Story:

Cheldecheduch

General term for story, including legend.

Language:

Tekoi

To speak:

Mengedecheduch

Legends:

Cheldechedúch el chelíd

"The stories of the gods."

Supernatural beings:

Chelid

General term for demigod, deity

Chelidbeluu

Village deity

Tekiimeláb

Seven legendary messengers of the gods

Offerings

Tenget

General term for offering or make sacrifice to god

Offering

Uldars

Food offerings to god

Notes on Pronunciation:

This is a brief outline of some of the spelling and pronunciation issues for Palauan orthography. It should help readers to better pronounce the many Palauan words used in this website. But for a complete discussion, see Josephs (1990: xxxiv-xlv).

• The letters used to spell the consonants are b, t, d, k, ch, s, m, ng, r, and l.

• B is pronounced as b at the beginnings of words and when between two vowels, or before l. Otherwise, it is pronounced as p.

• D is in pronounced like th when between vowels or at the end of a word.

• K, when between vowels, is pronounced more like g.

• Ch is *not* pronounced as "ch," ever. It represents a glottal stop, as in "uh oh." The glottal stop is a letter of equal value to other consonants, as its presence or absence changes the meaning of a word.

• When vowels are doubled, it indicates that the sound is held longer.