hawaiian
B2Neutral
Definition
Meaning
Relating to Hawaii, its indigenous people, or their language and culture.
Of, from, or characteristic of the U.S. state of Hawaii; also refers to things associated with its culture, such as food, music, or style. Occasionally used to describe something that is tropical, relaxed, or laid-back in a manner stereotypically associated with the islands.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always capitalised. Primarily functions as an adjective or a proper noun (for a person or the language). Not commonly used as a verb.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning, but the word is encountered more frequently in American contexts due to geographic and political association.
Connotations
For British users, it strongly connotes a distant tropical holiday destination and its culture. For Americans, it additionally connotes a domestic state with specific political and cultural identity.
Frequency
Substantially more frequent in American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] Hawaiian[of] Hawaiian origin[speak] HawaiianVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Aloha spirit (related concept)”
- “Hawaiian time (informal, meaning relaxed or late)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In tourism or retail, e.g., 'Hawaiian resort,' 'Hawaiian airline.'
Academic
In anthropology, geography, or linguistics, e.g., 'Hawaiian sovereignty movements,' 'the Hawaiian language revitalisation project.'
Everyday
Describing origin, food, holidays, or clothing, e.g., 'I bought a Hawaiian shirt,' 'We're planning a Hawaiian holiday.'
Technical
In geology (Hawaiian eruption type), botany (Hawaiian flora), or astronomy (telescope locations).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (No standard verb use)
American English
- (No standard verb use)
adverb
British English
- (Not used as a standard adverb)
American English
- (Not used as a standard adverb)
adjective
British English
- She learned several Hawaiian songs for the luau.
- He prefers the Hawaiian islands for their climate.
American English
- We ordered a large Hawaiian pizza with pineapple.
- She studies Hawaiian history at the university.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like Hawaiian pizza.
- Hawaiian shirts are colourful.
- We went on a holiday to the Hawaiian islands.
- She is learning a few words of Hawaiian.
- The Hawaiian language has a relatively small number of phonemes.
- Traditional Hawaiian navigation relied on the stars and ocean currents.
- The discourse surrounding Hawaiian sovereignty is complex and multifaceted.
- He is an anthropologist specialising in pre-contact Hawaiian societal structures.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'HAWAII' inside 'HAWAIIAN' – an 'AN' person or thing from Hawaii.
Conceptual Metaphor
HAWAIIAN IS TROPICAL PARADISE (used in marketing and casual speech).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'гавайский' for people when meaning 'native Hawaiian' (use 'коренной гаваец'). Be mindful that 'Hawaiian' as an adjective covers both the place and the indigenous culture.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'Hawaiin' or 'Hawaian'. Using lowercase 'h'. Confusing 'Hawaiian' (indigenous) with 'resident of Hawaii' (who can be of any ethnicity).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common use of 'Hawaiian' as an adjective?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is most commonly used as an adjective for things related to Hawaii (culture, food, language, style). It is also a noun for a person from Hawaii or the Polynesian language.
'Hawai'ian' is an archaic or non-standard spelling. The standard modern spelling is 'Hawaiian'.
Carefully. Ethnically, it refers to the indigenous Polynesian people. For any resident, 'resident of Hawaii' is more accurate. Culturally, it describes things from Hawaii.
It was invented in Canada, not Hawaii, and the inclusion of pineapple is a contentious topic for pizza purists, making its name a subject of debate.