Question on local pronunciation

Lopaka · Jan 23, 2007

I see more than a few local Hawaiian names in the paper on on street signs with the overstrike over one or more vowels (can't find a HTML way of doing it), like the name Nakalele having the line over the two A's but not the E's. In my faded memory, in English that meant the vowel was long, as in "AY" rather than "AH". What does it mean with Hawaiian words?

Fish_Whisperer · Jan 23, 2007

Lopaka:
I see more than a few local Hawaiian names in the paper on on street signs with the overstrike over one or more vowels (can't find a HTML way of doing it), like the name Nakalele having the line over the two A's but not the E's. In my faded memory, in English that meant the vowel was long, as in "AY" rather than "AH". What does it mean with Hawaiian words?

Pronounced, "Knock-a-Lay-Lay."

Lopaka · Jan 23, 2007

Ah, thanks. So it is not a "long" vs. "short" vowel sound. Still learning...........

Charlie99 · Jan 23, 2007

Google on "macron" + "Hawaiian" and you'll get lots of info.

It is kind of a long vs. short vowel thing, but often ignored even by the few native speakers left; and sometimes the effect of the macron is just a shift in pronunciation of the vowel.

Question on local pronunciation

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