Hawaiian and Samoan are both Polynesian languages, but they have distinct differences in terms of vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.
1. **Vocabulary**: While both languages share some common words due to their Polynesian roots, many words are unique to each language. For example, the word for ‘water’ in Hawaiian is ‘wai,’ whereas in Samoan, it is ‘vai.’
2. **Pronunciation**: Hawaiian has a more limited set of consonants and a simpler syllable structure compared to Samoan. Hawaiian uses only eight consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w, and the glottal stop ʻ), while Samoan has a broader range of consonants, including ‘t’ and ‘s,’ which are not present in Hawaiian.
3. **Grammar**: The grammatical structures of the two languages also differ. For instance, Hawaiian often uses a subject-verb-object (SVO) order, while Samoan typically uses a verb-subject-object (VSO) order. Additionally, Samoan has a more complex system of articles and markers that indicate definiteness and specificity, which is less pronounced in Hawaiian.
4. **Cultural Context**: The languages are also influenced by their respective cultural contexts. Hawaiian has been heavily influenced by English due to the history of colonization, while Samoan has retained more of its traditional linguistic features.
In summary, while Hawaiian and Samoan share a common Polynesian heritage, they are distinct languages with unique characteristics in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.