The place that has countless breathtaking elements of natural beauty, Hawaii is one of the best places to visit. The spectacle views aren’t limited to a single location but the entire islands of Hawaii are home to numerous awe-inspiring scenes that bring in great paradise to anyone who sees it.
From holding a beautiful tropical vacation hot spot with white sandy beaches and its majestic mountains, the place offers something for everyone to enjoy. Hawaii is undoubtedly the most beautiful and inviting place that attracts the attention of a lot of people around the world.
The place has great things to offer and thus provides an opportunity to gain an understanding and knowledge of the culture of Hawaii. This diverse place holds top most spoken future languages speakers whose evidence can be clearly found in the history of the Hawaii.
Getting To Know About Hawaii
Hawaii is a group of eight major islands (Molokai, Maui, Niihau, Oahu, Lanai, Kauai, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island of Hawaii). In the past, Hawaii was known as the Sandwich Islands and this name was given by James Cook in honor of the 4th Earl of Sandwich.
Later, In the 1840s, the American state was renamed after its biggest island and the Big Island of Hawaii. Hawaii is a land known for its rich heritage and history. According to the census of 2021, you’ll find approx, 1.44 million people Hawaiians.
Some Key Facts About Hawaii
● Hawaii was positioned in the list of 50 states of the US on August 21, 1959.
● It is one of the most densely populated states of the US.
● Hawaii is the only US state that has two official languages( English and Hawaiian).
With its beautiful beaches and tourism centers, it holds a large portion of the state’s annual revenue. Also, it has well-developed agriculture including crops such as flowers, coffee, and macadamia nuts is yet another significant source of annual revenue.
Primary Languages of Hawaii
Hawaii has a complex mixture of languages and cultures and as per a few linguists and excellent translation experts, it is estimated that there are about 130 languages spoken in Hawaii. Generally, English, Hawaiian, and Hawaiian Pidgin are the primary languages spoken by the people of Hawaii.
Knowing this much about the language is not enough and let’s get to know more about these languages and why they hold importance in Hawaii.
1- Hawaiian Language
Hawaiian is generally an Austronesian language that belongs to the Polynesian language family. This language is known to share commonalities with Tongan and Samoan languages. Earlier, traditionally spoken language in Hawaii was called ‘Olelo Hawai’ meaning “Language of Hawaii”.
It was the language used by Kānaka ʻŌiwi( native people of Hawaii whose ancestors inhabited the Hawaiian archipelago). This language has three dialects i.e. Hawaiian Pidgin, Kauaʻi, and Hilo.
Officially, Hawaiian was recognized in the state constitution in 1978, but it was banned from being used in schools and government by the Americans. As per the studies, it is believed that there remain only around 2,000 people who speak Hawaiian as the first language. This is the reason that UNESCO has added it to the list of “critically endangered” languages.
Often the word “Hawaiian” is used to address the language spoken or the people of Hawaii. But Hawaiian people refer to themselves as Kama’aina (child of the land) in the Hawaiian language. Hawaiian has a unique pronunciation it uses sounds that don’t exist in the English language.
2- English
English is a highly popular language and is counted among top 10 languages used on the Internet today. When the Americans defeated the Hawaiian monarchs, this made a way to exert control and bring in the English language. English is the dominantly spoken language with 74.2% of Hawaii people as per reports of the year 2021.
However, fluency in English can’t be considered the same with those who live in the US. It is important to know that the English spoken in Hawaii has its own peculiarities and thus, you’ll find there are a number of words that are typically local.
When it comes to the distribution of the English language on the Hawaiian Islands, English is the main language of instruction at schools and is used by the media, government, and locals on a daily basis. It is definitely the most widely spoken language however, a number of English words have different pronunciations and spelling.
3- Hawaiian Pidgin or Hawaiian Creole English
Pidgin languages hold a combination of English and Creole and are thus called the Creole language ( a language developed by combining other languages). It holds great popularity and is spoken by approx. 7 lakh people in their daily life. However, till now it does not hold the status of an official language.
The Hawaiian Creoleis a mix of primarily English, Hawaiian, Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese, and the language developed as a result of the arrival of numerous foreigners to the Hawaiian Islands.
Of course, when you get to Hawaii, you’ll find the majority of the English and Hawaiian speakers and only these two languages hold a major position in the Hawaii region.
4- Other languages spoken in Hawaii
Hawaii is home to many cultures and languages and this is one of the reasons for this unique linguistic variety. During the 1900s, there was a large influx of immigrants who arrived in the Hawaiian Islands and they brought their own languages, traditions, and cultures.
It is said the different communities still live in the Hawaii region today. Here are a few other common you may hear in the Hawaiian Islands, such as:
● Korean
● Spanish
● Japanese
● Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)
● Filipino
● Thai
● Samoan
● Portuguese
● Austronesian
● Vietnamese
At one point, linguists have to be concerned about using the right language and communication to go well with the region. Even if there are different language speakers in Hawaii, English and Hawaiian languages still holds the major position and official status.
Conclusion
Hawaii is a very diverse place and these variations are unique for each island nation. Thus, speakers of different language may find it difficult to go with the right language to communicate in a better way. When it is about communicating with the people of Hawaii, make sure you get expert translators by your side to ease the communication. We hold the native language experts in our team who are certified translators and they can assure to deliver of the translation that goes well as per the region.
If you are interested to know more about us, contact us at +91-8527599523 or quickly send us a instant quote.