Aunty / Uncle

/AHN-tee / UN-kul/

Any older local person. Not actually your aunt or uncle.

In Hawaii, anyone older than you is aunty or uncle. Not related. Doesn't matter. Show respect. You call the auntie at the farmer's market aunty, the uncle at the gas station uncle. Mainland visitors get confused and ask how you can have so many aunties and uncles.

Examples

  • Mahalo, aunty.
  • Uncle, you get change for a twenty?
  • Howzit Anteh?

Origin

Pidgin English

Alternate spellings

Anteh

family essential

Related phrases

Aloha

Hello. Goodbye. Love. The spirit of Hawaii.

Brah

Brother. Dude. Bro. Universal pidgin friend-word.

Broke da mouth

Incredibly delicious. So good it breaks your mouth.

Bumbye

Later. By and by. Eventually. Or else.

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