Spelling Variations in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi

The Hawaiian language has a myriad of commonly accepted spelling variations. Below are a few examples of these variations.

Spelling Variations and Changed Names

ʻAʻohe pau ka ʻike i ka hālau hoʻokahi.

(Not all knowledge is taught in one school - ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #203).

Below are common synonymous and widely documented spelling variations in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.

(Abbott 1995, Chun 1994, Handy 1940, Iokepa & Kekahuna n.d., MacCaughey & Emerson 1913, 1914, Pukui & Elbert 1979, 1986, Whitney et al. 1939, Wilder 1934, Winter 2012)

Vowel Substitutions and Addtions

1. o/u (Ex: Kūʻoho/Kūʻohu)

2. a/o (Ex: Hāakea/Hāokea)

3. a/e (Ex: ʻIeʻie/ʻIaʻia)

4. e/i (Ex: Wehiwa/Wehewa)

5. + "a" (Ex: Papakole/Papakolea)

6. + "a" (Ex: Māna/Māna-o-)

Backformation

1. Contraction (Ex: ʻEleʻele/ʻEʻele)

Consonant Substitutions and Deletions

1. n/l (Ex: ʻowene/uwele)

2. ʻ/m/n (Ex: Manauea/Mamauea/Maʻauea)

3. - "w" (Ex: Puwalu/Pualu)

Prefix Additions

1. Hā (Ex: ʻUlaʻula/Hāʻulaʻula)

Reduplication

1. First vowel (Ex: ʻApu/ʻAʻapu)

2. Last vowel (Ex: Māiʻi/Māiʻiʻi)

3. Entire (Ex: Pia/Piapia)

4. Partial (Ex: Hāpuʻu/Hāpuʻupuʻu)

5. Prefix (Ex; Wehiwa/Wewehiwa)

Reciprocations

1. Reciprocation (Ex: Lauloa ʻEleʻele/ʻEleʻele Lauloa)