klaiser

[johnbent]

klaiser created by jimgeselbracht@yahoo.com on 2018-12-12 14:36:12

[johnbent]

jimgeselbracht@yahoo.com replied,

From the context and a parenthetical translation on the sign, I gather that klaiser means "rail" (as in train rail on railroad tracks).  This is from a historical preservation sign in Ngardmau:

Tiang el olsechall el lambang er ngii a B:NR-5:12, a deel el klaiser el mle rolel a train (karrong / me a mle ochil a karrong) me a lakemotib [locomotive] el ngat er a ked er a Ngardmau el mle usbechall er a mla er ngii el urreor er a chidudes er a taem er a Siabal ... Ngar er ngii a bebil er aika el klaiser [rails] el miltemall er a chelsel a mekemad (WW-2).

Any idea where the word comes from?  It sounds German, but the German word for rail is "schiene."

[johnbent]

palau371@gmail.com replied,

when was the railroad built? i was there and made some pics of this sign, but i cannot see it now.

[johnbent]

jimgeselbracht@yahoo.com replied,

The bauxite mining occurred from 1940 to 1943.  You can see a photo of the sign here:  http://hellaholler.com/ouchacha/20180323_153313.jpg

[johnbent]

jlukesemiwo@gmail.com replied,

I also think "klaiser" refers to the steel tracks... I guess mining carts tracks...

I know of some in Ngeremlengui and Ngatpang and I hear the older people refer to them as klaiser...

[johnbent]

palau371@gmail.com replied,

>> The bauxite mining occurred from 1940 to 1943.

in this case I wouldn't seek its origin in German. it could have sense only if Germans used railroads in Angaur... 

in accordance with the Palauan language rules the word can be split as:

1) k<l>aiser;

2) kl-aiser

but I don't know Japanese that's why I cannot propose any Japanese version

[johnbent]

jlukesemiwo@gmail.com replied,

What if klaiser came from a German steel company? Then Palauans started referring to the steel/metal structure as klaiser... And the word stuck around and was used up to and including the Japan bauxite mining period...

What if it was a company named Glacier? I Googled and there's a Glacier Steel company in the US. :)

J

[johnbent]

johnbent@gmail.com replied,

Very smart to think of glacier!

[johnbent]

palau371@gmail.com replied,

I would agree with Jelga, because the word really sounds German-style. Kaiser is a German word for 'Emperor'. if there was any Emperor company that made railroads, the name for rails could be reanalyzed as 'something made by kaiser's errand', i.e. klaiser.