Piapa
- 2. There are 5 vowels and 8 consonants in the pī`āpā (Hawaiian alphabet). NĀ WOELA (vowels): A E I O U NĀ KONEKA (consonants): H e K e L a M u N u P i W e ` okina
- 3. ʻOKINA The ʻokina is a glottal stop. In other words, the ʻokina cuts or separates vowel sounds. ʻ is the appropriate mark for an ʻokina (looks like an open-ended quote). ’ (an apostrophe) is not acceptable as it serves a different function. Listen to the difference in the following pairs of words: hao ha`o koe ko`e kou ko`u mai ma`i
- 4. ʻOKINA Value the ʻokina like you would value any other letter of the pī`āpā Note that some speakers place ʻokina where they aren’t kēia (this) keʻia kēʻia
- 5. KAHAKŌ The kahakō (-) elongates the vowel over which it is placed. Listen to the difference in the following pairs of words: no nō uliuli `ulī`ulī maka māka kala kālā Function and intent are different Haaloa vs. Hāloa `oopuu vs. `ōpū
- 6. IMPORTANCE OF `OKINA & KAHAKŌ Omission or unnecessary inclusion of ‘okina or kahakō can drastically change the meaning of a word as in the following example: pau completed, done, finished pa`u soot pa`ū moist, damp pā`ū skirt kala a type of fish kālā money ka lā the sun
- 7. SPELLING WORDS OUT IN HAWAIIAN LANI la-a-nu-i KEKOA ke-e-ke-o-a `AO`AO `okina-a-o-`okina-a-o LI`ILI`I la-i-`okina-i -la-i-`okina -i `ĀPANA `okina-a-kō-pi-a-nu-a KĪWĪ ki-i-kō-we-i-kō
- 8. FOUR SPELLING RULES Every word must have at least 1 vowel. No consonant clusters (such as pl, mk, nw, `h). Keep in mind that this applies to the `okina also, because it is considered a consonant. Words cannot end in a consonant (including the `okina). Every word must end in a vowel. A kahakō can only occur over a vowel.