Column: E akaaka anei i ke kahako a me ka okina?

Synopsis: A bill was just passed by the Legislature requiring the use of macrons and glottal stops in all government papers, signs and seals. Although it appears to be benign, there is opposition.

Aloha mai e na hoa alo like i ka inea. Akahi hoi a holo mai kahi akua lele, he pila, ma ke kapikala o ke aupuni hoopunipuni, nona ka manao hoohanohano i ka kakou olelo. Aole ka hoi pela ka hopena! E lilo ana nae ia pila i mea e pilikia ai ka ulu ana o ka olelo a paa ai hoi kona kulana kakanalii. O ka Pila Kenekoa Helu 701 ia e koikoi ana i “ka pela pololei” ia o na huaolelo ma na “palapala ‘oihana o ka mokuæäina, nä kuni, a me nä höæailona.” Ea, e ka makamaka olelo Hawaii, na wai ia mea o ka pololei e kuahaua mai i mua o ke kaiaulu olelo?

No’u iho, he mahalo ko’u i ua mau maka nei o ke kahako a me ka okina. He kokua no i ka hoomaopopo ana i ka olelo. Eia hou, ua maopopo, he mau hua ia nona kekahi manao. Ina e kapae ia ke kahako, a i ole ka okina, e loli no ka manao. O ka maa loa no o kakou i ke ano o ka olelo haole, makau kakou i ka lolelua o ka manao. He mea ia e kanalua ai ka noonoo. Huikau hoi ka noonoo a manao mai he pilikia ia. Ea, e ka makamaka, eia au ke hapai nei i kahi manao okoa, o ia hoi, o ka lolelua o ka manao, he kumu waiwai io ia no ka olelo Hawaii. I kumu hoohalike hoi ia no kakou e hoopilipili ai, a e pakele ai hoi i ia mai a’u e kapa nei he hoopuka olelo Hawaii ma o kahi manao haole. Mahalo ke kuokoa o ka olelo Hawaii i paa ole i ka haole. Aole no ia e hoopaahao(le) ia!

O ke kaukai ana ma luna o ka unuhi, o ia no kekahi mea e mau ai ia hoopaahaole ana. O ka hookomo ana i na kahako a me na okina ma ka pela ana, o ia kekahi mea e paa hemo ole ai ko kakou puni i ka olelo haole. O ia hoi, he nui hewahewa paha na manao o ka hua hookahi. Na ke au o ka moolelo ia e halihali mai i ka manao nui o ka mea kakau, a i ole ka mea walaau. I kekahi manawa nae, ua palua, pakolu, a pahia la hoi ka nui o na manao, a ua launa no hoi lakou a pau. Aohe wahi hewa i laila! He waiwai ia, no ka mea, aole e paa ka olelo i ka manao hookahi. He mau manao no e koho ai. A o ka nui o na manao pili, æupu ae ka mahalo o ka mea hoolohe a heluhelu paha i ke akamai o ka mea nana ia olelo. Na keia pila e hoemi i ia mau manao.

He nui hou aku na kumu a’u e kuee nei i keia pila. Ma anei nae, e kalele no au i kekahi, o ia hoi ke koho ia ana o ka puke huaolelo hou o Mamaka Kaiao o ia kekahi o na puke e hoamana ia ma ka hookuhelu ia ma lalo o ka Mokuaina o Hawaii. No’u iho, ua haku ia na hua i loko o ia puke i mea kokua i ka poe e hoopaa nei i ka olelo Hawaii i keia au hou. Kaino he mea maikai, eia ka nae, ke lohe ia nei na leo hoohalahala o kekahi poe ia Mamaka Kaiao a me ke Komike Huaolelo Hou. Manao mai lakou he mahaoi ka hana. He ano piikoi hoi. O ka’u pane nae e i aku ai, he mea kokua wale no ka puke. Aole ia he kanawai! Eia ka nae, i ka puka ana o kela pila, ua lilo no i kanawai!

He mea ola ka olelo. I ke emi loa o ka olelo Hawaii, ua aako aku kekahi poe i ka hoola hou ana. Mai luna mai no ka hoolaha ana i ia wa. I keia wa e mahuahua nei ka nui o ka poe olelo Hawaii, e aho paha ka iho ana o luna a pii mai o lalo.

E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ä leka iä mäua, ‘o ia ho‘i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:

>> kwong@hawaii.edu

>> rsolis@hawaii.edu

a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:

>> 956-2627 (Laiana)

>> 956-2627 (Kekeha)

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa.