Why do Hawaiian names have apostrophes?

You will often notice what appears to be a backward apostrophe inserted in the middle of Hawaiian words such as Lana’i and Ka’anapali. This marking is known as the okina, and rather than letting it confuse you even further, use the okina to help in determining the proper pronunciation.

Is there an apostrophe in Hawaiian?

Two symbols appear frequently in Hawaiian words… the ‘Okina and the Kahakō. These two symbols change how words are pronounced. The ‘Okina is the apostrophe mark and is a glottal stop – or a brief break in the word.

Are apostrophes allowed in names?

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide To show possession using an apostrophe, add ‘s for individuals (“Smith’s car”) and just the apostrophe after the s for plurals (“the Smiths’ car”). If a family name ends with an s or z, you can choose to use just the apostrophe (“the Williams’ dog”) or ‘s (“the Williams’s dog”).

What do apostrophes mean in names?

Answer: the apostrophe is an English way of writing the original name, and its a way of writing the accent over the ‘O’. So it should be a separate word, instead of an apostrophe. Name: James O’Brien.

What is okina Hawaiian?

In spoken Hawaiian, the ‘ (okina) indicates a glottal stop, or clean break between vowels. The ¯ (kahako), or macron typographically represented as a bar above the letter, as in ā. The macron over a vowel indicates a longer accentuation in pronunciation of the vowel that it appears over.

Is it Kauai or KAUA I?

Kauaʻi, (Hawaiian: [kɐwˈwɐʔi]) anglicized as Kauai (English: /kaʊˈaɪ(i)/ kow-EYE(-ee)), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest island in the United States.

Is an okina an apostrophe?

The ʻokina is not an apostrophe. An apostrophe is shaped like a number nine with a tail that curls left. An ‘okina is like a number six whose top slants to the right. And yes, it is perfectly acceptible to use an ʻokina in close proximity to an apostrophe, as in: Hawaiʻi’s.

Do two names have apostrophes?

When two or more people separately own the same type of thing, you should add an apostrophe after each person’s name. If two or more people jointly own something, you should treat them as a single “subject” and you only need one apostrophe.

What does kahakō mean in Hawaiian?

The kahako is a macron, which lengthens and adds stress to the marked vowel. For example ‘pau,’ depending on placement of ‘okina and kahako, can mean completed, smudge, moist or skirt. The State of Hawai’i and University of Hawai’i strongly encourage use of Hawaiian diacritical markings. (See UH Style Guide.)

How do you pronounce Kaua?

How do you pronounce Kaua`i? The right pronunciation of Kaua`i, is similar to pronouncing the sounds ‘cow-wa-ee’ with the ‘cow’ and the ‘wa’ flowing together and a glottal stop before pronouncing the ‘ee,’ which is why the okina is included.

What does shaka brah?

Oct 16, 2017. With its origins shrouded in mystery, the shaka has become one of Hawaii’s hallmark gestures. The base concept is simple: extend your pinkie and thumb while curling your pointer, middle and ring fingers. Boom! You’ve got yourself a shaka.

Do you put an okina in Hawaiian?

The contemporary written Hawaiian language uses two diacritical markings as pronunciation guides, primarily for non-native speakers: The ‘ (okina), which is typographically represented as a reversed apostrophe.