Schutz: All about Hawaiian (Kolowalu Books) [Paperback]

Albert J. Schutz (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0824816862 | ISBN-13: 978-0824816865 | Publication Date: July 1995

This quick and lively tour of the Hawaiian language begins by uncovering its fascinating and often controversial history. With the help of a clear and concise guide to pronunciation, learn the importance of the `okina (`) and the kahako (macron) and how these marks affect the meaning as well as the pronunciation of words. Helpful vocabulary lists introduce words heard and seen most often in place names, in restaurants, and in Hawaiian songs--including those commonly mispronounced even by life-long Hawai`i residents. The author also discusses ongoing efforts to preserve Hawaiian as a living language through language-teaching programs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 78 pages
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press (July 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824816862
• ISBN-13: 978-0824816865
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,607,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Hawaiian

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and concise overview of Hawaiian language and grammar., April 20, 2000

By 

Malcolm Q. Orrall "paipo808" (Sherman Oaks, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Schutz: All about Hawaiian (Kolowalu Books) (Paperback)

I like this book because it is straight to the point of helping the reader rapidly begin to learn and appreciate the beauty of the Hawaiian language. I was pleased at how simply and clearly the material was presented by the author. Having taken a course in Hawaiian at the University of Hawaii, I bought the book for a quick review to get me up and speaking again after some time of disuse. It turned out to be exactly what I needed. I was also pleased that it was consistent with the more formal presentation of the material I had received in college. It is small, thin and easily packed into a piece of carry-on luggage, or stuffed in your back pocket for a day of adventure in the islands. It's size and shape and presentation are that of a primer, and as a whole, it does not pretend to be anything but that. Although the title is ambitious, the book delivers what the title promises by giving an overview, enticing more serious students to delve deeper through other means.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for the curious, lacking for the student, August 4, 2005

By 

'Analu - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schutz: All about Hawaiian (Kolowalu Books) (Paperback)

I have been studying Hawaiian for only one month so far and bought this book to learn more about the language. I suggest this book to you if you have been living in Hawai'i for a long time and want to find out why all those little marks are used in Hawaiian words, or to find out the correct way to pronounce place names and even to learn a little of the vocabulary used in the street signs. If you are not so interested in actually learning to speak the language, but instead just trying to pronounce correctly what you see in signs, this is a great book for you. However, if you are a student of the language, I suggest you go to the public library and read the book there. It will probably only take you less than an hour. The author gives some history of the language and how it was first transcribed into the Roman alphabet, which was something that I didn't know. If you are looking for grammar or model sentences, this book only explains--he, ua, e....ana, and lists the personal pronouns. A few example sentences inlcude...He hale nui ia. Hele aku! He maika'i. He hale ko la-ua. This is not a grammar book, nor does it pretend to be. Instead, it seems to be written for a person who is only curious about the language. Once again, if you only want to know about how to pronounce and perhaps understand a few words of street signs or place names, this is perfect for you!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy, Useful Introductory Pocket Guide., May 13, 2008

By 

Frederick (Honolulu, Hawai'i, The Greatest Country in the World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schutz: All about Hawaiian (Kolowalu Books) (Paperback)

I wholeheartedly recommend this booklet. It is an excellent primer of the Hawaiian language. It is not as all encompassing as the title might suggest, but it is a good starting point for learning Hawaiian. It covers mostly vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation. It does have a very small and limited grammar section, but grammar can not be expected to be thoroughly covered in such a small booklet. I read somewhere that "Hawaiian is phonetically simple, but grammatically difficult" and I believe that is true, especially for English speakers. If you want a book that extensively covers grammar and you really want to learn how to converse in Hawaiian, you might want to get Ka Lei Ha'aheo: Beginning Hawaiian. "Ka Lei Ha'aheo" is the textbook used by the University of Hawaii in their beginning and intermediate Hawaiian language classes and is a much more serious volume of work, perhaps best used in conjunction with an instructor in a classroom enviroment.

This book also comes in a version for Japanese speakers at All About Hawaiian (Japanese). I noticed that somehow this review ended up on the Japanese version page, although I didn't post it there. If you are now on the Japanese version page and would like the link to the English version of "All About Hawaiian", here it is All About Hawaiian (Kolowalu Books).

As a pocket sized booklet, "All About Hawaiian" is the most complete and correct publication of its sort I have seen. It is a very handy and useful introductory pocket guide. Despite the limited size of this booklet, much good information is provided about not only the language, but also interesting tidbits of information about Hawaii, its history and culture. For some more information from the book itself, see my uploaded image of the back cover.