The spelling of Hawaiian words is in the main phonetic, according to what is known as the continental method, with the limitation that there are only twelve letters, instead of twenty-six, in the alphabet. Hiwa, for example, is pronounced, approximately, Hé-v?, and Aelani, I-l?′-ny.  
The following rules for pronunciation are taken from Prof. William D. Alexander’s Brief History of the Hawaiian People:
 
The original Hawaiian alphabet, adopted by the first missionaries, contained but twelve letters, five of which were vowels, and seven consonants, viz.: a, e, i, o, u, h, k, l, m, n, p, and w. The number of distinct sounds are about sixteen.
 
No distinction was formerly made between the sounds of k and t, or between those of l and r. In poetry, however, the sound of t was preferred to that of k. The letter w generally sounds like v between the penult and the final syllable of a word.
 
A is sounded as in father, e as in they, i as in marine, o as in note, u as in rule, or as oo in moon.
 
[100]Ai, when sounded as a diphthong, resembles the English ay, and au, the English ou in loud.
 
Besides the sounds mentioned above, there is in many words a guttural break between two vowels, which is represented by an apostrophe in a few common words, to distinguish their meaning, as Kina’u.
 
Every word and every syllable must end in a vowel, and no two consonants occur without a vowel sound between them.
 
The accent of about five-sixths of the words in the language is on the penult. A few of the proper names are accented on the final syllable, as Paki′, Kiwalao′ and Namakeha′.
 
Aa—the word has a variety of meanings, among which are a spiteful person, a raging flame, a rock of rough broken lava.
 
Ae, keike—yes, child.
 
Aelani—the pledge from heaven, a promise from the skies. Lani, heavenly, heaven-born, is a common termination of the names of Hawaiian men and women, especially those of exalted rank.
 
Ahupuaa—a large tract of land under the control of a single person, a lordship.
 
Aialo—those who eat at the king’s court.
 
Akela—a berry much like the American raspberry.
 
Alii-niaupio, tabu moi wahine—freely translated, goddess-queen, a female sovereign of divine or semi-divine lineage, unapproachable, sacred, absolute.
 
[101]Aloha—Aloha, more appropriately, perhaps, than any other one word, may be taken as typical of the Hawaiian race. It is the first native word the stranger learns, the common salutation on the street, and the last he hears at parting. It signifies kindly feeling, good-will. It is also used to express love.
 
Aloha nui—great good-will.
 
Au-we—an exclamation of sorrow, a wailing cry, alas.
 
Awa—an intoxicating liquor made from the roots of a plant of the same name. It is very stupefying, and, when drunk to excess, causes the skin to turn a dirty-brown color, and to crack and flake off.
 
Eaeakai—the word, sometimes used as a proper noun, means, covered with the spray of the sea.
 
E moe o—the customary exclamation or command to lie prostrate on the approach of royalty.
 
Haleakala—the House of the Sun, an extinct volcano ten thousand feet high on the Island of Maui. Its crater, over thirty miles in circumference and two thousand feet deep, is the largest in the world.
 
Hamakua—the name of a district in the northern part of the Island of Hawaii.
 
Haole—a foreigner. The term is applied to white persons, whether of Hawaiian or foreign birth, and is not often used in speaking of Asiatics.
 
[102]Hawaii—the large island, twice the size of all the others combined, from which the group takes it name. It is the second in industrial and commercial importance, and probably the first in undeveloped resources.
 
Heiau—a temple.
 
Hilo—the name of two districts, North and South Hilo, on the northeastern side of the Island of Hawaii and of the chief town of the island; also of the first night in which the new moon can be seen, as it is like a twisted thread (from the verb to twist, to spin, to turn). The new moon, a crescent, indicates the outline of Hilo Bay.
 
Hiwa—the precious one.
 
Hula hula—a dance, dancers, dancing, and music. The Hawaiian hula is not necessarily immodest, but certain lascivious hulas have won a world-wide and unenviable notoriety.
 
Ihe—a war-club.
 
Ii—a word that has a variety of meanings, among which are: a selfish person, a cruel person, a sour person, a collection of small things. It is often used as a proper noun, as is also the single vowel, I. Repeated three times it forms another word—iii.
 
Ilima—a shrub which bears beautiful green and yellow flowers; also, the flowers.
 
Iiwi—a small red bird.
 
Kaanaana—the name of a man or woman, quite common.
 
[103]Kahiki—foreign parts.
 
Kahlooawe—One of the smaller islands.
 
Kahuna—a witch-doctor or sorcerer; also, at the present time, a native quack.
 
Kanaka-wale—a landless freeman.
 
Kanaloa—one of the gods, Kane’s younger brother.
 
Kane—a male, applied equally to human beings and animals; also, the name of one of the great gods.
 
Kanehoalani—the god of the sky.
 
Kanehulikoa—the god of the sea.
 
Kaukihi—a small boat, a single dug-out.
 
Keike—a child.
 
Kihei—a mantle or cloak.
 
Kini akua—elves.
 
Koa—a hard wood in great demand on account of the beautiful finish which it takes.
 
Kohala—North and South Kohala, the two northern districts in the Island of Hawaii.
 
Konohiki—a great landholder under the moi, virtually a feudal lord.
 
Ku—the name of the fiercest and most cruel of the ancient gods.
 
Kukailimoke&mdas............