Some help on pronunciation of Samoan terms

Dear Editor, 

May I offer to the media especially those TV and radio news and programme presenters and to any other interested:-

1. It’s nice to hear – Tofā soifua when ending a news reading 

2. Nice to hear Fa’asoifuāina ae lē o le Faasoifua iā in ending a news reading 

3. It is correct to say Faguga lelei ae sesē le Fanuga lelei 

4. It is correct to say atunu’u ae sese le faatosotoso loloaina o le ta’uga le upu atunuu i le āh-tu nuu. 

5. It is nice to maintain the ever original saying “Mālō le Soifua Maua ma le Lagi e Mamā from saying Mālō le Soifua manuia or Soifua manuia, I believe it was introduced by one of a radio commentator 5 years ago and our people have adopted. 

But my question “How can the other person know o loo manuia lea e fai mai iai especially talking over the phone and the other party said “Mālō le soifua manuia” without a persona/and or eye contact? 

But Soifua Maua as was the norm historically ever since life is such that ua maua le ola e le tagata Sāmoa, ona ola/soifua fiafia ai lea, pē manuia pē malaia pē lē manuia ae o lea lava e ola. 

A’o le faalupe na o le ola manuia, ae pē faapefea ona draw le line o le iuga o le manuia ma le le manuia, aemaise fo’i pē a faalupe na o ē o manuia ae o fea e tutu ai i latou ma a’u lenei e tusi atu e malaia ma le manuia – o lae tate fia ai, leai sata tupe, mativa ma le tagolima?

6. It’s nice to hear the other person addressing the other Talofa i lau Afioga or Talofa i lau Susuga ae aveese le mea lea ua alu ai, e vaai i foliga – a vaai atu ua matua ona fai mai lea Tama pē Tina pē Toeaina pē Loomatua, e iai se mea ete mana’o ai?

O le faaaloalo a Samoa i soo se tasi, matua pe la’itiiti – Talofa i lau Afioga, o le a se mea e ete finagalo iai, Talofa lau Susuga, o le a se mea e te finagalo i ai?

O le upu tama, tina, toea’ina, lo’omatua o upu ia o le lotoifale o le tagata lava ia a’o le va i fafo i la tatou faaaloalo – o lau Afioga poo lau Susuga i soo se mamalu lava. 

Vagana ua e silafia o le tama alii ma le toalua – Talofa i lau Afioga ma le Faletua, a’o le tulafale ma le to’alua – Talofa i lau tofā i le Failauga poo lau Fetalaiga ma le Tausi. 

 

May I offer my apologies to any one that may be offended by sharing my thoughts. I just wish to express the feelings I gained most of the times when I heard especially over the radio and TV such word use flaws. 

I have in no way being fiapoko, tulou lava or intruding in to those knowledgeable and exprets of the Samoan language and the toe ulutaia o Samoa. 

 

Ia manuia lau faitau Samoa 

Vaa F Aga 

Apia i Vaimauga

Samoa Observer

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