When two cultures mix, the effects on language can be interesting -- for example, the Hawaiian language, which is an "Austronesian" language, which means it is a derivative of languages spoken uniquely in the islands of the Pacific and Southeast Asia (apart from Western traditions). When explorers arrived and Western languages came in contact, the Hawaiian language adjusted Spanish, French, and English words to its own unique set of rules. So, for example, the name "Robert" was difficult in that the Hawaiian language had no equivalent sound for R, B, or T. So, adapting, "Robert" became "Lopaka." "Mary" and "Merry" became "Mele," and, yes, you guessed it: "Christmas" became "Kalikimaka." Thus a holiday unrecognized in old Hawaiian culture becomes Hawaiian: "Mele Kalikimaka!"
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