And yes, it is perfectly acceptible to use an ʻokina in close proximity to an apostrophe, as in: Hawaiʻi’s. An ‘okina is like a number six whose top slants to the right.

An apostrophe is shaped like a number nine with a tail that curls left. This, and the other conventions mentioned here, apply even when using proper names in completely Hawaiian text. Another example is in proper names: if a family (see one of the dictionary authors above) or a company does not use diacriticals, we shouldn’t add them in. For example, in the Niʻihau church where the Hawaiian Bible does not include diacriticals, readings are done exactly as they appear, but all other speaking, discussion, and conversation reverts back to the Niʻihau dialect which does include the kahako and ʻokina. There are a few contexts where diacriticalizing is not seen. And they are helpful for those unfamiliar with the language, like little cheat marks to keep you from getting your pāʻū all paʻū. For example, these are separate words:ĭiacriticals are important to keeping Hawaiian (the fastest growing native language in the U.S.) alive because they help expand the lexicon and give the language the subtlety that fluent speakers know by heart. Not only do the ʻokina and kahakō change the sound of a word, they often end up changing its meaning. In 1978 the ʻAhahui ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi published “Recommendations and Comments on the Hawaiian Spelling Project” and standardized the use of the ʻokina and kahakō. The ʻokina appeared in Andrews’ dictionary in 1865 and the kahakō in Judd, Pukui, and Stokes’ dictionary and grammar in 1945. They decided, after doing similar work in Tahiti, that Hawaiian should have just twelve letters. In 1826, a committee of seven missionary gentlemen thought diacriticals were important enough to wrestle mightily with them in the challenge to put the once oral language to print. More importantly, those two little marks are keeping the Hawaiian language alive. Simply speaking, the two diacritical marks are a way to show how a Hawaiian word should sound to a person unfamiliar with a particular word. Are they important? Worth the extra time it takes to insert them into your text? That depends, so let’s discuss.

Hawaiian diacritical marks comprise just two symbols: the glottal stop (ʻokina) and the macron (kahakō). Specialist, University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu Native Hawaiian Organization Stewardship Training.Historic Property Inventories & Context Studies.Maui, Molokai & Lanai Historic Properties.

Oahu with hawaiian okina