Learn Hawaiian

To learn Hawaiian is to learn what is widely believed to be one of the most beautiful languages in the world. Many Hawaiian words are used in popular culture on Hawaii, but few people actually speak the language. At present there are only a few thousand fluent speakers of the language, but thankfully that is changing. Due to a recent revival of interest in the Hawaiian language and a lot of public support, Hawaiian is once again being taught in schools. For those outside of Hawaii, there are very few resources to learn Hawaiian.

Internet/Free The Hawaiian Language Website. This is the place to go if you want to start to learn Hawaiian. Lots of history, cultural information and the largest collection of relevant links on the internet. The Hawaiian Lessons page is the place to begin learning Hawaiian. Phrases, vocabulary, pronunciation guides, song lyrics and everything else you could want to get a great start.


Software/Inexpensive
Talk Now! Learn Hawaiian
This CD-Rom mostly uses games and interactive exercises to develop a beginning understanding of the language. The focus is on basic pronunciation and vocabulary. For some this would make a good supplement to a more comprehensive book or audio course, and add a little fun to the learning process.

Audio/Inexpensive

This is an 8-cd set which includes audio from 2 native speakers of the language. There are narratives and a good deal of vocabulary, but it may be more for an intermediate student of Hawaiian, since there are no written materials that come with the audio, and it is not as interactive as some other all-audio courses.

Software/InexpensiveTransparent Language - 101 Languages of the World
This CD-Rom makes a great study aid for almost any language student. For a bargain price you get thousands of vocabulary words and hundreds of in-context sentences in dialogues all with audio in dozens of languages, including Hawaiian. It's a good supplement for languages like Spanish or Japanese (for which there are many resources) and also for languages like Hawaiian, Estonian or Basque, which have very few resources. The student of several languages will get the most benefit from it. Read my review of 101 Languages of the World.

"One who speaks a foreign language just a little takes more pleasure in it than one who speaks it well. Enjoyment belongs to those who know things halfway."

- Friedrich Nietzsche