ʻōlelo
/ʔoːˈle.lo/
The Hawaiian word for language is ʻōlelo.
ʻōlelo refers to a body of words used as a form of communication. Depending on the context, it can mean language, speech or a specific word.
Meaning: body of words used as a form of communication (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term ʻōlelo literally means speech, language or word.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ʔoːˈle.lo/.
Did you know?
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, certain types of ʻōlelo were reserved for specific social classes. There was a specialized 'sacred' language used by priests and chiefs that differed from common speech.
- The word ʻōlelo is a linguistic cousin to the word 'tongue' in several other languages. It shares a common ancestor with the Tagalog word dila and the Malay word lidah.
- The glottal stop at the start of ʻōlelo, written as ʻ, is a full consonant. If you omit it, you are changing the word's identity, as the silence is a physical part of the pronunciation.
Examples in context
- He ʻōlelo kupaianaha ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.The Hawaiian language is a beautiful language.
Example conversation
Noelani and Kai are talking about learning new things.
- NoelaniKe aʻo nei ʻoe i kahi ʻōlelo hou?Are you learning a new language?
- KaiʻAe, ke aʻo nei au i ka ʻōlelo Pelekānē.Yes, I am learning the English language.
- NoelaniHe mea maikaʻi kēlā, e Kai.That is a good thing, Kai.
- KaiMahalo, Noelani.Thank you, Noelani.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “language” translations and entries ʻōlelo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻōlelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
