Welcome back to Salient’s Pacific language learning! This week we have the Marshall Islands. As always, there are things we may have missed or glossed over, and we encourage you all to do your own research.
History
The Marshall Islands are thought to have been settled around 4000 years ago by early Micronesian voyagers. The nation is comprised of 29 atolls and five islands, and divided into two regions: Ratak (the Eastern region) and Rālik (the Western region).
In 1885, Germany annexed the Marshall Islands as a protectorate, until Japan took over at the beginning of World War l. However, after Japan’s defeat in World War ll, the United States of America assumed control of the Marshall Islands. Subsequently it became part of the US Trust Territory of the Pacific.
During the Cold War, paranoia surrounding Soviet expansionism compelled the US to conduct nuclear tests in their territories. In 1946, Vice Admiral Blandy announced that Bikini Atoll of the Marshall Islands would be the site of atomic experiments, relocating Bikinians to another atoll. Due to considerable suffering and near starvation, Bikinians were once again relocated. In total, around 66 nuclear tests were conducted in the 20th century.
It must be noted that Marshallese continue to feel the impacts of the US nuclear testing. This includes environmental contamination (making some atolls uninhabitable, and posing serious risks to ecosystems) and health effects (e.g. cancer, birth defects, and genetic mutations).
Today, the Marshall Islands is an independent country in free association with the United States. As of 2021, the Marshall Islands has a population of about 40,000 people; its largest overseas population is in Arkansas, United States (about 4000 people).
Email greetings / Sign offs
° Iakwe = Hello / goodbye / love
° Koᶆᶆool (tata) = Thank you (very much)
° Bar iakwe = Goodbye
General phrases
° Ebon = Marshallese language
° Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ = Republic of the Marshall Islands
° Ej et aᶆ mour? = How are you?
° Eᶆᶆan = I’m good
° Etaᶆ? = What’s your name?
° Eta in … = My name is
° Kwōj itok jān ia? = Where are you from?
° Ij itok jān … = I’m from …
° Jete awa kiio? = What time is it?
° Kwō jelā ke kajin Pālle? = Do you speak English?
° Aet / jaab = Yes / no
° Emmaan = Man / men
° Kora = Woman / women