Language Introduction
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.
Audio PlayerHello: Yokwe
Audio PlayerYes: Aet
Audio PlayerNo: Jaab
Audio PlayerThank you: Kommol
Audio PlayerThank you very much: Kommoltata
Audio PlayerOne, two, three, four, five, six: Juon, ruo, jilu, emen, lalim, jiljino
Audio PlayerPlease give me: Jouj im leitok
Audio PlayerHow much?: Jete wonan
Audio PlayerIt’s good: Emman
Audio PlayerIt’s no good: Enana
Audio PlayerIt’s not bad: Ejab nana
Audio PlayerAgain: Bar
Audio PlayerOne more: Bar juon
Audio PlayerTwo more: Bar ruo
Audio PlayerGood looking woman: Likatu
Audio PlayerGood looking man: Lakatu
Audio Player(In a taxi/bus) Please stop here: (Ilowaanjuon taxi/bus) Jouj im bwij rakijin
Audio PlayerHow old are you?: Jete am iio?
Audio PlayerAfternoon: Raelep
Audio PlayerEvening: Jota
Audio PlayerMorning: Jibon
Audio PlayerSee you tomorrow: Bar lo yok ilju
Audio PlayerSee you tomorrow morning: Bar lo yok ilju jibon
Audio PlayerDo you have any drinking coconuts?: Elon ke limom ni?
Audio PlayerIs this water okay to drink?: Emmon ke dren in non idaak?
Audio PlayerDo you have a bathroom I can use?: Elon ke am imon kobojak imaronin kojerbale?
Audio PlayerMay we walk around your island?: Jemaron ke etetal ion ene in eneem?
Audio PlayerWhat is your name?: Etan et eo etam?
Audio PlayerMy name is …: Eta in …
