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