![]() ![]() There was, up until western contact, no written version of the Hawaiian language. When Captain Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, he also discovered that Hawaiians had a totally oral tradition. This will also greatly improve your island navigation skills and ability to communicate with locals about the island. Learning a bit about the language can greatly improve your pronunciation and reading of Hawaiian words. However, most of the names of towns, streets, places, and scenic sites are in Hawaiian. ![]() Of course, you do not need to speak Hawaiian (or Pidgin for that matter) to enjoy Hawai'i. However, a 3rd unofficial language is also widely spoken, Pidgin which is a slang combining words from many aspects of island life and culture. Hawai'i is also the only American state to have two official languages, Hawaiian and English. With 25% of the population considering themselves to have at least some Native Hawaiian ancestry and 58% of the population being at least part Asian and 39% having some white ancestry - you can imagine the impact on language within the islands. The recent 2000 US Census showed that over 20% of Hawai'i residents listed ancestors of more than one race, giving the state a much higher percentage of multiracial residents than anywhere else in America. The Hawaiian Islands are a huge melting pot of races. We are certain our Hawaiian speaking friends are rolling their maka and laughing their lemu off at this page - hopefully once they are done they will help us make any corrections necessary. ![]() What we can do, however, is give you the basics that makes reading and speaking Hawaiian easier. We are not native Hawaiian speakers - and we did not grow up on the island with an infusion of daily Pidgin. Important Note: There is no way we can teach you either Hawaiian or Pidgin. Hawaiian Dictionary: Hawaiian-English, English-Hawaiian To use this site you must read and agree to our Terms and Conditions - Click Here ![]()
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