o-places

Is it Hah-wah-ee or Hah-vah-ee?
Say it Right. Spell it Right.

Neither is correct!

Surprised? I was. I'd been mispronouncing it Hah-wah- ee, all my life! Ha wai' ee or Hah vai' ee are the CORRECT pronunciations, with the diphthong, "ai", which sounds like the "i" in "bite" or "Viking".

Perhaps, like me, you've unknowingly "slaughtered" the pronunciations of our place names. Hey, we didn't know any better. Let's not beat ourselves up. Now we know better.

One day, proper and due respect will be accorded our language, especially with the names of our wahi pana (cherished places). I envision a time when names on street signs, maps, and newspapers are accurately spelled with `okina and kahakô, and correctly pronounced by radio and TV personalities, newscasters, flight attendants, tour guides, and other public speakers. In the meantime, let us become gentle educators, prodding others into "correctness" with our aloha.

We can make a difference.

Sources:
Pukui, Mary Kawena & Elbert, Samuel H., Hawaiian Dictionary, Revised and Enlarged Edition, University Of Hawai`i Press, Honolulu, 1986.
Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H., & Mookini, Esther T, PLACE NAMES OF HAWAI`I, University of Hawai`i Press, Honolulu, 1974.

Pronunciation Guide

Index

Nâ Moku Hawai`i Hawaiian Islands
Ni`ihau	Lana`i
Kaua`i	Maui
O`ahu	Kaho`olawe
Moloka`i	Hawai`i

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Ka`Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `Ole Mispronunciation
Ni`ihau	[nee ee hau']	[nee' how]
Pu`uwai heart	[poo oo vai']	[poo' vai]

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Ka`Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `ole Mispronunciation
Kaua`i	[kau (w)ah' ee]	[kah wai'] [cow eye]
Lîhu`e cold chill	[LEE hoo eh]	[lee hooey] [lay hoo ee]
Hanalei crescent bay	[hah nah lei ']	[han' nah lay]
Hanapêpê crushed bay	[hah nah PEH' PEH']	[han' nah pay pay]
Kapa`a the solid	[kah pah' ah]	[kah PAH']
Kôke`e to bend or to wind	[KOH' keh eh]	[KOH' KEH']
Nâ Pali the cliffs	[NAH' pah' lee]	[nah pah' lee]
Po`ipû overcast, crashing	[poh ee POO']	[poy' poo]
Wai`ale`ale rippling water or overflowing water	[wai' ah leh ah leh]	[why alley alley] Mountain (5080 ft), mean annual rainfall: 476 inches.
Waimea reddish water	[wai' meh (y)ah]	[why mee' ah]

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Ka`Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `Ole Mispronunciation
O`ahu	[oh ah' hoo]	[oh wah' hoo]
`Aiea Nothocestrum tree	[ai' (y)eh (y)ah]	[ai eh' ah]
`Âina Haina Hind's land, named for the part-Hawaiian Hind family	[AH' (y)ee nah hai' nah]	[ai' nah hai' nah]
Ala Moana (open) ocean street	[ah' lah moh (w)ah' nah]	[al' ley mow wan' nah]
Hau`ula red hau tree	[hau' oo lah]	[hah OO lah] [hah oo oo lah]
Honolulu sheltered bay	[hoh' noh loo' loo]	[hah' nah loo loo] [han' nah lew lew]
`Iolani royal hawk (the high flight of the hawk signified royalty)	[ee' (y)oh lah' nee]	[ee oh lah' nee] Royal palace, named after King Kamehameha IV (Alexander `Iolani)
Ka`a`awa the wrasse fish	[kah' ah ah' vah]	[kah ah' vah] [KAH' vah]
Kaimukî the ti oven	[kai moo KEE']	[kai moo' kee]
Kahalâ amberjack fish	[kah hah LAH']	[kah hah' lah]
Kailua two seas	[kai' loo (w)ah]	[kai loo' ah]
Ka`iulani the royal sacred height	[kah iu' lah nee] "iu" diphthong sounds like "ew" in the word, few.	[kai lah' nee] Avenue, hotel, for Princess Ka`iulani (1875-1899), niece of King Kalâkaua
Kalâkaua the day (of) battle	[kah LAH' kau (w)ah]	[kah lah kah' wah] Avenue, parkway named for King Kalâkaua (1836-1891)
Kalaniana`ole the royal chief without measure	[kah lah' nee ah' nah oh' leh]	[kah lah nee an' na oh lee] Highway named for Prince Jonah Kûhiô Kalaniana`ole
Kamehameha the lonely	[kah meh' hah meh' hah]	[kah me ah me ah] NEVER: [kam]
Kâne`ohe bamboo husband (according to one account, a woman compared her husband's cruelty to the cutting edge of a bamboo knife)	[KAH' neh oh' heh]	[can nee oh' hee] [kah' neh oh' heh]
Kapi`olani the arch (of) heaven (rainbows signified the presence of royalty	[kah pih' oh lah' nee]	[kap' pee oh lan' nee] [kah pyo lah nee] Park / Boulevard is named for Queen Kapi`olani, (1834-1899) wife of King Kalâkaua
Kawaiaha`o water used by Ha`o, a chiefess who bathed in a nearby spring	[kah wai' ah hah' oh]	[kah wai' how] Church in Honolulu
Ke`eaumoku Street in Honolulu, named for a Maui chief	[keh' eh (y)au moh' koo]	[kay yow' moh koo]
Kemo`o the lizard	[keh moh' oh]	[KEE MOO]
Ko`olau windward	[koh oh lau']	[koh lau']
Lâ`ie leaf of the `ie	[LAH' ee (y)eh]	[lai' yeh] [lah ee' eh]
Lanikai sea heaven, marine heaven Developers believed it meant "heavenly sea", but in Hawaiian, the adjective follows the noun, and hence this less poetic meaning	[lah nee kai']	[lanny kai]
Likelike glowing	[lee' keh lee' keh]	[leaky leaky] [like like] Highway named for Princess Miriam Likelike (1851-1887), younger sister of King Kalâkaua
Mâ`ili pebbly	[MAH' ee lee]	[my' lee] [my' lay]
Mâkaha fierce	[MAH' kah hah]	[mah kah' hah]
Makapu`u hill beginning or bulging eye	[mah' kah poo' oo]	[mah kah poo']
Mânoa vast	[MAH' noh (w)ah]	[mah know' ah]
Mô`ili`ili pebble lizard	[MOH' ee lee ee lee]	[moi' lih lih] [moh' ee lih lih]
Mokulê`ia	[moh koo LEH' ee (y)ah]	[moh koo lay' yah]
Nânâkuli look (at the) knee or look deaf	[NAH' NAH' koo lee]	[nah nah koo' lee]
Nu`uanu cool height	[noo' oo (w)ah' noo]	[noo' ah noo] [noo' wah noo]
Pâlolo clay	[PAH' loh loh]	[pah low' low]
Pipeline	[pee' peh lee' neh] *	[pipe line]
Punahou new spring	[poo nah hou']	[pun' nah hoe] [poo nah hoh']
Punalu`u coral dived for; diving spring	[poo' nah loo' oo]	[poo nah loo']
Wai`alae mudhen water	[wai' ah lae']	[wai' lai] [why lie]
Wahiawâ milkfish place	[wah hee (y)ah WAH]	[wah hee ah wah'] [wah hee wah']
Wai`anae mullet fish	[wai ah nae']	[wai ' nai']
Waikîkî spouting water	[wai KEE' KEE']	[wai kih kih'] [wah kee kee]

*Joke, joke. I couldn't resist. It is pipeline [pipe' line]. J

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Ka `Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `Ole Mispronunciation
Moloka`i	[moh' loh kah' ee]	[moh loh' kai] [moll' low kai]
Kaunakakai beach landing	[kau' nah kah kai']	[kah' nah kah kai']
Hâlawa curve	[HAH' lah vah]	[hah lah vah]
Ho`olehua acting the expert	[hoh' oh leh hoo' (w)ah]	[HOH' leh hoo ah] [hoh lay hoo' ah]
`Ili`ili`ôpae stones shrimp	[ee' lee ee' lee OH' pae]	[ee lee lee oh pai'] Largest, oldest heiau on Moloka`i
Kalaupapa the flat plain	[kah lau' pah pah]	[kah' lah pah' pah]
Kaluako`i the adze pits	[kah loo' (w)ah koh' ee]	[kah loo ah koi']

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Ka`Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `Ole Mispronunciation
Lâna`i day of conquest	[LAH' nah ee]	[lah nai']
Lâna`i City	[LAH' nah ee si' ti]	[lah nai' si ti]
Kô`ele dark sugar cane	[KOH' eh leh]	[koh eh' leh]
Mânele sedan chair	[MAH' neh leh]	[mah ney' lee] [man nel' lee]

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Ka `Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `Ole Mispronunciation
Maui Originally, Mâui, for the demigod	[mau' (w)ee]	[mah' wee]
Haleakalâ house (used / acquired) by the sun)	[hah leh ah kah LAH']	[halley ah' kah lah] [hal' eh ah' kah lah]
Hâli`imaile strewn maile	[HAH' lee ee mai leh]	[hai' lee mai' lee] [hi lee my lee]
Hâna alert	[HAH' nah]	[hah' nah] [han' nah]
Honokôhau bay drawing dew	[hoh noh KOH' hau]	[hoh' noh koh' how]
Kâ`anapali division cliff	[KAH' ah nah pah lee]	[KAH' nah pah lee] [can' nah pal' lee]
Kahului the winning	[kah hoo lui']	[kah hoo loo' wee]
Kîhei cape, cloak	[KEE' hei]	[kee' hey] [kee' hay]
Lahaina Originally, Lâhainâ, day of cruelty or cruel sun	[lah hai' nah] Originally, [LAH' hai NAH']
Nâpili the joinings or pili grass	[NAH' pee lee]	[nah pee lee]
Pâ`ia noisy	[PAH' ee (y)ah]	[pah EE' ah] [pie' yah]

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Ka`Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `Ole Mispronunciation
Kaho`olawe	[kah' hoh oh lah' veh]	[kah' hoh lah' veh]

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Ka `Ôlelo Hawai`i Hawaiian Language	Ka Puana Pololei * Pronunciation	Ka Puana Pololei `Ole Mispronunciation
Hawai`i	[hah wai' ee] or [hah vai' ee]	[hah wah' ee] [hah vah' ee] [hah wai' yah] [hah' wai]
Hâwî	[HAH' VEE']	[hah' vee]
Hilo	[hee' loh]	[hee' low] [hi low]
Honoka`a rolling (as stones) bay	[hoh' noh kah' ah]	[hoh noh KAH]
Honoli`i little valley	[hoh' noh lee' ee]	[hoh noh lee']
Ka`û	[kah OO']	[kah oo'] [cow]
Kawaihae the pool of wrath	[kah wai' hae']	[kah wah hai']
Kea`au	[ke (y)ah au']	[kay yow']
Keâhole the âhole fish	[keh (Y)AH' hoh leh]	[keh ah hoh' lay]
Keaukaha the passing current	[keh (y)au' kah hah]	[kyo' kah hah]
Kona leeward	[koh' nah]	[kou' nah]
Lili`uokalani smarting of the high-born one At the time of Lili`u's birth, her foster mother's aunt, Kînau, was suffering from eye pain; hence the name.	[lee lee oo' (w)oh kah lah nee]	[lee lee oh' kah lah nee] [Lilly oh kah lanny] Park in Hilo named for Queen Lili`uokalani (1838-1917), last queen of Hawai`i
Mauna Kea white mountain	[mau' nah keh' (y)ah]	[mah' nah kee' yah]
Nâ`âlehu the volcanic ashes	[NAH' AH' leh hoo]	[NAH' leh hoo]
Nâpô`opo`o the holes	[NAH' POH' oh poh oh]	[nah POH' POH']
`Opihikâô crowd (gathering) limpets	[oh pee hee KAH' OH']	[oh pee hee kow']
Pâhoa dagger	[PAH' hoh (w)ah]	[pah hoh' ah]
Pâhala cultivation by burning mulch	[PAH' hah lah]	[pah hah' lah]
Pu`uloa long hill	[poo' oo loh' (w)ah]	[POO' loh ah] Old name for Queen's Bath, now covered with lava, Puna district
Waiâkea broad waters	[wai AH' keh (y)ah]	[wai kay' ah]
Waiânuenue rainbow (seen in) water	[wai AH' noo (w)eh noo (w)eh]	[wai' nui nui] Old name for Rainbow Falls / Avenue in Hilo
Waimea reddish water	[wai' meh (y)ah]	[wai mee' ah]
Waipi`o curved water	[wai' pee oh]	[wai pee' yoh]

Some of these place names are ancient, with lost origins
and meanings, and therefore without translations.

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Subtleties:

Sound out the diphthongs, which are blended vowel sounds. Hawaiian is not for the "slack jawed". Your mouth must move to sound the second vowel sound!

ROUND out those "ou" and "au" sounds. Wrap your mouth around these sounds, e.g., kau is not [kah] and kou is not [koh].

STRETCH your mouth to sound the "ai", e.g., wai is not [wah].

Resist changing the sounds, e.g., Kawaihae is [kah wai hae], not [kah wai hai].

Resist separating the sounds, e.g, Kahului is [kah hoo lui], not [kah hoo loo ee].

Especially resist English-izing Hawaiian. Hâna is not "Hannah". Kaua`i is not "cow eye". Honolulu is not "Hon nah lew lew", but more staccato-like, [hoh noh loo loo]. Hawaiian is beautiful in its own right. Let us not "prettify" it to suit the Western ear.

When two vowels (which are not diphthongs) are adjacent to one another, there is a subtle "w" or "y" sound which bridges their sounds, e.g., Pâhoa is [PAH' ho (w)ah] and not, [PAH hoh' ah] and Waimea is [wai' meh (y)ah] and not, [wai meh' ah].

Watch those `okina, " `", which denote a distinct separation of vowel sounds. Do not blend vowel sounds separated by an `okina, e.g., O`ahu is [oh ah' hoo], not [oh wah' hoo] and Pô`ipu is [POH' ee poo], not [poy' poo].