June/July 2004

Volume 44, Number 6

Even vacation can't vanquish my vocation

by Kristy Astry

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. At first sight, this Hawaiian name dismays even the most avid wordsmith. However, it becomes more manageable once you break it down into its syllables: Hu mu hu mu nu ku nu ku a pu a'a. It's pronounced hoo moo hoo moo noo koo noo koo ah poo ah'ah (that apostrophe is a glottal stop called the 'okina—kinda like a catch in your throat). As I learned on a recent vacation in Hawaii, humuhumunukunukuapua'a is the name of the unofficial state fish of Hawaii which, according to one source, loosely translates as "fish who, when it comes out of the water, snorts like a pig."

In April, my husband and I traveled to the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i (kow wah'ee) for eight days of fun and sun. My goals were adventure and relaxation, not necessarily linguistic enlightenment. But I couldn't help it. As soon as I saw and heard the elegant, lyrical (and sometimes loooong) Hawaiian words, I wanted to get to know them, too. I wanted to learn how to pronounce them, and what they meant, so I could fully embrace my experiences.

By helicopter we were introduced to Mount Wai'ale'ale. This mountain is considered one of the wettest spots on earth, with over 450" of annual rainfall. Its name is pronounced way eye'ah lay'ah lay, which means "rippling waters." From the air, land, and sea we toured the dramatic Na Pali coast (featured in movies such as 6 Days/7 Nights) whose name is pronounced nah pah lee and literally means "the cliffs." We explored the town of Hanalei (pronounced hah nah lay, meaning "wreath- or crescent-shaped"), enjoying its funky restaurants, one-lane bridges, and lush foliage. As we traveled throughout the island, it became more remarkable how so few letters can be combined to construct so many words in the Hawaiian language - just 12 (a, e, i, o, u, h, k, l, m, n, p, and w, plus the 'okina and other diacritical marks for emphasis). The language, by the way, was recorded by industrious missionaries who felt that a strictly oral language just wouldn't do.

When we returned home, I relished reliving our adventures by narrating digital-photo slide shows for friends. I thought about why it was so important for me to learn these words and pronounce them properly. I realized that I was doing what I do as a technical writer. Even while on vacation, I was breaking these unfamiliar terms down into more manageable chunks so I could organize them, understand them, and communicate them to others. Sound familiar? And you thought all I did in Hawaii was sit on a beach and drink Mai Tais…*

*Mahalo to Andrew Doughty and Harriett Friedman, authors of the super The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, Kauai Revealed (Wizard Publications). We referenced it extensively before, during, and after our trip, and highly recommend it for its authors' unbiased, candid recommendations.