--- title: Polynesian Language — Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology) · full text with trees description: Polynesian Language, «Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology)» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: “A few words should be added on the peculiar genius and structure of the Polynesian language in general and of the Hawaiian dial --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/31/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mytholo…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/) / Polynesian Language # Polynesian Language Polynesian Language of «Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology)» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole text, 63 sentences and 1025 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. “A few words should be added on the peculiar genius and structure of the Polynesian language in general and of the Hawaiian dialect in particular.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") It is the law of all Polynesian languages that every word and syllable must end in a vowel, so that no two consonants are ever heard without a vowel sound between them.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Most of the radical words are dissyllables, and the accent is generally on the penult.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") The Polynesian ear is as nice in marking the slightest variations in vowel sound as it is dull in distinguishing consonants.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") The vocabulary of the Hawaiian is probably richer than that of most other Polynesian tongues.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Its child-like and primitive character is shown by the absence of abstract words and general terms.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") As has been well observed by M. Gaussin, there are three classes of words, corresponding to as many different stages of language: first, those that express sensations; second, images; third, abstract ideas.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Not only are names wanting for the more general abstractions, such as space, nature, fate, etc., but there are very few generic terms.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") For example there is no generic term for animal, expressing the whole class of living creatures or for insects or for colors.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") At the same time it abounds in specific names and in nice distinctions.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") So in the Hawaiian everything that relates to their every-day life or to the natural objects with which they are conversant is expressed with a vivacity, a minuteness and nicety of coloring which cannot be reproduced in a foreign tongue.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus the Hawaiian was very rich in terms for every variety of cloud.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") It has names for every species of plant on the mountains or fish in the sea, and is peculiarly copious in terms relating to the ocean, the surf and waves.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") For whatever belonged to their religions, their handicrafts or their amusements, their vocabulary was most copious and minute.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Almost every stick in a native house had its appropriate name.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Hence it abounds in synonyms which are such only in appearance, i.e., “to be broken” as a stick is ‘haki,’ as a string is ‘moku,’ as a dish ‘naha,’ as a wall ‘hina.’[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Besides the language of every-day life, there was a style appropriate to oratory and another to religion and poetry.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") The above-mentioned characteristics make it a pictorial and expressive language.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") It still has the freshness of childhood.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Its words are pictures rather than colorless and abstract symbols of ideas, and are redolent of the mountain, the forest and the surf.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") However it has been and is successfully used to express the abstractions of mathematics, of English law, and of theology.”[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") “The Hawaiian is but a dialect of the great Polynesian language, which is spoken with extraordinary uniformity over all the numerous islands of the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and Hawaii.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Again, the Polynesian language is but one member of that wide-spread family of languages, known as the Malayo-Polynesian or Oceanic family, which extends from Madagascar to the Hawaiian Islands and from New Zealand to Formosa.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") The Hawaiian dialect is peculiarly interesting to the philologist from its isolated position, being the most remote of the family from its primeval seat in Southeastern Asia, and leading the van with the Malagasy in the rear.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") We believe the Hawaiian to be the most copious and expressive, as well as the richest in native traditional history and poetry.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Dr. Reinhold Forster, the celebrated naturalist of Captain Cook’s second voyage, drew up a table containing 47 words taken from 11 Oceanic dialects and the corresponding terms in Malay, Mexican, Peruvian and Chilian.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") From this table he inferred that the Polynesian languages afford many analogies with the Malay while they present no point of contact with the American.”[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Baron William von Humboldt, the distinguished statesman and scholar, showed that the Tagala, the leading language of the Philippine Islands, is by far the richest and most perfect of these languages.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") “It possesses,” he says, “all the forms collectively of which particular ones are found singly in other dialects; and it has preserved them all with very trifling exceptions unbroken and in entire harmony and symmetry.”[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") The languages of the Oceanic region have been divided into six great groups; i.e., the Polynesian; the Micronesian; the Melanesian or Papuan; the Australian; the Malaysian; the Malagasy.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Many examples might be given if they were needed to illustrate the connection of these languages.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The Polynesian is an ancient and primitive member of the Malay family.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") The New Zealand dialect is the most primitive and entire in its forms.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") The Hawaiians, Marquesans and Tahitians form a closely related group by themselves.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") For example, the Marquesan converts are using Hawaiian books and the people of the Austral Islands read the Tahitian Bible.”[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") The above was written by W. D. Alexander in Honolulu in 1865, author of the “History of the Hawaiian Islands” as preface to Andrew’s Dictionary.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") NOTES[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") \[1\] Hale-a-ka-la must be classed as an active volcano from evidences of prehistoric fires although long extinct, but the author gives these stories in another book, “Legends of Maui.”[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") \[2\] These are the lava stumps easily visited by any lover of the curious who journeys to Kilauea.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") \[3\] Ohia ha or Paihi = Syzygium.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") Ohia-lehua = Metrosideros polymorpha sandwicense.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") \[4\] Hala or Lahala = Pandanus adoratissimus.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") \[5\] Metrosideros polymorpha.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") \[6\] Columbrina oppositifolia.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") \[7\] Pule anana.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") \[8\] See “Home of the Ancestors,” Part II., Legends of Ghosts and Ghost-Gods.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") \[9\] Cordyline terminalis.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") \[10\] Same as Lahala or Puhala, Pandanus adoratissimus.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") \[11\] See Appendix, “Hula.”[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") \[12\] Alyxia olivœformis.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") \[13\] Cordyline terminalis.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") \[14\] Ohia ai = Jambosa Malacrensis.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") Ohia Ha = Syzygium Sandwicense.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") \[15\] Piper methysticum.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") \[16\] One ohia tree is supposed to bear apples, another flowers only, the flowers being called lehua.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") There is much confusion in regard to these two trees even among botanists.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") \[17\] Smilax Sandwicensis.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") \[18\] Ti or ki or lauki, Cordyline terminalis.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") \[19\] Native ulu = Artocarpus incisa.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") \[20\] Cocos nucifera.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") \[21\] Vaccinium penduliformis—var. reticulatum.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") \[22\] Plants used for kapa were wauke, olona, mamaki, poulu, akala, hau, maaloa, and the mulberry.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") \[23\] Tree fern—Cibotium Menziesii.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Partial List Hawaiian Terms Used](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/30/) - ↑ back to [Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/)