Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02
Its requirement Suggested as a
Social Fad This Winter.
SAMPLES FROM 4 PHRASE BOOK.
Every Subject Treated of but
That of Love.
SOME POLYSYLLABIC WORDS.

Inc latest suggestion Tor Ido ior the
coming season is that the young men and
women OF the top layer should make
study OF the native Hawaiian tongue as
the most polite language III the world. This
Suggestion comes from a naval officer who
has been stationed in the harbor of Homo
lulu several times, and who has acquired
sufficient acquaintance with the Kanaka
tongue to ask for another piece of pie at
table and to stop a street car. He testi-
Ties, through a Star reporter, that there is
nothing In the world for liquid loveliness-
save, perhaps. the native drink-that can
compare with Kanaka. In support of his
Pre- position he puts in evidence dainty
little volume that rejoices in the fanci-
full title: Ma Huaolelo ma Olelo Kikeke
ma ka Olelo Beritania, a me ka Olelo Ha-
wall" This is no more nor less than 4
genuine Hawaiian phrase book" 1t is
fact that perhaps can not be credited, yet
that Is nevertheless true, that the Meis-
terschaft system has bee1 applied to the
Kanaka language. The little volume in
question is its offspring. 1t is one of the
most humorous publications that ever ran
on a press.
Every Subject but Love.
There is nothing under the sun-with one
notable exception-that is not dwelt upon
at more or less length within it's 124 pages.
1t runs the gamut OF names of common OBJ
tects, such the sea, pin, tree, water,
and king, and thence I'D into the mys-
teries of commercial transactions. 1t fur
nisheS some good hiltS for the use of mer-
Chants who are DESTROYS of ordering pai-ai
or shoe strings from a neighbOrins island.
Its primary object, as stated in the pre-
face, Is To teach the natives how to speak
English, but at the same time ii serves
the very useful purpose of enabling the
Stranger, with more or less idiocy, TO con-
verse with a native upon such thrilling
subjects as marketing, buying books, the
time of rising, and the duties OF chamber
maid. There is grave danger that the I'M
suspectinG stranger, without proper
amount of exercise in Peter Piper and
''TheoDhilus Thistle" may be stricken with
paralysis OF the tongue before he manages
TO inquire: Hola, ka, weap! lave oe ia'u
nsauka?'
He does this when he wants to say:
"Hulloa, beat! VIII you take me on shoreP''
The grinning native. seeing means ahead
for large quantities of poi, answers
"Maikai, e lave no au ia oe manga"
WhereupOn the cautious visitor asks:
"Heaha ka Uku%' There is to be no bunllO
game over the price with him. The native,
doubling his price. tells him that it will
cost him just half dollar. clad in these
tones: He hapalua.
All the VoweIs Sounded.
1t will be observed that the Hawaiian
language IS composed mainly of vowels
and a few consonants put in to vary the
monotony. And the beauty of the system
Is that there is no waste. Every blessed
vowel Is pronounced. For instance, when
the American eye winks at the appear
ance Of the simple word ''naauao," the glib
native rolls out the five syllables with
neatness and dispatch. This serves to mean
"enlighten."
Double voweIs are very frequent but never
diphthong- Three vowels are not uncom-
mon. and, as above. four and sometimes
more are found unSeparated by consonants
In the mouth of the uneducated native the
language is apt to be explosive, but the
higher classes speak IL with a fluent grace
that surpasses even the French or the
italian In sound 1t somewhat resembles
the general flow of the continental European
languages. for the vowels all have the
French quality and the accents are not IN
similar.
OF course. the base of the language Is
Pelopennesian in its roots and general for
nation. but there has crept into it a great
deal of English, or "Beritania," from the
foreign element. Some of the religious
terms show this. The name of Christ is
evidently a translation: "Iesu kristo." This
shows singular exception TO the rule. for
there is really no IS" sound in the language
and only when unavoidable is IL introduced.
There is also no - sound. The word for
Bible is apparently a combination of Eng
fish and native words: "BaiDala palapala
hemolee." ''Diakono'' is deacon" and
''bapetizo" means to 'baptize." ''Diabolo'' is
palpably of European origin. and is
''ekalesia." meaning church
But the words for Cod and hell are
purely native. without any traces OF Angli-
cism- The former is he Akua and the lat
ter is merely Pc.
The folks who are prone to use the term
denOn1inating the horrible future Of the
wicked might find in this simple Hawaiian
word ''Po" grateful relief from their Old
friend. 1t is emphatic and unnlistakable.
1t rhymes well. and is a fit follower of the
'sheor' and "hades" of certain attempts
TO reform the profanity OF the world.
Some Splendid Advice.
Besides being a valuable guide as a mere
Instructor in language this little phrase
book contains some splendid advice to old
and young. white and yellow, savage and
civilized. Its preface states that IT has
been written with view to teaching Eng
hsh to the natives. but 1t might well be
adopted catechism as we'll. There is a
small chapter in the back OF. the book de-
voted to moral duties that is very edify-
ing. 1t established. at one fell sWoop. a
code OF ethics that. II practiced, would make
of the Hawaiian Islands perfect Utopia.
Some of these gentle hints for conduct fol-
low: IF you would be loved. then act kindly
TO others. II you are in health, then take
care of your health. If you are hungry
do not eat too much. Too much food makes
one sick. Do some work every day. Never
drink with the drunken. Seek not high
things. Be afraid of laZiness. Be not afraid
of work If you want food, cultivate. If
you want clothes. work
These latter injunctions should surely go
far toward preventing the genus tramp
from ever gaining foothold in the islands.
But to resume:
NO thief can get wealth. All he has is
taken away. The law is hard upon evil
doors, and is a shelter over him that does
well DO not sleep while in debt. BE afraid
to enter into debt. If you buy. first seek
the means to pay. II you sell DO not trust"
IL is apparent that the installment sys-
tenn has not yet found its way into this
lovely region
Never tell a lie. never" the good little
book goes on. 1T is better to suffer for
the truth than to CONQUER with a lie. DO
not go to law for trifies. for YOUR lawyer
will take all your money. There is much
loss in going TO law. and ii is better to
bear little loss than by going to law to
lose your all. A good wife is the gift of
God. She is better than wealth. A bad
wife must be endured. Treat her kindly
that she may learn to do we'll"
After these words Of good cheer to the
husbands who have no recourse to n speedy
divorce system. the book turns its atten-
tion TO the women. and admonishes them
DO not CAD about here and there. Speak
not evil OF your husband. Do not give
away the food. for it is the fruit of your
husbands labor. If he is sick tend him.
and do not get an ignorant doctor. God
takes care of good widows"
silent on One Subject.
There are many pleasant things about the