Friday, April 27, 2007

It's Aloha Friday!


Today we will be answering the question: What does Da Kine mean?

Before you find out the meaning of this word, you have to know where if comes from. In Hawaii there are many ethnic groups and languages, yeah? During plantation times there were workers from all over the place - Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, etc all trying to communicate. Pidgin kind of melds all these together. The official languages of Hawaii are English and Hawaiian. Pidgin is the local slang. But more than just slang.

As a side note, let's just remember that I'm a silly haole. I would look like a complete idiot if I started calling you braddah, and drawling out an oh riiiiigh (all right) in agreement to you. But I like to pretend that I'm cool like that. So, no geev me da stink eye, yeah?

Back to Da Kine:

Da kine is pronounced like this: da = duh, kine = kind minus the d

Peppo's Pidgin to the Max defines "Da Kine" as


DA KINE (da KINE) Da kine is the keystone of pidgin. You can use it
anywhere, anytime, anyhow. Very convenient. What would we do without DA KINE?
"Ey, I no can da kine if you no like da kine, too!"



This is a very handy word if you have a memory like mine. If I can't remember the name of that thing that I need to open a can of spam, I can say "brah, toss me da kine."

Da Kine also seems to be able to describe something as way cool, the best. This blog, it's da kine!

Interested in speaking pidgin mo bettah? Head over HERE, you'll be making talk story like a local in no time.

16 comments:

Mary said...

Whew, I'm so glad you cleared the Da Kine mystery up for me :)

This entry is cracking me up. In fact, you have been comedy gold all week! Yeah for you sista, or BRADDAH if you must!

Anonymous said...

Wendy,

You are Da Kine (very, very cute!)

"oh riiiiigh!(tongue click)
Memba, I'm jus da humble driva"
-(Bro Baker) Tell that guy Hi!

Love you. See you soon.
Nate

Anonymous said...

wnedy the video of the turtle is so rad!!! also the blog about emily is adorable! tell Emily i love her and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! love you so much!

orchard_girl said...

WoooHooo, I knew that one! I've been paying attention to Rick.

I like that Da Kine can mean just about anything. Rick's mom has a Japanese word with the same meaning, and I can never figure out what 'thing' she is talking about.
Heather

Anonymous said...

Hooray - I'm back on line after a week of no internet. You are a blogger supreme. I loved the Happy Birthday to Emily, and the spider blog - I don't think I could step on it. And the turtle - just like in finding Nemo. OK - Da Kine - isn't there a company in Hood River - maybe a windsurfing company named Da Kine?
Love ya, mom
PS I love reading Nathan's comments too. We sure enjoyed having him visit 2 weekends ago.

Elizabeth-W said...

So Da Kine could be any adjective? As in, I just bought some da kine shoes!
Right?

Amanda said...

I feel so enlightned now. Just like a regular native. Umm, maybe not. But thanks to you I might feel a little better prepared for a trip to Hawaii!

Amanda said...

Just get rid of the spiders first!

Sketchy said...

That was da kine!

(Did I do it right?)

wendy said...

Elizabeth - Da Kine can be an adjective or a noun. So you could say Do you like my shoes? They are Da Kine. OR Run up stairs and put on your da kine so we can go. or maybe not. I don't really know.

Mary - it has been a funny week.

Hi Nathan. Your dad called at 6am this morning. He is wondering if you are going to be in Vegas this weekend. You are da bomb

Hi Erin and Mom - I'm glad you are all back in action online. Mom - you are right, there is a windsurf company called Da Kine. That threw me off.

Amanda - we are all a little jumpy about bugs right now.

Heather - something else that reminds me of Hana is that everyone here likes to say "shi-shi" for going potty.

wendy said...

Thanks Sketchy - you got it!

Carrot Jello said...

GON FONIT is my new word. YOu know, instead of dangit.

wendy said...

Gon Fonit sounds like something my dad would say. Fun.

I used "bumbye" today.

Carrot Jello said...

Oh good, I left a comment. In my dream it was something else, lol.

Super Happy Girl said...

Oh my, that was hilarious :D
I love:
-Da cute!
-MO BETTAH

This one is killing me:
-Ho brah, you wen dawn patrol? (Hey my good friend, by the way, did you get up early this morning & surf at first light?)

Tori :) said...

I'm a haole married into a Samoan family. Actuall I'm a palongi, but they throw out "haole" at me too. My brother in law (married to my SIL) speaks pidgen when he's around other Hawaiians. Kinda like my 1/2 Samoan husband mysteriously picks up an accent when he talks to any other polynesian with the slightest hint of an accent. Poser.