Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2014 June 9

= June 9 =

Kahanamoku
What does Kahanamoku (surname of Duke Kahanamoku inherited from his grandfather) mean in Hawaiian? All Hawaiian names have meaning. I need to find a reliable source stating this though not a look up of what Kahana means and what Moku means. You don't need to know Hawaiian to help me. It must be out there but I've been searching "Kahanamoku name meaning" and getting nothing.--KAVEBEAR (talk) 09:23, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
 * According to this snippet it means "The Builder of Ships". --Amble (talk) 23:02, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
 * Another few mentions of this meaning in old newspaper clippings:, , . --Amble (talk) 23:27, 9 June 2014 (UTC)


 * From perusing the "Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary" and "New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary", it would appear that both components have basic or quasi-etymological meanings related to "to cut" or "cutting"... AnonMoos (talk) 23:08, 9 June 2014 (UTC)

Difference between ɻ and ɹ
In terms of tongue placement, could someone please explain to me the difference between a retroflex approximant and an alveolar approximant? --Munchkinguy (talk) 19:43, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
 * In a retroflex approximant you turn the tip of your tongue backwards into your mouth. Itsmejudith (talk) 20:25, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
 * Upwards or downwards? --Munchkinguy (talk) 20:33, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
 * Upwards. Duomillia (talk) 20:44, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
 * So then with the alveolar approximant, the tip of the tongue touches the lower alveolar plate? --Munchkinguy (talk) 21:01, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
 * No, the difference is more in the tongue's curvature than in where it (almost) touches. —Tamfang (talk) 00:30, 20 June 2014 (UTC)


 * I don't know about Indic languages, but in American English ɚ or ɝ, the tip of the tongue doesn't really flex backwards, and the tongue definitely doesn't touch the top of the oral cavity (no vocal tract obstruction is the definition of an approximant)... AnonMoos (talk) 23:19, 9 June 2014 (UTC)