Pidgin
Hawaiian Creole
English-based creole
Hawaiian Creole English (Pidgin, HCE; locally just "Pidgin") is spoken by ~600K in Hawaiʻi, primarily Hawaiʻi-born locals who code-switch between Pidgin and Standard English. It emerged in the late 19th c. on Hawaiʻi's sugar plantations through contact between Hawaiian, Cantonese, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino plantation labor under English-speaking management. Distinct from English in tense markers (wen for past, going for future), copula deletion, and prosody influenced by Hawaiian and Asian substrate. Officially recognized as a separate language by the US Census Bureau in 2015 and by the American Dialect Society in 2015, ending a long stigmatization that had branded it merely "broken English."
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Hawaiian Creole
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: English-based creole
| Meaning | Hawaiian Creole | Philippine English | Canadian English | Nigerian English | English | Bahamian Creole | Kenyan English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | wata /wɑtə/ | water /ˈwɔtɚ/ | water /ˈwɑɾɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | watah /wɑːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ |
| Fire | faia /fɑɪə/ | fire /faɪɚ/ | fire /ˈfaɪɚ/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fyah /fajə/ | fire /faɪə/ |
| Sun | san /sɑn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sɔn/ | sun /sʌn/ | son /sɔn/ | sun /sʌn/ |
| Moon | mun /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /staɹ/ | star /stɑr/ | star /stɑɹ/ | star /staː/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /stɑː/ | star /staː/ |
| Night | nait /nait/ | night /naɪt/ | night /nʌɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /reɪn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ |
| Snow | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪn/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪn/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | graun /ɡɹaʊn/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | — | earth /ɜːθ/ |
| Stone | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /maʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | — | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ |
| Sea | ocean /oʊʃən/ | sea /si/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | — | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | madda /mɑdə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmɔðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mama /mama/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ |
| Father | fadda /fɑdə/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | daddy /dadi/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ |
| Daughter | dawta /dɑːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔtɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɑɾɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /dɑːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ |
| I | I /ai/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /ju/ | you /ju/ | you /ju/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ |
| We | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ |
| Name | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /nem/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neːm/ |
| Head | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | — | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /iɚ/ | ear /ir/ | ear /ɪɹ/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /ɛə/ | ear /ia/ |
| Nose | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊs/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noːz/ |
| Mouth | mout /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /mʌʊθ/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | — | mouth /maʊθ/ |
| Tooth | tut /tut/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ |
| Tongue | tang /tæŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | han /han/ | hand /hænd/ |
| Foot | foot /fut/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | — | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | haht /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑrt/ | heart /hɑɹt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | hart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ |
| Bone | bone /boʊn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /bon/ |
| Blood | blad /blæd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blɔd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | doodoo /dudu/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | — | poop /puːp/ |
| Love | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɔv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɔv/ | love /lʌv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dawg /dɔːɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɑɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dawg /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kat/ | cat /kæt/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːɹd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ |
| Butterfly | buttafly /bʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtɚflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌɾɚflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɔtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | — | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ |
| Egg | eg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | — | bear /bɛə/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔɹs/ | horse /hɔrs/ | horse /hɔɹs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | — | horse /hɔːs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hʌʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haus/ | house /haʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /hʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhɔni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | — | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɑlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɑlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɑːlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ |
| Wine | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Iron | iron /aɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | — | iron /ˈaɪən/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | — | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /buk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | — | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sliip /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | wan /wɑn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wɔn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wan/ | one /wʌn/ |
| Two | two /tu/ | two /tu/ | two /tu/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ |
| Three | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /θɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /θɹi/ |
| Four | four /foɹ/ | four /fɔr/ | four /fɔɹ/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ |
| Five | faiv /faiv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | faiv /faiv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhɔndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ |
| Hello | howzit /haʊzɪt/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloʊ/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ | wuhz hapnin /wʊz hapnɪn/ | hello /həˈloː/ |
| Thank you | tanks /tæŋks/ | thanks /θæŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | tank ya /taŋk jə/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /nu/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | — | new /njuː/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /wʌɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blak/ | black /blæk/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹin/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blue /bluː/ | blue /blu/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | — | blue /bluː/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety nine /nainti nain/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | — | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
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