The Hawaiian Alphabet

Thero are but 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet. These, with their proannciations, are: A (ah), e (a), o (o as in ho), u (oo), h (hay), k (kay), 1 (la), m (moo), n (noo), p (pay), and w (vay). The missionaries added a thirteenth, t, jut the natives won't have it, and con;inue to prononnce, for instance, the name of. the root frorn which poi is made "kara, " although the missionaries have it "tara.' Every vowel in a word is distinctly sounded, except that the vowels "ai" are sounded "i," as in English. Waikiki, the beach in Honoluln, is properly pronounced "Vikeekee. " There is a great difference in the speech of the high and low caste natives. The first caJl their island Ejroup "Ha-va-ee-ee, " and the latter begin it all right with "Ha, " but conclude with a guttural grunt, and the word heard most, "Aloha, " sounds soft and beautiful on the lips of the first, but is a lazy, good natured grunt as the latter speak it. Aloha is in their limited vocabnlary at once a greeting and f arewell, a formal expression of regard and of deep love. In the latter case it is increasec in warmth and depth of meaning by modifying adjectives annexed insteac of prefixed, as "Aloha nui, " "Aloha nui loa," or even "Aloha nui loa keal" - and then it is time to speak to papa.