It is absolutely amazing to me how fast time is flying by! Our spring I session has already ended and we had another fantastic potluck! Just like always, there was a lot of great food and entertainment. We even played a few games of charades to see how important non-verbal gestures are in effective communication. Playing these games made us work up quite an appetite, so we loaded our plates with mountains of delicious food. Each bite was so good that many of us went back for seconds and even thirds! While you can see a few of our pictures from the potluck on this blog, you can see a lot more on our Facebook fan page. If you have account, you can just search for the "Maui Language Institute" and check out all of our photos by becoming a fan.
Today's Pidgin English word comes from the English language, but the meaning and pronunciation are slightly different when used in Hawaii. The word is "slippah," which is the Pidgin English equivalent to "slipper." This way of pronouncing words is common in Hawaii Pidgin English. A lot of words that end in "er" (maker, baker, later, etc.) will be pronounced with an "ah" sound, as in "a-ha." So instead of saying "see you later," you would say "see you latah."
The meaning is a little different as well. "Slippahs" are thin pieces of footwear made of rubber, commonly called thongs or flip-flops in other parts of the world. In Hawaii, the word "slippahs" can be used to describe any type of footwear that is fastened to your foot by a thong. However, when we say "rubbah slippahs (rubber slippers)" it usually refers to a specific type of footwear that is a must if you live in Hawaii. These slippahs are so convenient for going to the beach or just going for a short walk around the neighborhood. If you ever come to Hawaii, you'll probably see a lot of people wearing slippahs everywhere you go. There are many different types of slippahs that you can buy in Hawaii. Some of these slippahs have thick soles and can cost $60.00 or more, while thinner models can cost just a few dollars. So if you're in Hawaii, grab a pair and give your shoes a rest!
Showing posts with label MLI students. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MLI students. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hakuoh Students from Japan
This year we will be having a lot of short-term program students joining us from all over the world. Our short-term programs are perfect for visiting student groups that would like to improve their English skills as well as to experience the culture of Hawaii firsthand. The ESL classes and excursions are custom-designed for each group to maximize their learning experience.
One of our first groups for the new year comes to us from Hakuoh University in Japan. They have been going all around the island and breathing in the culture and beauty of Maui. Not only did they get to explore all around the island, but they also went to the beach to feel the smooth Maui sand between their toes. And of course, you can't come to Hawaii without trying some of the delicious food here. They got to try traditional Hawaiian cuisine as well as some local delicacies. If you want to see a sample of the delicious Hawaiian food that they ate here, check out our blog about food. Trust me, you can’t read any of those blog without getting hungry!
I mentioned in previous blog that Hawaii Pidgin English was influenced from the many different cultures that live together here. Today's Pidgin word is a perfect example of how certain words from different cultures were taken and incorporated into Hawaii Pidgin English. The word is "bachi" and it comes from the Japanese language. Bachi carries a meaning of divine punishment, kind of like karma. So if you see someone doing something bad, you can tell them that they will get bachi. Let's take a look at an example conversation to see how this word is used.
Michael: Eh, we go play inside dat graveyard!
John: What? What you like do dat fo? That place is sacred lolo! No do dat bumbai you going get bachi!
Translation:
Michael: Hey, let's go play in that graveyard!
John: What? Why in the world would you want to do that? That place is sacred dummy! If you do that you'll get bad luck.
Wow! That conversation was chocked full of Pidgin English words! We already learned all of these words from past blogs except for the word "lolo." Lolo refers to someone who is not smart, or in more colloquial terms, an idiot or a dummy. Although this word has a negative meaning, it is usually not used to viciously insult someone. It is usually used between friends to lightheartedly say how crazy or idiotic a person or situation is. So if you hear someone say "ai, dat guy is so lolo," it means something like "wow that guy is so crazy!"
It's time for me to say goodbye but another blog update is already on it's way. Until then, aloha!
One of our first groups for the new year comes to us from Hakuoh University in Japan. They have been going all around the island and breathing in the culture and beauty of Maui. Not only did they get to explore all around the island, but they also went to the beach to feel the smooth Maui sand between their toes. And of course, you can't come to Hawaii without trying some of the delicious food here. They got to try traditional Hawaiian cuisine as well as some local delicacies. If you want to see a sample of the delicious Hawaiian food that they ate here, check out our blog about food. Trust me, you can’t read any of those blog without getting hungry!
I mentioned in previous blog that Hawaii Pidgin English was influenced from the many different cultures that live together here. Today's Pidgin word is a perfect example of how certain words from different cultures were taken and incorporated into Hawaii Pidgin English. The word is "bachi" and it comes from the Japanese language. Bachi carries a meaning of divine punishment, kind of like karma. So if you see someone doing something bad, you can tell them that they will get bachi. Let's take a look at an example conversation to see how this word is used.
Michael: Eh, we go play inside dat graveyard!
John: What? What you like do dat fo? That place is sacred lolo! No do dat bumbai you going get bachi!
Translation:
Michael: Hey, let's go play in that graveyard!
John: What? Why in the world would you want to do that? That place is sacred dummy! If you do that you'll get bad luck.
Wow! That conversation was chocked full of Pidgin English words! We already learned all of these words from past blogs except for the word "lolo." Lolo refers to someone who is not smart, or in more colloquial terms, an idiot or a dummy. Although this word has a negative meaning, it is usually not used to viciously insult someone. It is usually used between friends to lightheartedly say how crazy or idiotic a person or situation is. So if you hear someone say "ai, dat guy is so lolo," it means something like "wow that guy is so crazy!"
It's time for me to say goodbye but another blog update is already on it's way. Until then, aloha!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Our Special Guests
Aloha everyone! Today we have two special guests joining us on our blog. Our first guest is Eun Young, who is originally from Korea. Our second guest is Kentaro, and he comes to us from Japan. Eun Young and Kentaro were full-time students at the MLI, but eventually moved into the credit program here at the University of Hawaii, Maui campus. Through their hard work, they were able to improve their English skills and take classes at a college-level
I had the chance to talk to them between their classes, and found out how they felt about the classes that they took from the MLI as well as how they felt about the classes they are currently taking at UH – Maui College. Eun Young is currently taking English 21 while Kentaro is taking English 19 and English 21. Both of them said that the English classes at UHMC can be difficult at times because of the fast pace of the classes. However, Kentaro said that the classes at MLI challenged his critical thinking skills, which gave him the motivation to study harder. He also likes the fact that there are students from all over the world who attend the Maui Language Institute, and this diversity makes the classes fun and exciting. Eun Young said that she loves the MLI classes as well, because everyone there shares the same goal of improving their English. The camaraderie that the students have with one another provides an atmosphere in which she can be totally comfortable. In fact, many students say that they look forward coming to class because of the friends that they have made here. Both Eun Young and Kentaro had to get to their next class, but I would like to thank them for taking the time to talk with us!
As you can tell from some of the previous blogs, I love food! In a couple of the past blogs, I talked about some of the local cuisine that we have here in Hawaii. If you haven't had a chance to read those blogs yet, check them out! Be warned however... it might make you hungry!
Today I would like to talk a little bit more about the delicious cuisine of Hawaii. A dish that everyone in Hawaii knows and loves is saimin. Saimin is a dish consisting of thin noodles in a clear soup base. It is similar to ramen, a Japanese dish that originated in China. Many of you have probably tried instant ramen (especially starving college students) before, and at first glance, it looks exactly like saimin. However, the ingredients that go into making of bowl of saimin differs. Saimin is literally a melting pot of cultures. It has its origins from the plantation days of Hawaii, where Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Korean laborers lived close to one another. Elements from each culture were incorporated in communal meals, and this would eventually lead to the birth of saimin.
There are many other food dishes in Hawaii that have been born from the influence of the different cultures here. Many of these dishes have become local favorites that you should definitely try when you come to Hawaii. My recommendations are shoyu chicken (shouyu is the Japanese name for soy sauce). In Hawaii, we actually say "shoyu" instead of "soy sauce,” chicken katsu, mochiko chicken, spam musubi, and of course saimin!
I don't know about you, but I'm ready to eat now! So until next time, take care and aloha!
I had the chance to talk to them between their classes, and found out how they felt about the classes that they took from the MLI as well as how they felt about the classes they are currently taking at UH – Maui College. Eun Young is currently taking English 21 while Kentaro is taking English 19 and English 21. Both of them said that the English classes at UHMC can be difficult at times because of the fast pace of the classes. However, Kentaro said that the classes at MLI challenged his critical thinking skills, which gave him the motivation to study harder. He also likes the fact that there are students from all over the world who attend the Maui Language Institute, and this diversity makes the classes fun and exciting. Eun Young said that she loves the MLI classes as well, because everyone there shares the same goal of improving their English. The camaraderie that the students have with one another provides an atmosphere in which she can be totally comfortable. In fact, many students say that they look forward coming to class because of the friends that they have made here. Both Eun Young and Kentaro had to get to their next class, but I would like to thank them for taking the time to talk with us!
As you can tell from some of the previous blogs, I love food! In a couple of the past blogs, I talked about some of the local cuisine that we have here in Hawaii. If you haven't had a chance to read those blogs yet, check them out! Be warned however... it might make you hungry!Today I would like to talk a little bit more about the delicious cuisine of Hawaii. A dish that everyone in Hawaii knows and loves is saimin. Saimin is a dish consisting of thin noodles in a clear soup base. It is similar to ramen, a Japanese dish that originated in China. Many of you have probably tried instant ramen (especially starving college students) before, and at first glance, it looks exactly like saimin. However, the ingredients that go into making of bowl of saimin differs. Saimin is literally a melting pot of cultures. It has its origins from the plantation days of Hawaii, where Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Korean laborers lived close to one another. Elements from each culture were incorporated in communal meals, and this would eventually lead to the birth of saimin.
There are many other food dishes in Hawaii that have been born from the influence of the different cultures here. Many of these dishes have become local favorites that you should definitely try when you come to Hawaii. My recommendations are shoyu chicken (shouyu is the Japanese name for soy sauce). In Hawaii, we actually say "shoyu" instead of "soy sauce,” chicken katsu, mochiko chicken, spam musubi, and of course saimin!
I don't know about you, but I'm ready to eat now! So until next time, take care and aloha!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Front Street Escapades
Aloha! We're back once again for more fabulous updates here at the Maui Language Institute. This past Friday, we went out on another one of our fun field trips. We went to Lahaina, a town filled with history and wonderful sights. It's no coincidence that the name Lahaina comes from a Hawaiian word meaning "unmerciful sun." The weather in Lahaina is usually hot and sunny, which makes it a perfect place to explore the town by foot or to take a leisurely stroll on the along the beach.For our field trip, we explored Front Street, which is a popular area filled with lots of interesting shops, historical sites, and amazing restaurants. Lahaina is also the place to be if you are an art lover. There are many art galleries here, as well as an art night with special events that happen every Friday night. The Lahaina Town Action Committee has a website that lists many of the upcoming events and you can check them out at http://www.visitlahaina.com/
A
fter arriving in Lahaina, we walked around and explored the many shops and historical sites on Front Street. The beautiful sunny weather provided us with an absolutely breathtaking view of the ocean and the West Maui Mountains. After we did a little shopping and sightseeing, we decided to grab some lunch. We went to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant. We chose this restaurant because our advanced Film Studies students had just finished studying the movie, Forrest Gump. When the restaurant hosted a raffle to see how much our group knew about Forrest Gump, they were surprised to discover that our students knew answer!A
nd now on to our Pidgin word of the day! Today's word is "manini (rhymes with "panini")." A Manini is actually the name of a species of fish, but in Hawaiian Pidgin English, it carries a meaning of something small or insignificant. While it can be used to describe the size of something, it is often used to describe a situation (and how insignificant it is). Let's take a look at an example.
1. Micah: Ho I gotta walk all da way to school tomorrow!Adam: What? Bra, that's so maninis!
Translation:
Micah: Man....I have to walk to school tomorrow!
Adam: What are you complaining about? It's only 5 minutes away!
2. Wesley: I gotta do my math homework by tomorrow!
Josh: Ahh sooo minini dat!
Translation:
Micah: I have to finish my math homework by tomorrow!
Josh: That shouldn't be a problem at all! (Implying that Micah should be able to finish his math homework quickly because it's easy).
Another word that carries the same meaning is "minors." This word is probably easier to understand because it has virtually the same meaning as the word "minor" in standard English. The only difference is that in Pidgin English, an "s" is added on the end.3. Mike: Ho, you no have choke work fo do today?
Billy: Nah bu, minors!
Translation:
Mike: Hey, don't you have a lot of work to do today?
Billy: Nah, it won't be a problem at all!
Okay folks! That's all for now but stayed tuned for another update coming soon! Aloha!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Our Very Own Idol
Aloha and welcome back to another MLI blog update! I've got some exciting news for you! A couple of weeks ago, there was a talent competition held on the Maui Community College campus that was open to all students. Many students auditioned and only 6 acts made it to the next round. One of our students, Hidenori "Denny," auditioned and passed with flying colors!
The competition was fierce, but Denny gave it his all and performed with energy and charisma. Nearly a hundred people were present at the talent show and all were asked to fill out a secret ballot to vote for their favorite act of the night. The votes were tallied and the winners were announced...Denny took 2nd place! What is even more amazing is that Denny taught himself how to play the ukulele. The host family that he is living with had an ukulele that was left behind by one of their former host students and Denny picked it up one day and never put it back down. By watching videos on YouTube and through diligent practice, Denny built up an impressive repertoire of songs. Now, just one year later, Denny claimed 2nd place in a competition filled with many other talented artists. On behalf of everyone here at the Maui Language Institute, I would like to congratulate Denny on doing such a great job. We look forward to hearing more of Denny's music in the future. Congratulations Denny!
The competition was fierce, but Denny gave it his all and performed with energy and charisma. Nearly a hundred people were present at the talent show and all were asked to fill out a secret ballot to vote for their favorite act of the night. The votes were tallied and the winners were announced...Denny took 2nd place! What is even more amazing is that Denny taught himself how to play the ukulele. The host family that he is living with had an ukulele that was left behind by one of their former host students and Denny picked it up one day and never put it back down. By watching videos on YouTube and through diligent practice, Denny built up an impressive repertoire of songs. Now, just one year later, Denny claimed 2nd place in a competition filled with many other talented artists. On behalf of everyone here at the Maui Language Institute, I would like to congratulate Denny on doing such a great job. We look forward to hearing more of Denny's music in the future. Congratulations Denny!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
We're on Facebook!
Welcome back to the MLI blog! It's nice to see all of you all again. We are just starting our Fall I session! By the way, the MLI is officially on Facebook! So if you have an account, just search for the"Maui Language Institute" and we'll show up in the results. You'll see a button at the top that says "become a fan." Click this button and you can see all of the new updates and pictures that we post. If you don't have an account, you can sign up at www.facebook.com It's completely free and allows you to keep in contact with your friends from all over the world.
Well I know that you must be a Pidgin English expert by now but it never hurts to learn a little more. Today let's build on what we already know by taking a look at a common saying in Hawaiian Pidgin English. The phrase is "broke da mouth" or "brok da mout." As we learned in the last lesson, the "da" comes from the English word "the." The word "broke" in English can have several meanings. It can be the past form for the word break, or it can also mean a person that has no money. Both meanings are used in Pidgin as well, but this phrase uses the meaning of something "breaking." The word "mouth" doesn't change its meaning, so it just refers to the part of your body that you eat and speak with. If you take notice, this phrase has a literal meaning along the lines of my "mouth is broken." However, when used in actual conversation, this means something that is really, really delicious. So if go to a restaurant and eat something that was absolutely delicious, you can say that it was broke da mouth!
Today we are featuring Anh, another talented poet who will amaze you with her works. So without further ado, here's Anh!
Stealing.
I steal my husband's mango,
But he doesn't know that I steal his mango
He is looking everywhere, I fear
When he asks me; Honey! Where is my mango.
Ah! I smile and I say
"don't know."
Maui Love
I love Maui too much.
I feel very mild by the weather
And the mountain, sky, cloud, and sea.
I want to hug them all.
Tarnish
A wine cup shared with you
Second cup, I drink it all,
I feel ok!!!...
Third cup I drink all too,
I'm feeling buoyant.
But I am tarnishing.
By the fifth cup I can't drink.
I am already tarnished.
When I look, one person becomes two people.
Ohh! What happen?
I go to bed!!!...
Okay everyone! Time to say goodbye for now. Just like always, we'll be back again soon. See ya!
Well I know that you must be a Pidgin English expert by now but it never hurts to learn a little more. Today let's build on what we already know by taking a look at a common saying in Hawaiian Pidgin English. The phrase is "broke da mouth" or "brok da mout." As we learned in the last lesson, the "da" comes from the English word "the." The word "broke" in English can have several meanings. It can be the past form for the word break, or it can also mean a person that has no money. Both meanings are used in Pidgin as well, but this phrase uses the meaning of something "breaking." The word "mouth" doesn't change its meaning, so it just refers to the part of your body that you eat and speak with. If you take notice, this phrase has a literal meaning along the lines of my "mouth is broken." However, when used in actual conversation, this means something that is really, really delicious. So if go to a restaurant and eat something that was absolutely delicious, you can say that it was broke da mouth!
Today we are featuring Anh, another talented poet who will amaze you with her works. So without further ado, here's Anh!
Stealing.I steal my husband's mango,
But he doesn't know that I steal his mango
He is looking everywhere, I fear
When he asks me; Honey! Where is my mango.
Ah! I smile and I say
"don't know."
Maui Love
I love Maui too much.
I feel very mild by the weather
And the mountain, sky, cloud, and sea.
I want to hug them all.
Tarnish
A wine cup shared with you
Second cup, I drink it all,
I feel ok!!!...
Third cup I drink all too,
I'm feeling buoyant.
But I am tarnishing.
By the fifth cup I can't drink.
I am already tarnished.
When I look, one person becomes two people.
Ohh! What happen?
I go to bed!!!...
Okay everyone! Time to say goodbye for now. Just like always, we'll be back again soon. See ya!
Monday, August 3, 2009
A Little Pidgin, a Little Poetry
...and we're back! In just a couple weeks we will be starting our Fall I session. It will be nice to see all of our returning students again. We are also looking forward to meeting our new students that are joining us this year. It's amazing to see people from all over the world using English as a common language to communicate.
Now that you have a quite a few Pidgin English words in your repertoire, I'll do something a little bit different today. I'll write out a few dialogues using Pidgin that you would hear if you came to Hawaii. These dialogues will help you to get a feel of the natural use of Pidgin, and how it flows in everyday conversation. It will also help you to see how the words we have learned can be implemented and used in different situations. I'll translate the first two, but I'll leave the last one for you to translate. I'm sure you'll do great. So let's get started!
1. John: Ho howzit bra, how you?
Mike: Ho I stay good bu, how you?
John: Good good. Long time I neva see you..what you stay doing now?
Mike: I stay working at the mall. Eh you like go get something fo grind? I stay on my lunch break now.
John: Oh shoots bu, we go!
Translation:
John: Hey! What's up, how are you?
Mike: I'm good man! How are you?
John: I'm good. I haven't seen you in forever! What are you doing now?
Mike: I'm working at the mall. Hey, you wanna grab a bite to eat? I'm on my lunch break right now.
John: Sounds good, lets go!
2. Adam: Ho bu, we going go to one club tonight, you like come?
Roger: I like go but I no can! I get choke homework tonight.
Adam: Nah no worries! Bra garans you going get one A!
Roger: No ways bu, I gotta study. But if I pau early I go meet you guys afta.
Translation:
Adam: Hey we're going to a club tonight. Do you want to come?
Roger: I would love to go, but I can't. I have so much homework to do tonight.
Adam: Don't worry about it! I'm sure you'll get an A!
Roger: No way! I have to study tonight. But if I finish early I'll meet up with you guys later.
3. Rick: Ho, I going move to one new house next week. You can help me move?
Joe: Oh yea bu, can. What time?
Rick: We gotta start by 2 o'clock bumbai no can finish before get dark.
Joe: Shoots I come your house 2 o'clock.
Rick: Hey mahalos ah!
Joe: Yea bu no worries.
You may have noticed the words "bra" and "bu" have been used quite a lot in the previous dialogues. An equivalent to these words in English would be "brother," "bro," or "man." For example, the phrase "hey man, how you doing?" would be translated as "ho bra, how you?" in Pidgin. Or in English slang, the phrase "what's up brother?" can be roughly translated as "what's up bra?" in Hawaii Pidgin.
We have another talented poet for you today! His name is Hidenori and he comes to us from Ehime, Japan. Let's take a look at a couple of his poems!
Especially MAUI
Island Maui, sunny language Aloha.
Flowers Maui, sunshine Mahalo.
Ocean Maui, Endless Waves.
Sky Maui Hovering Breezy.
I can hear Whispers to Maui.
Like Ocean Waves, and Wind.
Now new Maui Birth again.
Hawaiian Salt
A sweet taste of the ocean
A hot electric shock - woah!
I can't eat a lot.
But pass me more
Hawaiian salt
Salty as Japanese
Barbecued chicken
But not soft of sifting
like regular salt
More like rich red
chunky island earth
Or blood in the mouth
Whoa! - I need water.
It's sad to say but it's the end of today's blog. Come back again soon cause we'll have more updates in no time. Aloha for now!
Now that you have a quite a few Pidgin English words in your repertoire, I'll do something a little bit different today. I'll write out a few dialogues using Pidgin that you would hear if you came to Hawaii. These dialogues will help you to get a feel of the natural use of Pidgin, and how it flows in everyday conversation. It will also help you to see how the words we have learned can be implemented and used in different situations. I'll translate the first two, but I'll leave the last one for you to translate. I'm sure you'll do great. So let's get started!
1. John: Ho howzit bra, how you?
Mike: Ho I stay good bu, how you?
John: Good good. Long time I neva see you..what you stay doing now?
Mike: I stay working at the mall. Eh you like go get something fo grind? I stay on my lunch break now.
John: Oh shoots bu, we go!
Translation:
John: Hey! What's up, how are you?
Mike: I'm good man! How are you?
John: I'm good. I haven't seen you in forever! What are you doing now?
Mike: I'm working at the mall. Hey, you wanna grab a bite to eat? I'm on my lunch break right now.
John: Sounds good, lets go!
2. Adam: Ho bu, we going go to one club tonight, you like come?
Roger: I like go but I no can! I get choke homework tonight.
Adam: Nah no worries! Bra garans you going get one A!
Roger: No ways bu, I gotta study. But if I pau early I go meet you guys afta.
Translation:
Adam: Hey we're going to a club tonight. Do you want to come?
Roger: I would love to go, but I can't. I have so much homework to do tonight.
Adam: Don't worry about it! I'm sure you'll get an A!
Roger: No way! I have to study tonight. But if I finish early I'll meet up with you guys later.
3. Rick: Ho, I going move to one new house next week. You can help me move?
Joe: Oh yea bu, can. What time?
Rick: We gotta start by 2 o'clock bumbai no can finish before get dark.
Joe: Shoots I come your house 2 o'clock.
Rick: Hey mahalos ah!
Joe: Yea bu no worries.
You may have noticed the words "bra" and "bu" have been used quite a lot in the previous dialogues. An equivalent to these words in English would be "brother," "bro," or "man." For example, the phrase "hey man, how you doing?" would be translated as "ho bra, how you?" in Pidgin. Or in English slang, the phrase "what's up brother?" can be roughly translated as "what's up bra?" in Hawaii Pidgin.
We have another talented poet for you today! His name is Hidenori and he comes to us from Ehime, Japan. Let's take a look at a couple of his poems!
Especially MAUIIsland Maui, sunny language Aloha.
Flowers Maui, sunshine Mahalo.
Ocean Maui, Endless Waves.
Sky Maui Hovering Breezy.
I can hear Whispers to Maui.
Like Ocean Waves, and Wind.
Now new Maui Birth again.
Hawaiian Salt
A sweet taste of the ocean
A hot electric shock - woah!
I can't eat a lot.
But pass me more
Hawaiian salt
Salty as Japanese
Barbecued chicken
But not soft of sifting
like regular salt
More like rich red
chunky island earth
Or blood in the mouth
Whoa! - I need water.
It's sad to say but it's the end of today's blog. Come back again soon cause we'll have more updates in no time. Aloha for now!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Expressions of the Heart
Are you ready? To test your Pidgin English skills, I will write the next paragraph using many of the Pidgin words we have learned. If you have kept up with all of our blogs teaching you Pidgin English, I'm sure you'll understand it all. So here we go!
Ho howzit everybody? Right now we jus stay chilling and relaxin in da beatiful Hawaiian weather. Stay real hot right now, but pretty soon going get cooler. But you know what? Wen the weather stay this hot, the buggah make um real good fo go to da beach! And I know I wen say um choke times already, but Maui get the meanest sunsets ever! The best is wen you get some ono grinds too. Wen you grind um on the beach, the buggah taste so much betta!
Most of these words were taught in our previous blogs, but there are some that might need a quick explanation. Some words in English are slightly altered by changing or shortening the ending of a word. For example, many words in English that end with an "er" will be changed to an "ah" sound in Pidgin. For example, "better" becomes "betta," "more" becomes "moa," and "where" changes into "wea." Also, some words are shortened by removing the last letter of the word. In the paragraph above, we can see that the word "just" changes into "jus" and "for" becomes "fo." This is easy to get the hang of because it sounds really similar to standard English.
Now on to another one of our wonderful poets here at the Maui Language Institute. Yoshiyasu comes to us all the way from Japan. Today we will be treated to two of his works. So here's Yoshiyasu!
-Maui-
Big sea, Big sky
Big beautiful island
Too big to enjoy by bike
No choice but peddling for me with no driver's license
I'm already tired
-Jiro- It's my hamster's name who died last year
Hey, Jiro
You weren't just my pet.
You were like my family,
my friend,
my brother,
my partner,
my healing,
And like the end of my life.
Your death left a big vacuum in my heart.
Hey, Jiro
What are you doing?
Are you watching me?
Please watch me from heaven.
From your death,
I decided to love all animals.
But I'm sorry,
I can't like insects anyway.
Okay folks! We'll see you again soon. Aloha!
Ho howzit everybody? Right now we jus stay chilling and relaxin in da beatiful Hawaiian weather. Stay real hot right now, but pretty soon going get cooler. But you know what? Wen the weather stay this hot, the buggah make um real good fo go to da beach! And I know I wen say um choke times already, but Maui get the meanest sunsets ever! The best is wen you get some ono grinds too. Wen you grind um on the beach, the buggah taste so much betta!
Most of these words were taught in our previous blogs, but there are some that might need a quick explanation. Some words in English are slightly altered by changing or shortening the ending of a word. For example, many words in English that end with an "er" will be changed to an "ah" sound in Pidgin. For example, "better" becomes "betta," "more" becomes "moa," and "where" changes into "wea." Also, some words are shortened by removing the last letter of the word. In the paragraph above, we can see that the word "just" changes into "jus" and "for" becomes "fo." This is easy to get the hang of because it sounds really similar to standard English.
Now on to another one of our wonderful poets here at the Maui Language Institute. Yoshiyasu comes to us all the way from Japan. Today we will be treated to two of his works. So here's Yoshiyasu!
-Maui-Big sea, Big sky
Big beautiful island
Too big to enjoy by bike
No choice but peddling for me with no driver's license
I'm already tired
-Jiro- It's my hamster's name who died last year
Hey, Jiro
You weren't just my pet.
You were like my family,
my friend,
my brother,
my partner,
my healing,
And like the end of my life.
Your death left a big vacuum in my heart.
Hey, Jiro
What are you doing?
Are you watching me?
Please watch me from heaven.
From your death,
I decided to love all animals.
But I'm sorry,
I can't like insects anyway.
Okay folks! We'll see you again soon. Aloha!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Words to Soothe your Soul
We're back with more poetry to soothe your ears and warm your hearts. As an added bonus, we have more Pidgin English coming your way as well. If you haven't had the chance to read our past blogs filled with Pidgin English lessons, you might go ahead and do that now. Don't worry, we'll still be here when you get back ;-)
The Pidgin English in our last blog was rather long, so we'll give you a breather and make this lesson an easy one. I'm sure you'll understand and remember this word as soon as you finish reading this blog. That's because the meaning in both standard English and Pidgin are the same. The difference lies in how we use this word to construct a sentence. In fact, I think the way we use this word in Pidgin is actually easier than standard English. Let's jump right in and see what this new word is!
The word we will learn in this blog is "can." Not the type of can you put food in, but the verb meaning that you are able to do something. The reason why I said that this word is easier to use in Pidgin is because it can be used all by itself to convey a whole meaning. For example, in standard English, if someone asks you "Can you finish all of your homework by tomorrow?" If you are able to do this, a standard answer would be "Yes, I can do it." In Pidgin, all you need to do is say the word "can" and the meaning will be conveyed. What is probably even more useful is the phrase "no can" which means "I can't do it, or I am unable to do it." Let's look at some examples to ingrain this word into your permanent memory.
1. Alan: Ho, you can eat all dat by yourself?
Kawika: Can...garans I can grind um all!
Translation:
Alan: Wow, you can eat all of that food by yourself?
Kawika: Oh yea, I guarantee it.
2. Scott: We go build the house ourself!
Morris: No can! We no can do um by ourselves!
Translation:
Scott: Let's build the house on our own!
Morris: That's impossible, we can't do it by ourselves!
3. Rocky: No can do dat you!
Manuel: Can!
Translation:
Rocky: Hey, we can't do that! (because is physically or mentally impossible, or prohibited)
Pono: Oh yes we can!
See? No problem right? In our next blog, we'll be writing some of the blog in Pidgin only, so can test yourself to see how much you know.
On to our featured poet! Today our poetry comes from Nhu, who comes to us from Vietnam. Let's see her words as they come to life on our computer screens.
Maui's Beauty
Endless wind
On Towering Haleakala.
Sun's orange
As a ripe mango.
Coconut leaves sing
A summer song.
In the peaceful ocean
Gigantic humpbacks
Are acrobatic.
A green turtle dances
Next to a stingray
Under fresh sunshine.
Motherliness
Immense as Pacific Ocean.
Sweet as green spring.
A wake when a baby cries at night.
You worry when I fall down.
Always alongside me.
You give me fortitude and vigour.
Standing firm before ups and downs of life.
Smiling but prevents harm from my enemies.
Never stop learning.
When I have a first date.
You are excited more than me.
You wonder how that guy is.
When I study for exams.
I always have a hot bowl of soup or noodle.
I want to take care of you forever.
Mamma! you are not only a great mother.
You are a best teacher, and a good friends.
As you bask in the warmth of Nhu's poetry, I shall bid you adieu. But like always, we'll be back in the blink of an eye.
The Pidgin English in our last blog was rather long, so we'll give you a breather and make this lesson an easy one. I'm sure you'll understand and remember this word as soon as you finish reading this blog. That's because the meaning in both standard English and Pidgin are the same. The difference lies in how we use this word to construct a sentence. In fact, I think the way we use this word in Pidgin is actually easier than standard English. Let's jump right in and see what this new word is!
The word we will learn in this blog is "can." Not the type of can you put food in, but the verb meaning that you are able to do something. The reason why I said that this word is easier to use in Pidgin is because it can be used all by itself to convey a whole meaning. For example, in standard English, if someone asks you "Can you finish all of your homework by tomorrow?" If you are able to do this, a standard answer would be "Yes, I can do it." In Pidgin, all you need to do is say the word "can" and the meaning will be conveyed. What is probably even more useful is the phrase "no can" which means "I can't do it, or I am unable to do it." Let's look at some examples to ingrain this word into your permanent memory.
1. Alan: Ho, you can eat all dat by yourself?
Kawika: Can...garans I can grind um all!
Translation:
Alan: Wow, you can eat all of that food by yourself?
Kawika: Oh yea, I guarantee it.
2. Scott: We go build the house ourself!
Morris: No can! We no can do um by ourselves!
Translation:
Scott: Let's build the house on our own!
Morris: That's impossible, we can't do it by ourselves!
3. Rocky: No can do dat you!
Manuel: Can!
Translation:
Rocky: Hey, we can't do that! (because is physically or mentally impossible, or prohibited)
Pono: Oh yes we can!
See? No problem right? In our next blog, we'll be writing some of the blog in Pidgin only, so can test yourself to see how much you know.
On to our featured poet! Today our poetry comes from Nhu, who comes to us from Vietnam. Let's see her words as they come to life on our computer screens.
Maui's BeautyEndless wind
On Towering Haleakala.
Sun's orange
As a ripe mango.
Coconut leaves sing
A summer song.
In the peaceful ocean
Gigantic humpbacks
Are acrobatic.
A green turtle dances
Next to a stingray
Under fresh sunshine.
Motherliness
Immense as Pacific Ocean.
Sweet as green spring.
A wake when a baby cries at night.
You worry when I fall down.
Always alongside me.
You give me fortitude and vigour.
Standing firm before ups and downs of life.
Smiling but prevents harm from my enemies.
Never stop learning.
When I have a first date.
You are excited more than me.
You wonder how that guy is.
When I study for exams.
I always have a hot bowl of soup or noodle.
I want to take care of you forever.
Mamma! you are not only a great mother.
You are a best teacher, and a good friends.
As you bask in the warmth of Nhu's poetry, I shall bid you adieu. But like always, we'll be back in the blink of an eye.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Summer Fun in the Sun
Aloooooooha! Our summer session has just ended and our students are officially on summer vacation. We start our Fall I session on August 17th, so our students have a few weeks to unwind and enjoy the rest of the summer.
We also had a few students who completed our program and will be parting ways with us. While it's sad to say goodbye to our students, we are also filled with happiness and admiration knowing that they will continue to challenge themselves by pursuing their goals in life. Many of our former students have taken the skills and experience gained from the Maui Language Institute and are utilizing them in their everyday lives. We have students pursing college degrees at universities all over the world as well as former students who have jobs that use English.
As you all know by now, an MLI potluck always has great food and entertainment. It is a time for all of us to get together and celebrate the wonderful memories that we have made over the past few weeks with one another. The food was excellent as always. There was so much food that it was impossible to eat it all! Our students provided the entertainment by reading their poetry and showing us their storytelling skills. It was amazing to see how well the students performed in public! Their pronunciation was impressive and their enthusiasm was contagious.
Here's the Pidgin English for today! Today's lesson is about the word "stay." In English the word "stay" has several different meanings. It can mean to remain, to wait for, or even to take up residence. However, the word "stay" in Pidgin English can also take on a totally different meaning. It is usually used with the progressive tense of verbs (verb+ing) or adjectives to express a current situation or state. For example, when you want to ask someone what they are doing right now, you would say "what you stay doing?" This would be translated as "what are you doing right now?" While this sounds confusing, it is pretty easy to get the hang of. I think it will be easier to understand this concept by looking at a few examples.
1. Dave: Ho, what you stay doing?Alan: I stay eating.
Translation:
Dave: Hey what are you doing (right now)?
Alan: I'm eating (right now, at this very moment).
2. Micah: I stay hungry!
Joe: I stay hungry too, but I no can eat cause I stay broke!
Translation: Micah: I'm hungry!
Joe: I'm hungry too, but I can't buy anything to eat because I'm broke!
3. Jack: (Talking to Pat on his cell phone). Ho, where you stay?
Pat: I stay at the beach.
Translation:
Jack: Hey, where are you right now?
Pat: I'm at the beach (at this moment).
You'll hear this word used quite a lot among native speakers of Hawaii Pidgin English. Using this word correctly will make your Pidgin English sound very natural. So make sure you put this word into your Pidgin arsenal!Here's an important detail you should remember. Because "stay" is used to describe a current and ephemeral state, adjectives that describe a permanent or long-lasting state will sound a little funny. For example, adjectives that describes a person's natural appearance would sound strange because it's a relatively permanent situation. Thus, saying something like "She stay pretty" would sound a little weird. If you did say that, the underlying meaning would be "she is pretty NOW, but she wasn't pretty before/won't be pretty in the future."
Wow! That was quite a long Pidgin English lesson that we had today. But the word "stay" is such a useful word that it is worth explaining. It's that time again where we have come to the end of another blog. No worries! We'll be back in no time with more wonderful updates for you. Pau for now!
Monday, June 22, 2009
A Day at the Beach...
Hey hey hey! Howzit everyone?! We're back again with another blog update! Just this past week we went to the beautiful Kamaole III (a.k.a. Kam III) beach park for our field trip. We had some delicious BBQ, played some soccer, and relaxed on the beach. Here's a short video showing off some of our student's soccer skills.
There's something about the beaches on Maui that make you forget all of your troubles and relax as soon as your feet hit the sand. I also feel that Maui has the best sunsets in the world. What's even more amazing is that you can enjoy watching the sunset on the beaches of Maui virtually everyday since we have warm weather year-round. There's nothing like spending the day on a beautiful beach with good friends and good food.
Speaking of good food, today I would like to tell you a little bit about the local cuisine here in Hawaii. If you have ever been here before, then some of these dishes might sound familiar to you. While Hawaii has cuisine from all over the world, there are some things that are unique to us.
In a past blog, I talked a little bit about the plate lunches that we have here in Hawaii. A plate lunch is basically a main dish served with macaroni salad and rice, but there are countless variations to be found all over Hawaii. Plate lunches are sold virtually everywhere in Hawaii, so it's pretty hard to miss them. Standard items for plate lunches are teriyaki chicken or beef, Korean style BBQ short-ribs, and chicken katsu (breaded, deep-fried chicken filets).You can also find things like lemon caper mahi mahi and Hawaiian plates which consists of kalua pig (shredded pork traditionally cooked in an imu, or underground oven), lau lau (steamed pork wrapped in taro leaves), (lomi lomi salmon (a salad-like dish that consists of tomato, onions, and raw salted salmon), and poi. Many people have heard of poi, but only a few have taken the plunge and tasted it. Poi is mashed taro root which can vary in consistancy but generally has the viscosity of yogurt. Many people say that taste is rather bland, but is a great combination when eaten with other Hawaiian foods like lomi lomi salmon.
I can't leave today's blog without talking about a dish called "loco moco." A loco moco consists of juicy hamburger patties laid on a bed of rice, topped with sunny-side-up or over-easy eggs and rich gravy. This dish has even travel across the sea and has gained popularity in Japan. I actually ate it several times while I was studying abroad there. Although the Japanese version used either teriyaki or demi-glaze sauce instead of gravy. The buggah is mean!I don't know about you, but this blog has made me hungry! If you ever come to Maui be sure to try all of these delicious delicacies. I'm going to grab a bite to eat, but I'll be back in no time with another update to satisfy your cravings. Aloha for now!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Beauty of Words
Hello to everyone out there! I hope that this blog finds you in great health and the best of spirits.
Before we dive into more beautiful poetry, let’s have a quick Pidgin English lesson today. Here is a word that I'm sure you'll understand easily, since the meaning is similar in both formal English and Pidgin English. While there is a difference in usage, the biggest difference lies in the pronunciation. The word in standard English is "winner," but the word in Pidgin becomes "winna" or "winnas." Generally speaking, you would most likely say "winnas" to describe a noun. In fact, most of the time "winnas" is used to describe food as we will see in our examples.
Winnas - Amazing, great, it's a winner!
1. Joe: Ho how’s the food?
Larry: Ho the buggah is mean, especially the steak, it's winnas!
Translation: Joe: How does the food taste?
Larry: Oh it's really good, especially the steak, it's incredible!
2. Shaun: Ho I heard you wen go to dat new restaurant last night, how was? Fred: Ho was winnas!
Translation: Shaun: Hey I heard that you went to that new restaurant last night. How was it?
Fred: It was amazing!
On to our poetry! Today we will hear from our talented poet Ji Hun. So let’s get right into it with his poem called "The Girl."
The Girl
I don't know well about girls.
I can't feel some girl's minds.
You know why?
Because their mind looks like my mom.
You know why?
Because of their eyes seems like deeps rivers.
Even though we can't well speak.
I can feeling something about from your eyes.
Are you? ...
one of my favorite girls.
With that I shall wish you a farewell until we meet again...which will be soon so don't worry!
Before we dive into more beautiful poetry, let’s have a quick Pidgin English lesson today. Here is a word that I'm sure you'll understand easily, since the meaning is similar in both formal English and Pidgin English. While there is a difference in usage, the biggest difference lies in the pronunciation. The word in standard English is "winner," but the word in Pidgin becomes "winna" or "winnas." Generally speaking, you would most likely say "winnas" to describe a noun. In fact, most of the time "winnas" is used to describe food as we will see in our examples.
Winnas - Amazing, great, it's a winner!
1. Joe: Ho how’s the food?
Larry: Ho the buggah is mean, especially the steak, it's winnas!
Translation: Joe: How does the food taste?
Larry: Oh it's really good, especially the steak, it's incredible!
2. Shaun: Ho I heard you wen go to dat new restaurant last night, how was? Fred: Ho was winnas!
Translation: Shaun: Hey I heard that you went to that new restaurant last night. How was it?
Fred: It was amazing!
On to our poetry! Today we will hear from our talented poet Ji Hun. So let’s get right into it with his poem called "The Girl."
The GirlI don't know well about girls.
I can't feel some girl's minds.
You know why?
Because their mind looks like my mom.
You know why?
Because of their eyes seems like deeps rivers.
Even though we can't well speak.
I can feeling something about from your eyes.
Are you? ...
one of my favorite girls.
With that I shall wish you a farewell until we meet again...which will be soon so don't worry!
Poetry in Motion
Hello again! Welcome back to another blog filled with more Pidgin English lessons and creative poetry by our MLI students. So let’s get right to it! Today's Pidgin English lesson covers a phrase which is actually used all over the world. However, the accent and usage is slightly different. The phrase I am talking about is "for real," or in Hawaii it would be pronounced "fo real?” or even “fo reals?
Fo real? - Really? Are you serious? Are you sure? Is that so
1. Jack: Ho I found 100 bucks on the ground today! Pat: Ho no ways! Fo real?!?
2. Jack: Ho you heard that Dave going get married? Pat: What?!? Fo reals?
Now lets move on to our talented poets! Today we will featuring the the poetry of Akiko, who comes from Japan. Here's Akiko!
Mother Island
The soft wind in Maui
Breathes arounds us tenderly
Beautiful birds signing
The wind carries the birdsong
The ocean illuminates in seven colors
It lights up our heart
The sounds of the wave
Is like a beating heart
Giving us the power to live
Mother Island Maui
Miso Soup of Love
You wake up earlier than anyone
I wake up to sounds of cooking
From the kitchen
You cook different kind of miso soup
Everyday
It tastes of mother's tenderness
I learned how to cook miso soup
From you
Someday, I'll cook it
For my beloved somebody
:) I can't think of a better way to end this blog. So see you all again soon! Aloha!
Fo real? - Really? Are you serious? Are you sure? Is that so
1. Jack: Ho I found 100 bucks on the ground today! Pat: Ho no ways! Fo real?!?
2. Jack: Ho you heard that Dave going get married? Pat: What?!? Fo reals?
Now lets move on to our talented poets! Today we will featuring the the poetry of Akiko, who comes from Japan. Here's Akiko!
Mother Island
The soft wind in Maui
Breathes arounds us tenderly
Beautiful birds signing
The wind carries the birdsong
The ocean illuminates in seven colors
It lights up our heart
The sounds of the wave
Is like a beating heart
Giving us the power to live
Mother Island Maui
Miso Soup of Love
You wake up earlier than anyone
I wake up to sounds of cooking
From the kitchen
You cook different kind of miso soup
Everyday
It tastes of mother's tenderness
I learned how to cook miso soup
From you
Someday, I'll cook it
For my beloved somebody
:) I can't think of a better way to end this blog. So see you all again soon! Aloha!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Hayeon's Haiku
Here's another amazing piece of poetry for you to enjoy. Hayeon is a beginning level Korean student at MLI who loves to read English poetry. She recently wrote her first Haiku.
An old tree stood long
Without breath, without no leaves
A swallow come sing.
It's beautiful isn't it? There will be more great updates with poetry and pictures, so stay tuned and we'll see you soon. Aloha!
An old tree stood longWithout breath, without no leaves
A swallow come sing.
It's beautiful isn't it? There will be more great updates with poetry and pictures, so stay tuned and we'll see you soon. Aloha!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Poetry
Aloha! I'm excited to say that we have a special treat for all of you out there. Over the course of the next few blogs, we will be showcasing a few of our students and the poetry that they wrote in our classes here at the MLI.
But first, let's learn some new Pidgin! Here are a couple of words that can be used to describe something that you like a lot or that you think is great, like our students’ poetry! The word we will learn today is "mean." I bet that the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word "mean" is someone who is not nice. However, it can have another completely different meaning.
Mean - Awesome, great, fantastic, amazing.
1. John: How was da concert last night?
Mike: Ho, was mean!
Translation: John: How was the concert last night?
Mike: It was amazing!
2. John: Hey I just when cook this, try try um...hows?
Mike: Ho, the buggah is mean!
Translation: John: Hey I just cooked this, can you taste it for me? How is it?
Mike: Wow, it's fantastic!
Now on to some of our “mean” poetry! Our first poet hails fromJapan Oa hu . So without further ado, here's Kazuya!
My sweet hometown
I smell the warm heart in Komobuchi.
"Hello" can be heard all around.
I smile in return.
"Good bye" can be heard all around.
I come back and say "I am home" in return.
Bright English
It's too bright to see.
Still I have a desire to grab it.
Always she escapes from me.
Knowing it's hard to get.
Someday I will catch up with her.
Ho that was mean, ah? We'll be back with more Pidgin English updates and great poets soon, so stay tuned. See ya for now. Peace!
But first, let's learn some new Pidgin! Here are a couple of words that can be used to describe something that you like a lot or that you think is great, like our students’ poetry! The word we will learn today is "mean." I bet that the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word "mean" is someone who is not nice. However, it can have another completely different meaning.
Mean - Awesome, great, fantastic, amazing.
1. John: How was da concert last night?
Mike: Ho, was mean!
Translation: John: How was the concert last night?
Mike: It was amazing!
2. John: Hey I just when cook this, try try um...hows?
Mike: Ho, the buggah is mean!
Translation: John: Hey I just cooked this, can you taste it for me? How is it?
Mike: Wow, it's fantastic!
Now on to some of our “mean” poetry! Our first poet hails from
My sweet hometown
I smell the warm heart in Komobuchi.
"Hello" can be heard all around.
I smile in return.
"Good bye" can be heard all around.
I come back and say "I am home" in return.
Bright English
It's too bright to see.
Still I have a desire to grab it.
Always she escapes from me.
Knowing it's hard to get.
Someday I will catch up with her.
Ho that was mean, ah? We'll be back with more Pidgin English updates and great poets soon, so stay tuned. See ya for now. Peace!
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