Pono vs. Ono

rreffner

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I understand 'pono' to mean: 'goodness and excellence.'

When I was living in Hawaii, we would say, 'ono' when referring to things like 'good food or good taste'. Delicious = 'Ono-licious' plate lunch, Spam misubi, etc.

OK, so for you Hawaii locals, is 'pono and ono' the same word? Is 'ono' really spelled 'pono' but pronounced with a silent 'p'? Or are they different words with different meanings?

Mahalo for your thoughts.
 
I understand 'pono' to mean: 'goodness and excellence.'

When I was living in Hawaii, we would say, 'ono' when referring to things like 'good food or good taste'. Delicious = 'Ono-licious' plate lunch, Spam misubi, etc.

OK, so for you Hawaii locals, is 'pono and ono' the same word? Is 'ono' really spelled 'pono' but pronounced with a silent 'p'? Or are they different words with different meanings?

Mahalo for your thoughts.

The two words are different. Pono as well as many Hawaiian words have many differnt meanings. I am not sure what it means but if you visit Ko'olau's website, i belive they give a meaning for Pono.
 
The two words are different. Pono as well as many Hawaiian words have many differnt meanings. I am not sure what it means but if you visit Ko'olau's website, i belive they give a meaning for Pono.

Thanks for the quick reply haolejohn. The definition for pono actually came from the Ko'olau's website. In the circles I ran with while in Hawaii, ono was frequently used in conversation. I can't say the same for pono. I don't think a 'p' is ever silent, maybe I'm mistaken.
 
ono is a fish. `ono is delicious. pono can mean a bunch of things along the lines of righteous(at least that's what johnny tsunami's tutu kane told him).

Amen, mahalo. The invisible Hawaiian consonent known as the 'okina ' changes the meaning of 2 similar sounding words. I see the okina missused allot or not used at all. The 'okina being a consonent NEVER comes next to another consonent ALWAYS next to a vowel.
 
They are diferent words and here are the definitions from the Hawaiian-English dictionary;

pono
1. nvs. Goodness, uprightness, morality, moral qualities, correct or proper procedure, excellence, well-being, prosperity, welfare, benefit, behalf, equity, sake, true condition or nature, duty; moral, fitting, proper, righteous, right, upright, just, virtuous, fair, beneficial, successful, in perfect order, accurate, correct, eased, relieved; should, ought, must, necessary

ʻono
nvt. Delicious, tasty, savory; to relish, crave; deliciousness, flavor, savor. Cf. mea ʻono. ʻOno ka puʻu, tasty to the palate; lit., the throat craves. He ʻono ʻiʻo nō (song), how delicious. Hoʻomanawanui i ka ʻono, wait patiently and you'll have what you crave. Hana ʻia maila ka wai ā ʻono (Puk. 15.25), the waters were made sweet. hō.ʻono To tempt the appetite; to make tasty, season.

ono
1. n. Large mackerel type fish (Acanthocybium solandri), to 1.5 or 1.8 m in length; choice eating. Known in Florida and the West Indies as the wahoo. (PPN ʻono.)
2. num. Six; sixth. (PPN ono.)
 
They are diferent words and here are the definitions from the Hawaiian-English dictionary;


ono
1. n. Large mackerel type fish (Acanthocybium solandri), to 1.5 or 1.8 m in length; choice eating. Known in Florida and the West Indies as the wahoo. (PPN ʻono.)

Just a bit of fisherman's trivia the origin of the name "Wahoo" is a corruption of the word O'ahu (Woahoo on old chart upper left corner) the name of the main Hawaiian island where the capitol Honolulu is located. In the 18th century the Ono or "Wahoo" was a commonly caught fish around this island. "Woahoo Fish" became "Wahoo fish" so the name stuck with the passing whalers and merchantmen who carried it back with them.
OwhyheeChart.jpg
 
but does Yoko Ono play a Pono?
 
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Just a bit of fisherman's trivia the origin of the name "Wahoo" is a corruption of the word O'ahu (Woahoo on old chart upper left corner) the name of the main Hawaiian island where the capitol Honolulu is located. In the 18th century the Ono or "Wahoo" was a commonly caught fish around this island. "Woahoo Fish" became "Wahoo fish" so the name stuck with the passing whalers and merchantmen who carried it back with them.
OwhyheeChart.jpg

Thanks for the old Sandwich Island chart Ahnko, very interesting.
 
I understand that the 'okina represents a glottal pause in middle of a word, but how does it affect the pronounciation when it occurs at the beginning of a word? Does it just shorten the vowel sound of the initial letter, or is there no difference?

It effects pronounciation in a setence flow determined by the preceeding word. It also effects the use the definate article (the) "ka" and "ke" "ke" being used with words begining with the letters "k", "o", and "a" (keola, kealoha, kekona), and "ka" being used with words starting with all other letters in the Hawaiian alphabet including the 'okina.
 
It effects pronounciation in a setence flow determined by the preceeding word. It also effects the use the definate article (the) "ka" and "ke" "ke" being used with words begining with the letters "k", "o", and "a" (keola, kealoha, kekona), and "ka" being used with words starting with all other letters in the Hawaiian alphabet including the 'okina.

Thanks Ahnko, I think I understand.
 
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