teine pālagi
The English phrase "white girl" is translated into Samoan as teine pālagi.
In Samoan, the term for a white person or a person of European descent is often expressed by the word for 'foreign' or 'overseas'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of teine (girl) and pālagi (foreign/overseas).
Which one should you use?
While pālagi literally means 'foreign', in this context it is the standard way to denote someone of European/Western descent rather than a literal translation of the color 'white'.
Did you know?
- In Samoa, the concept of 'whiteness' as a color is usually expressed as pa'epa'e, but using this word to describe a person's skin would sound unnatural or overly clinical.
- Samoans may use pālagi to describe an object or a way of doing things that is perceived as Western, such as fa'a-pālagi for 'Western style'.
- While teine means 'girl', in some traditional contexts it can be used more broadly to refer to any unmarried female, regardless of age.
Example conversation
Tau and Talisa are talking about a new student at school.
- TauNa e va'ai i le teine pālagi fou?Did you see the new white girl?
- TalisaIō, na ou va'ai atu ia te ia.Yes, I saw her.
- TauE foliga mai e leiloa o ia.She looks like she is lost.
- TalisaOu o le a alu e fesoasoani ia te ia.I will go help her.
