Hawaiian pidgin has five distinct vowels,  while Hawaiian English is more like Standard English and has around fifteen distinct vowels.

 

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Table of Hawaiian Pidgin vowels. (Michaelis, 2017)

 

It is common in Hawaiian English to pronounce full vowels in words that are typically pronounced as [ə] in standard English. For instance, in standard English, the word administered is typically pronounced with a schwa in the second i. In this recording, however, we can hear the speaker pronounce the i with the full KIT vowel.

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“Finally, she administered [ædmɪnɪstəɹd] ether.” (1:53)

 

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The GOAT vowel is often a monophthong when placed at the end of a word or when preceding the /m/ nasal. For instance, in standard English the word go is typically pronounced as /ɡoʊ/, but the Hawaiian English speaker in the recording pronounces it without the diphthong. 

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“We’re a laboratory school, and we just jump into it, and we learn as we go [go].” (28:33)

 

The FACE vowel is sometimes monophthongal at the end of words or before nasal consonants.

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“I play [ple] ukulele, guitar, and bass.” (6:30)

 

Hawaiian Pidgin has fewer distinct vowels because many of the vowels found in Standard American English are merged. The FLEECE and KIT vowels are merged to sound closer to the FLEECE vowel. The TRAP and DRESS vowels are merged and realized as a slightly backed and lowered vowel. These vowels are not merged in Hawaiian English. LOT and THOUGHT vowels are merged in both Hawaiian Pidgin and Hawaiian English, but in Hawaiian Pidgin the CUT and CAUGHT vowels are also sometimes merged. 

 

FLEECE/KIT merger

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Maybe we catch a big [big] ulua or something. (0:22)

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TRAP/DRESS merger

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I had my goggles on my head [hæd]. (1:10)

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CUT/CAUGHT merger

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Not real big but [bɑ] maybe about eight, maybe eight, twelve–eight, ten foot shark. (0:59)

 

When placed before most consonants (nasal and oral) the TRAP vowel, which is higher and more fronted in Hawaiian Pidgin, is moved further back and lower in the mouth in Hawaiian English.  This can be heard in this recording where the word “an” is pronounced as [ʌn] rather than the [æn] that is more typical of Standard English.

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“Before long, that itchy goose began to strut around the office like a lunatic, which made an [ʌn] unsanitary mess.” (1:26)

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Table of Hawaiian Pidgin consonants. (Michaelis, 2017)

 

The /θ/ and /ð/ interdental fricatives are stopped in both Hawaiian Pidgin and Hawaiian English. They are commonly pronounced as a /t/, /d/, or as a flap.

 

 

 

 

 

“...so she was very happy to start a new job at a superb private practice in North [nɔɹt] Square near the [də] Duke Street Tower.”(0:31)

 

The /ɹ/ is often dropped when it is following a vowel  or when it is at the end of syllables.

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“I went to touch it, but my mom was like, “Don’t do it,” so I never [nɛvə].” (4:50)