Parrot Time Magazine

The history and culture of the Marshall Islands is full of multiple levels of curiosity.

Between having the largest amount of underwater plane wreckages, having a capital known for roving wild dogs known to randomly attack people, as well as having been America’s nuclear bomb testing grounds, the Marshall Islands does not have the "getaway tourist destination" reputation had by places such as Fiji, Tahiti or Hawaii.

What it does have, however, is a national language that is steeped with many layers of rich idiomatic flair. What’s more, you don’t even need to leave the United States in order to hear it spoken as the primary language. Springdale, the fourth largest city in Arkansas, has a thriving Marshallese-speaking community that is one of the city’s defining features. Marshallese music can sometimes sound like a mixture of American country music and Pacific beats, creating a combination that must be heard to be believed.

Concerning the Marshallese language itself, there are many things about it worth sharing. This is not a comprehensive look at all of the grammatical features that the language has (because that would take a DAY to fully explain in detail), but the fact remains that Marshallese has many traits that give it an unforgettable flavor.

Here are some of them:

1. Marshallese is pronounced with a distinct guttural quality

I've even heard one missionary say that Marshallese "sounds like baby talk". As much as I wouldn't say the same thing, the fact remains that Marshallese is pronounced from the bottom of the chin as well as from the throat, giving it a texture that makes foreigner's eyes bulge the first time they hear it.

Vowels are also worth noting as well, as well as the fact that there are multiple orthographies. Even within the same translation memories, you'll see õ and ō being used. They actually both refer to the same sound (ø). Similarly, ñ and ñ are also pronounced like the English "ng" sound, and ã and ā are both pronounced like "æ".

2. Pronouns conjugate, not verbs
Marshallese pronouns are more straightforward than those in many other Austronesian languages. The dual (present in much of Polynesia) is lacking, but there are inclusive and exclusive "we's" (je and kōm respectively).

So take "re" (meaning "they") To indicate a present tense, just put "j" at the end. "Rej" – "they are (currently)". Now take a verb or a noun and put it afterwards and you have a sentence:

Rej oktak – they are different

Now for the future tense, you put "-naaj" instead.

E (he / she / it) + naaj – enaaj

Enaaj āinwōt Piter – he will be like Peter

For the past, the suffix is "-aar"

Kwō (you [singular]) + aar – kwaar = you were

This is merely a sample. There are not only some other ones but also variants of the three suffixes provided.

3. While there is Wikipedia in Marshallese, it has been closed for several years due to lack of activity. It is still viewable, however.

You can see a sample article here: https://mh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maj%C3%B5l

4. The many-purposed prefix "ka-"

If put before the name of an adjective, it turns it from "adjective" to "causing something to be that adjective"

Maat – all gone
Ka + maat – to finish off completely, to use up

Erreo – clean
Ka + erreo – clean

If used before animal and plant names, it refers to hunting or collecting them

Bao – bird, chicken
Kabao – to go bird-hunting

Waini – coconut
Kawaini – to look for coconuts

5. The Marshallese J sound is a fairly unique

Imagine it as a fusion between the "ch" in the German "Ich" and a Slavic "zh" sound. It is very commonly used.

6. Marshallese has a plentitude of English loan words, some of them spelled as in English, others rendered with Marshallese spelling

They also tend to be across a large spectrum of recognizeability to English speakers. Some of them, like "wiik", "minit" or "nuujpepa", tend to be fairly easy to spot. Some others are not as easy, such as "jipuun" (spoon), "bato" (bottle) or "jāntōj" (sentence).

Like in other languages of former British colonies in the Pacific (such as Fijian), many western concepts and imported items will be lifted liberally from English

In some orthographies, English loan words are spelled the way they would be in English, hence some Bible translations referring to Mary as a "virgin" (sic), even in Marshallese.

7. Like other languages of Micronesia, Marshallese's comprehensive vocabulary is stunningly expressive and large.
Here are some examples:

• abjāje - to carry something tucked under your arm
• anbōro - to try to use gifts to get someone's favor
• bōk bar – to look up from sleeping, reading or otherwise engaged in a task
• buuḷtōñtōñ - to move as quickly as possible
• dienbwijro - used to refer to a meal that someone or a group of people has shortly before a great disaster or calamity happens.
• iuiuun dekein jinme – to create an upheaval from the status quo or the way things are (or to try to do so)
• iupej – overgrown sprouted coconut that is rendered inedible. Aslo refers to something completely useless or "a loser"
• jerjer - to swing one's arms when walking
• kōṃakoko - to force someone to do a favor for you
• pepat - to feel unworthy
• wadde - to attack, but only used of a mother hen attacking someone.

8. D is pronounced like a rolled R-sound
And Marshallese pronunciation is probably the among the most notorious in the whole continent of Oceania. Luckily, Peter Rudiak-Gould's "Practical Marshallese" has a fantastic and thorough guide that explains what sound each letter makes.

9. You can listen to Steaming Marshallese for Free!
KMRW Springdale streams Marshallese music complete with song titles! Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KMRW98.9FM/
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kmrw.player&hl=en_US

10. Marshallese has unwritten vowel sounds. Hence, "America" would be rendered as "Amedka" in Marshallese spelling.
This happens when two vowels are placed right next to each other but they are pronounced with different parts of your mouth. In the "Amedka" example given, the d is pronounced with your teeth (keep in mind that the Marshallese d is pronounced like a trilled "r"-sound, as mentioned above), but the k, not being pronounced with your teeth, shifts into a vowel, hence creating something like the word "America" but pronounced in an accent that could very roughly be described as Latin American.
Similarly the word "jerbal" (to work") is pronounced with an ō sound in between the r and the b.

11. Marshallese has a system of nicknaming people

The prefixes "ḷa" and "li" can be put before male and female names in order to make them sound cuter / turn them into nicknames. Alternatively you can also give someone a nickname by putting either of these prefixes before a noun (e.g. an animal or a plant) that they are associated with. So the name "ḷabōb" would mean "Mr. Pandanus Dude".

12. Marshallese has Wonderful and Useful Interjections

Jared, e! – Yo, Jared! (if closer)
Jared, o! – Yo, Jared! (if farther away)
Āāāāāāāāāā! – Kid, get over here, you are going to have it! (to a child)
Ssssssssssss! – Go away! (to animals)
Oooooooo! – Woooooow! (or "got it!")

13. Marshallese Culture and Language is Accessible Outside of the Marshall Islands Like Never Before

Fantastic free books are available online. I consulted all of them for assembling this article and I hope you will continue to explore them:

http://www.peterrg.com/Practical%20Marshallese.pdf

https://www.livelingua.com/courses/Marshallese/

What's more, many travelers and missionaries have documented their experiences in the Marshall Islands and learning the Marshallese Language on YouTube. Some of these missionaries have even acquired native-like accents as a result of their language studies and relate many aspects of their culture shock with great honesty and humor.

For me, even as I myself am a Jew (and I don't really consider myself too religious at that), I found Marshallese culture to be a fantastically refreshing experience, with novel sounds, unforgettable idioms and, like many other cultures of the Pacific, perched ever so wonderfully between ancient traditions and the modern age.

Jared Gimbel is an American polyglot of mixed Ashkenazi Jewish and Swedish heritage. He writes about learning rarer languages and successful mindsets at https://worldwithlittleworlds.com/. His first video game, „Kaverini: Nuuk Adventures”, set in contemporary Greenland, is scheduled for a release in late 2019.