Aloha 532782 225398887 2008-07-13T13:57:00Z Gerritholl 71395 in English {{otheruses}} [[Image:alohatoweratnight.jpg|thumb|250px|The phenomenon called the ''Aloha Spirit'' inspired the naming of [[Aloha Tower]], which has greeted vessels to port at Honolulu Harbor since [[September 11]], [[1926]].]] '''''Aloha''''' in the [[Hawaiian language]] means ''[[affection]]'', ''[[love]]'', ''[[peace]]'', ''[[compassion]]'' and ''[[mercy]]''. Since the middle of the 19th century, it also has come to be used as an [[English language|English]] greeting to say ''[[wiktionary:Goodbye|goodbye]]'' and ''[[hello]]''. It is also the [[state nickname]] of Hawai{{okina}}i, the "Aloha State". ==Etymology== The word ''aloha'' derives from the [[proto-Polynesian language|Proto-Polynesian]] root ''*alofa''. It has descendents in other [[Polynesian languages]], such as the [[Māori language|Māori]] word ''aroha'', also meaning "love." A [[folk etymology]] claims that it derives from a compound of the [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] words ''alo'' meaning "presence", "front", "face", or "share"; and ''ha'', meaning "breath of life" or "essence of life." Although ''alo'' does indeed mean "presence" etc., the word for breath is spelled with a macron or kāhako over the a (hā) whereas the word aloha does not have a long a. ==Usage== Before contact with the West, the words used for greeting were ''welina'' and ''anoai.'' Today, "aloha kakahiaka" is the phrase for "good morning." "Aloha {{okina}}auinalā" means "good afternoon" and "aloha ahiahi" means "good evening." "Aloha kākou" is a common form of "welcome to all." In modern Hawai{{okina}}i, numerous businesses have aloha in their names, with more than 3 pages of listings in the O{{okina}}ahu phone book alone. ==Trends== Recent trends are popularizing the term elsewhere in the United States. Popular entertainer, [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] star and [[Hollywood]] actress [[Bette Midler]], born in Honolulu, uses the greeting frequently in national appearances. The word was also used frequently in the hit television drama ''[[Hawaii Five-O]]''. The Aloha Spirit is a major concept in ''[[Lilo and Stitch]]'', a very popular [[Disney]] series of movies and TV shows, set in Hawai{{okina}}i. [[Lost (TV series)|Lost]], shot in Hawai{{okina}}i, has a thank you note at the end of the credits saying "We thank the people of Hawai{{okina}}i and their Aloha Spirit". Aloha is a term also used in the [[Nickelodeon (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]] program [[Rocket Power]] Arguably the most famous historical Hawaiian song, "[[Aloha 'Oe|Aloha {{okina}}Oe]]" was written by the last queen of Hawaii, [[Liliuokalani|Lili{{okina}}uokalani]]. The term inspired the name of the [[ALOHAnet|ALOHA Protocol]] introduced in the 1970s by the university of Hawaii. ==See also== *[[Peace]] has a similar meaning. *[[Salaam]] has a similar meaning. *[[Shalom]] has a similar meaning. ==References== *{{cite book | last = Andrews | first = Lorrin | authorlink = | coauthors = Noenoe K. Silva; Albert J. Schutz | title = A Dictionary of the Hawaiian Language | publisher = Island Heritage Publishing | origyear = 1865 | date = 2003 | isbn = 0896103749 }} *{{cite web | title = Hawaiian Dictionary | work = Ulukau On-line Hawaiian dictionary | publisher = University of Hawaii Press | date = 2004 | url = http://wehewehe.org/ | accessdate = 2008-04-22 }} *''Hawaiian Telcom White Pages'' *{{cite web | title = Māori Dictionary Online | work = Māori Dictionary | publisher = John C. Moorfield | date = 2008 | url = http://www.maoridictionary.co.nz/ | accessdate = 2008-04-22 }} *{{cite book | last = Pukui | first = Mary Kawena | authorlink = | coauthors = Samuel H. Elbert | title = Hawaiian Dictionary | publisher = University of Hawaii Press | origyear = 1957 | date = 1986 | isbn = 0824807030 }} ==External links== *[http://www.to-hawaii.com/aloha.php Aloha Facts] [[Category:Hawaiiana]] [[Category:Hawaiian words and phrases]] [[Category:Greeting words and phrases]] [[Category:Parting phrases]] [[cs:Aloha]] [[de:Aloha]] [[es:Espíritu Aloha]] [[fr:Aloha]] [[he:אלוהה]] [[ja:アロハ (挨拶)]] [[nds:Aloha (Hawaii)]] [[no:Aloha]] [[ru:Алоха]] [[vi:Aloha]]