mlai, n.canoe; car; automobile; transportation.
mlai
a
olidiuul
er
a
beluu
me
a
daob;
mlai
a
oltak
a
rechad
me
a
uleklool.
mlikn.poss.1s
mlimn.poss.2s
mliln.poss.3s
mlil
a
mlai
er
ngii
el
chad.
mlimamn.poss.1pe
mlidn.poss.1pi
mlimiun.poss.2p
mlirirn.poss.3p
blil a mlaiexpr.garage.
mlai er a Siabalexpr.Japanese car.
Examples:
Mal
ko
er
a
mechetong
tia
el
mlik
me
ng
di
merroakl.
> My car is really getting old and is making rattling noises.
A
Droteo
a
milsuub
el
meruul
a
mlai
er
a
demal.
> Droteo learned how to make canoes from his father.
A
Droteo
a
oumeduch
er
ngii
er
a
omeruul
el
mlai.
> Droteo pretends that he knows how to repair cars.
Ng
sebechek
el
longir
a
mlim?
> May I borrow your car?
Aki
mo
oldubech
er
a
mlai.
> We will push the car.
Proverbs:
Ng
ko
er
a
omelkesel
Ngirakerisil,
el
di
diak
lecheldereder
a
mlil.
> Like Kerosene, poling his canoe with no obvious destination
Under the German administrator Winkler before World War I, a Palauan named Ngirakerisil (Mr. Kerosene) was employed as a canoe operator. Daily he would take the tireless administrator to a different part of Palau to inspect the various economic programs (largely coconut planting) instituted by the now legendary Winkler. The operator, least of all, could predict where they would be going next. The idiom is applied to any aimless person or action; indecision; a changeable person.
Lak
bo
mua
chad
er
a
Ngerchemai
el
miltom
er
a
uel
el
metom
ra
mlai.
> Don't be like the man from Ngerchemai who lost both the turtle and the canoe.
Don't bite off more than you can chew...don't be selfish.
Ng
ko
er
a
chad
er
a
Ngerechemai,
el
metom
er
a
uel
el
metom
er
a
mlai.
> Like the man of Ngerechemai, who lost his turtle and lost his canoe.
Relates to a fisherman who jumped from his canoe to catch a turtle only to find that his canoe had drifted beyond recovery. Applies to any situation where a person fails at a task, or, aptly, to a situation where a man, through his own foolishness, loses both his wife and his mistress.
More Examples:
Ng
tuobed
a
cherik
el
tirka
el
chad
er
a
kabelment,
aika
el
mlai
lomekall
a
rengrir
klokir
a
bedengir.
> I'm smirking at the people working for the government, do they think they own these government vehicles when they're behind the wheels.
A
bechil
a
sechelik
a
diak
lesebechel
el
omekall
a
mlai
er
chelechang.
> My friend's wife can't drive now.
Ak
mera
el
metitur
el
omekall
aika
el
mlai
er
a
Siabal.
> I really don't know how to drive these Japanese cars.
Ak
ulemekall
er
a
mlai
e
a
rebulis
a
mdechemak
e
le
ng
diak
a
lisens
er
ngak.
> I was driving a car and the police caught me because I don't have a license.
Ke
meduch
el
omekall
a
mlai?
> Do you know how to drive a car?

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