DELATE

[de-LATEY’] or [de-LEYT’] — adjective, adverb.

Meaning: Physically straight, direct, true, truly, exact, definite, definitely, sincere, sincerely, sure, authentic; accurate; without equivocation; without hesitation.

Origin: Either a corruption of English, straight; or Norman French drette > standard French droite ‘right’, both the directional and legal senses.

Often used to mean “very” or “truly”, delate makes a statement positive and removes any element of doubt; “Delate nika wawa” (I am speaking the truth) or “delate kwinnum cole ahnkuttie” (exactly five years ago) illustrate that anything ‘delate” is the genuine article.

It can emphasize an affirmative, such as in “delate klosheh” (very good; right on), “okoke delate” (that is right; it is correct), “nawitka, delate kloshe” (yes, perfect), and “delate hyas kloshe” (majestic; magnificent; awe-inspiring), or can also emphasize a negation, such as “wake delate” (not right; imperfect).

It can be used in the directional sense, such as “klatawa delate” (to go straight ahead), or when describing size, as seen in “delate hyas” (very big indeed; enormous; immense). It can emphasize an exact time, such as “delate tenas sun” (dawn; daybreak), or state that in a legal sense that one is “delate yaka illahee” (a native of a country).

And of course all important baking instructions, ranging from “delate tenas” (just a little) to “delate pahtl” (full to the brim; chock full).

It can be used to say “delate nika sick tumtum” (I am very sorry), or tell someone that something is “delate ticky” (really necessary). If one is “delate yaka kumtuks” (an expert) and can “delate kumtuks” (know for a certainty; sure, to prove) “delate wawa” (the truth; a promise; a fact), then it is easy to “wawa delate” (speak the truth; speak correctly).