Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 1, 1 January 2006 — Hawaiian pronunciation [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian pronunciation

The Hawaiian language is being hijacked by all the people in the broadcast media who are kāpulu in their pronunciation of Hawaiian words. Except for the DJs on KHUI FM 99.5, all the radio and TV personalities, including those who do commercials, fail miserably in their pronunciation. Some of them correctly pronounce such plaee names as Kaua'i, Moloka'i and Llhu'e, but go on to say "Hanalulu" and "Hawa'i". The name is Honolulu (with two o's) and Hawai'i (note the placement of the 'okina and that there are two i's). Sadly, even those with Hawaiian ancestral ties commit these mispronunciations: Leslie Wilcox, Kimo Kahōano and Brickwood Galuteria to name just a few. During the Miss Hawai'i pageant, I heard Howard Dashefsky say "Hawa'i" throughout the competition. Close to the end of the program, however, there was a youngster who, while asking a question to one of the contestants,

pronounced Hawai'i perfectly. Maybe the correct pronunciation was lost on the ears of everyone else, but this child's words were very indicative of the chasm that exists between what is correct and what has become the norm. Unless Hawaiians are willing to hold the feet of these culturally insensitive people to the fire, the hijacking of the language will continue. Hawai'i will no longer be special, just another state with nothing special. Hawaiians now need to stop giving so freely without receiving anything in return, whieh is contrary to their nature. Rein in the selfless sharing of our culture, because what is Hawai'i without Hawaiians to show the way? J.F. Choo Honolulu

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— KA LEO KAIĀULU • LETTERS ĪD ĪHE EDIĪDR