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Language Introduction

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Smithy Briand at the helm of the yacht Seal. Photo: Karen Earnshaw

Smithy Briand at the helm of the yacht Seal. Photo: Karen Earnshaw

After living in the Marshalls off and on for 15 years, the number of Marshallese words and phrases I know and use are pathetically few. ‘Hello’, ‘how are you?’,’ see you tomorrow’ and ‘can I have another glass of white wine’ are about the limit. This is for four reasons: I’m lousy at learning new languages; I’ve spent little time working at it; the language bears little resemblance to anything my ear has ever heard; you can almost always find someone who can understand English. That said, most volunteer teachers who fly off to an outer island come back for the Christmas break four months later fluent in Marshallese (damn it). But, like many cultures, ri-Majol (Marshallese people) love it if you at least try to wrap your mouth around their language, so below are a few words and phrases to get you going. The voice you will hear belongs to former Majuro Hospital employee Smithy Briand, who was happily ‘kidnapped’ from the Marshall Islands by Australian volunteer Virginia and now lives in New South Wales.

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Hello: Yokwe

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 Yes: Aet

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No: Jaab

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Thank you: Kommol

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Thank you very much: Kommoltata

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One, two, three, four, five, six: Juon, ruo, jilu, emen, lalim, jiljino

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Please give me: Jouj im leitok

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How much?: Jete wonan

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It’s good: Emman

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It’s no good: Enana

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It’s not bad: Ejab nana

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Again: Bar

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One more: Bar juon

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Two  more: Bar ruo

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Good looking woman: Likatu

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Good looking man: Lakatu

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(In a taxi/bus) Please stop here: (Ilowaanjuon taxi/bus) Jouj im bwij rakijin

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How old are you?: Jete am iio?

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Afternoon: Raelep

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Evening: Jota

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Morning: Jibon

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See you tomorrow: Bar lo yok ilju

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 See you tomorrow morning: Bar lo yok ilju jibon

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Do you have any drinking coconuts?: Elon ke limom ni?

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Is this water okay to drink?: Emmon ke dren in non idaak?

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Do you have a bathroom I can use?: Elon ke am imon kobojak imaronin kojerbale?

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May we walk around your island?: Jemaron ke etetal ion ene in eneem?

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What is your name?: Etan et eo etam?

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My name is …: Eta in …