Malihini Monthly

A sarcastic monthly for the recently arrived.

Monday, January 12, 2026 · Tip No. 12

Kauaʻi Has A Glottal Stop

Kow-AH-ee. Three syllables, not two. ‘Kuh-WAI’ is what your uncle said in 1987 and he was wrong then too. The ʻokina is a tiny door you have to open mid-word.

pronunciationokina