Pua ≠ Flower: Interference in Endangered Language Revitalization

• In Event: 46.057 - Toward Justice for Indigenous Peoples: Research on Language and Cultural Revitalization

Abstract

This paper will examine data collected primarily from native Hawaiian newspapers that were published regularly up until the middle of the 20th century. The data will include a number of Hawaiian words and phrases, including ʻōlelo noʻeau, whose English counterparts might be deemed edgy or taboo and not fit for use in school settings. The authors take the position that the next generation of speakers should be equipped with language for all their communicative needs. If they are unable to express their emotions in Hawaiian, they will utilize their English instead, translating it into Hawaiian. In the revitalization of a language, the entire language should be considered worthy of that effort.

Authors

• Kerry Laiana Wong, University of Hawaii - Manoa

• Ron Solis