| The State of Hawaii has two official | | | | English-language spellings of the particular |
| languages recognized in its constitution | | | | words, but only at the initial use of the |
| adopted at the 1978 constitutional | | | | words in the article. English-language |
| convention: English and Hawaiian. Article XV, | | | | spellings of Hawaiian words do not use the |
| Section 4, specifies that "Hawaiian shall be | | | | modern Hawaiian marks for the glottal stop or |
| required for public acts and transactions | | | | vowel length. In that respect, English |
| only as provided by law" [italic added]. | | | | spellings of Hawaiian words are in harmony |
| Hawaiian Creole English is the first language | | | | with the traditional native spellings. |
| of many born-and-raised residents, and is a | | | | |
| second language for many other residents. | | | | "Pidgin" |
| After English, the second- and third-most | | | | |
| spoken individual languages are Tagalog and | | | | Many residents speak Hawaiian Creole English |
| Japanese, respectively. Significant European | | | | (HCE), often called "pidgin". During the 19th |
| immigrants and descendants also speak their | | | | century, there was a great increase in |
| native languages; the most popular are | | | | immigration from foreign countries, and a |
| Portuguese, then German and Spanish. | | | | pidgin English developed. By the early 20th |
| | | | century, a creole English developed. A creole |
| As of 2000, 73.4% of Hawaii residents age 5 | | | | language is created when pidgin speakers have |
| and older speak only English at home, and | | | | children who acquire the pidgin as their own |
| 7.9% speak Pacific Island languages. Tagalog | | | | native language. |
| speakers make up 5.4%, followed by Japanese | | | | |
| at 5.0%, and Chinese at 2.6%. | | | | One trait of the HCE is that it retains some |
| | | | vocabulary from Hawaiian. HCE speakers can |
| Origin of Hawaiian | | | | use some Hawaiian words without those words |
| | | | being considered archaic. Most placenames are |
| Hawaiian is a member of the Polynesian branch | | | | retained from Hawaiian, as are some names for |
| of the Austronesian family. It began to | | | | plants or animals. For example, tuna fish are |
| develop around 1000 A.D., when foreign | | | | often called "ahi" ('ahi). Also, some |
| Marquesans or Tahitians of that era colonized | | | | Hawaiian words are loanwords in the |
| Hawaii. Those originally foreign Polynesians | | | | mainstream American English lexicon. HCE |
| remained in the islands, thereby becoming the | | | | speakers have modified the meanings of |
| Hawaiian people. Consequently, their | | | | certain English words. For example, the terms |
| originally foreign language developed into | | | | "auntie" and "uncle" can be used to refer to |
| the Hawaiian language. | | | | any adult who is a friend, or a friend to the |
| | | | family. It is also used as a sign of respect |
| Before the arrival of Captain James Cook, the | | | | for elders. Throughout the surfing boom in |
| Hawaiian language was never written. The | | | | Hawaii, HCE has influenced surfing slang. |
| present written form of Hawaiian was | | | | Some HCE expressions, such as brah and da |
| developed mainly by American Protestant | | | | kine, have found their way to other places. |
| missionaries during 1820–1826. They | | | | |
| assigned letters from the Latin alphabet that | | | | HCE has its own grammar. Certain words can be |
| corresponded to the Hawaiian sounds. | | | | dropped if their meaning is understood. For |
| | | | example, instead of saying "It is hot today, |
| Hawaiian distinguishes between long and short | | | | isn't it?", an HCE speaker is likely to say |
| vowels. In writing, vowel length can be | | | | simply "Hot, yeah?" |
| indicated with a macron (kahako). Hawaiian | | | | |
| also uses the glottal stop as a consonant. In | | | | Debates |
| writing, it can be indicated with the | | | | |
| apostrophe, or with the opening single quote | | | | This article or section does not cite its |
| ('okina). | | | | references or sources. |
| | | | |
| Revival of Hawaiian | | | | You can help Wikipedia by introducing |
| | | | appropriate citations. This article has been |
| As a result of the constitutional provision, | | | | tagged since July 2006. |
| interest in the Hawaiian language was revived | | | | |
| in the late 20th century. Public and | | | | A somewhat divisive political issue that has |
| independent schools throughout the state | | | | arisen since The Constitution of the State of |
| began teaching Hawaiian language standards as | | | | Hawaii added Hawaiian as a second official |
| part of the regular curricula, beginning with | | | | state language is the exact spelling of the |
| preschool. With the help of the Office of | | | | state's name. As prescribed in the Admission |
| Hawaiian Affairs, also created by the 1978 | | | | of Hawaii Act that granted Hawaiian |
| constitutional convention, specially | | | | statehood, the federal government recognizes |
| designated Hawaiian language immersion | | | | "Hawaii" to be the official state name. |
| schools were established where students would | | | | However, many state and municipal entities |
| be taught in all subjects using Hawaiian. | | | | and officials have recognized "Hawai'i" to be |
| Also, the University of Hawaii System | | | | the correct state name [citation needed]. |
| developed the only Hawaiian language graduate | | | | |
| studies program in the world. Municipal codes | | | | Official government publications, as well as |
| were altered in favor of Hawaiian place and | | | | department and office titles, use the |
| street names for new civic developments. | | | | traditional Hawaiian spelling, that is, with |
| | | | no symbols for glottal stops or vowel length. |
| Note on Hawaiian language and 'okina usage | | | | In contrast, some private entities, including |
| | | | a local newspaper, are using such symbols. |
| In Hawaiian-language newspapers published | | | | |
| from 1834–1948, the spelling "Hawaii" | | | | The title of the state constitution is "The |
| was used. However, in texts written mainly | | | | Constitution of the State of Hawaii". In |
| for Hawaiian-language pedagogy, especially | | | | Article XV therein, Section 1 uses "The State |
| since 1950, the modern Hawaiian-language | | | | of Hawaii", Section 2 "the island of Oahu", |
| spelling used is Hawai'i, with an apostrophe | | | | Section 3 "The Hawaiian flag", and Section 5 |
| or other similar character, such as an | | | | specifies the state motto as "Ua mau ke ea o |
| opening single quote, written between the | | | | ka aina i ka pono". Note that English |
| final two vowels. The character represents a | | | | spellings, not Hawaiian spellings, are used |
| consonant, the glottal stop, in the Hawaiian | | | | in all of those cases. No okinas nor kahakos |
| language. Although not used and not needed by | | | | are used. |
| native speakers of Hawaiian for over 100 | | | | |
| years, its use is appropriate in modern | | | | The nuances in the Hawaiian language debate |
| written Hawaiian. Therefore, when actual | | | | are often not obvious or well-appreciated |
| Hawaiian-language forms are cited in this | | | | outside Hawaii. The issue has often been a |
| article, they will appear in italic, and will | | | | source of friction in situations where |
| mark the glottal stop, and/or vowel length, | | | | correct naming conventions are mandated, as |
| if they are a part of the particular word. | | | | people frequently disagree over which |
| These citations will be given within | | | | spelling is correct or incorrect, and where |
| parentheses, immediately following the | | | | it is correctly or incorrectly applied. |