Learn a Little Rapa Nui
Just for fun, here's a first lesson in Rapa Nui from Fr. Francisco Nahoe, for those of you who may
be interested:
(1) Taxonomy: The Rapa Nui language is the closest modern
Austronesian language to proto-Eastern Polynesian, which probably emerged in
the Marquesas Islands and which forms the linguistic base for Marquesan,
Hawaiian, Tahitian, Mangarevan, Paumotu, Maori, Rarotongan, and Rapa Nui
among others.
(2) Phonology: The sounds of Rapa Nui are identical to
Hawaiian except that in Hawaiian an "l" replaces the proto-Eastern
Polynesian "r" which Rapa Nui retains. Likewise, the Hawaiian "w" replaces
the Rapa Nui "v;" the Hawaiian "okina" frequently (but not always) replaces
the Rapa Nui "k;" and the Hawaiian "k" replaces the Rapa Nui "t." Also,
Rapa Nui retains the nasal velar "ng" sound which English speakers have at
the end of the word "song." In Hawaiian, the proto-Eastern Polynesian nasal
velar "ng" becomes just "n." Rapa Nui has both long and short vowels, but
my software doesn't transmit the "kahako" (macron) very well so I'll
omit it here.
(3) Lexicon: Here are some Hawaiian words and their Rapa Nui
equivalents:
Akua = 'Atua = God (notice the initial glottal, 'okina, in
Rapa Nui)
aloha = 'aroha = compassion or mercy
makua = matu'a = father
(matu'a tane) or mother (matu'a poreko) or parent (matu'a)
kanaka =
tangata = human being or man
kane = tane = male
wahine = vahine = female (in Rapa Nui, it's also contracted as vi'e)
kupuna = tupuna = grandparent
or ancestor
mauna = maunga = mountain
loa = roa = long
wai = vai = water
(vaikava = ocean)
lani = rangi = sky or heaven
'oe = koe = you (sg.)
'olua = korua = you (dual in Hawaiian, but plural in Rapa Nui)
ka (or ke) = te =
"the" or "an" or "a" (sg. article either definite or indefinite)
hale = hare = house
'uhane = kuhane = spirit (Holy Spirit = Kuhane Riva-riva)
moana =
moana = blue
mea = mea-mea = red
kea = tea-tea = white
ali'i = ariki =
leader, chief or king
Well, I think that by now, you get the picture.
Hawaiian and Rapa Nui are clearly cognate languages. In fact, they're
really the same language syntactically and grammatically. It's just the
phonology and vocabulary that have morphed somewhat over the
centuries.
(4) Phrases:
Hello & goodbye: 'Iorana koe (if it's one person)
'Iorana korua (if it's to two or more)
How are you?: Pe he ra koe (korua)?
(Sound familiar? "Pehea 'oe?)
I'm hungry: maruaki a au
I'm full: ku
makona 'a a au
I'm tired: rohi-rohi a au
Good (well): riva-riva
Bad
(poorly): rake-rake
Child: poki
Little Child: poki riki-riki
Big:
nui
Really big: nui-nui
Little: iti
Really little: iti-iti
Just a
little bit: iti-iti
No thanks: mauru-uru
Thank you: mauru-uru ki a koe
(korua)
You're welcome: o te aha no
Where's the bathroom?: 'I he te hare
hopu?
-'Iorana from Fr. Francisco Nahoe Mulloy