TODAY'S CHAMORRO WORD : CHE'LO

A shining example of people who COULD be brothers!

CHE'LO : sibling, brother, sister

Often used between friends to denote a close friendship.

Or, between people not very close, or perhaps even at odds, to convey friendliness or a desire for peace.

Che'lu-ho si Maria.  Maria is my sister.

Mañe'lo hit.  We (3 or more people) are brothers (or sisters, or both).

Chume'lo si Joaquin yan si Ana.  Joaquin and Ana are brother and sister.

At a bar, two men feeling no pain start to argue politics (what else?) and it seems a fight may start.  One of them says to the other :

"Ai adei, che'lo, båsta pot politika!  Bai falak i kemmon."  "Well, brother, enough about politics.  I'm going to the restroom."  The use of the word che'lo may diffuse tension and life goes on.

Hafañe'los.  A term used to call people's attention before or during a speech. 

This is an interesting construction.  It borrows from the Spanish plural ending -s.  The "ha" is actually "a," meaning "mutual."  A + fan + che'lo + s = Hafañe'los.  Brothers and sisters.  But this word is only used to call people's attention when publicly addressing them.

There is also an exclamation che'lutas!  It has no particular meaning; it's just an exclamation, like "wow!"

Åmbre che'lutas!  Mungnga ma påtek i ga'-ho ga'lågo!  For crying out loud, don't kick my dog!