
mla
a
ng
mla
er
a
er
a
See also:
ulenganged, v.r.s.seduced; titillated; lowered by sliding.
a
mla
el
me
er
a
el
mei
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:

bechebechall, v.a.s.is to be put into straight line or row.
a
el
er
a
a
See also:
cheloall, v.a.s.is to be completed or pursued to end.
See also:
idesall, v.a.s.(fruit) is to be pared or shredded.
a
el
a
a
er
See also:
ksmedall, v.a.s.(fish) is to be choked.
See also:
ochetall, v.a.s.is to be advanced past or defeated.
See also:
odiderekill, v.a.s.is to be loaded into (boat, etc.).
a
el
er
a
See also:
ongengall, v.a.s.is to be stared at.
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
brotechclapping; wooden paddle used as war weapon; applause; praise.bekebrotechprone to slapping.
tutaumorning; this morning.tutauPalau morning bird.
kerasuschigger.kerasusbitten by chiggers.
mekealdhot water; hot drink (esp., coffee).mekealdhot water; hot drink (esp., coffee).
chimhand; arm; front paws (of animal); help; assistance; manual labor; person sent to help.chimhand; arm; front paws (of animal); help; assistance; manual labor; person sent to help.
rechorechstealing; theft; robbery; selfishness.delibuksurechorech(knot) tied securely so as not be loosened.
singodor of sperm.besingsmell of sperm; smell unclean (esp., used in insults referring to women).

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
mederdirk
a
: Palauan of mederdirk a rengul'>
a
feel scorn for.
medengelii
a
: Palauan of medengelii a rengul'>
a
regain consciousness (after a faint or stroke); (person) self-confident or self-assured; (person) knowing his abilities or capacities.
metitngall
a
: Palauan of metitngall a rengul'>
a
lonesome; sad (at broken friendship).
blotech
a
: Palauan of blotech a rengul'>
a
pleased; satisfied; appeased.
ngar
er
a
eou
a
: Palauan of ngar er a eou a rengul'>
er
a
eou
a
(person is) humble/respectful.
omatek
er
a
: Palauan of omatek er a rengul '>
er
a
restrain ones desire to do something; keep ones desire(s) to oneself.
mengeokl
er
a
: Palauan of mengeokl er a rengul'>
er
a
burden; bother; cause concern; weigh on.


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