Grammar of Maori (Cook islands)

The rare linguists to be itself interested in Maori (Cook islands) a long time analyzed this language and those of the Pacific through the prism of traditional descriptions of our European languages. They theirs imposed a certain number of frameworks préconstruits, grids of reflection, inspired of the metalanguage and Indo-European grammatical classifications. Regarding these traditional descriptions as a form of glottocentrism, linguistic research that it has been French-speaking or anglophone tent for a few years to leave this yoke with it is necessary to acknowledge it more or less happiness. The question arises particularly with regard to grammatical categorization. The well-known categories that are the verb, the name, the adjective… have in these languages of the borders much more permeable. Certain lexemes can thus be used as noun, adjective, verb according to the marker who accompanies it. In the same way, the frequent use of sentences described like not-verbal, make say to certain linguists who this language is a language without verbo-nominal oppostion.

Personal deictics

As in the majority of the languages of Oceania, one finds in maori the distinction between the duel and plural like that between the inclusive one and the exclusive one

Singular

With: I, me; Kua kai with I you ika : I ate fish;

Ka 'aired with the ki you 'āpi' I āpōpō : I will go to school tomorrow; Ka 'ārote with the inana' I, No you ua rā, kua 'akakore with the : I was yesterday plowing (the field), but I had to give up because it rained.

Koe : you, you; Kua kai koe I you ika : you ate fish; Kua kino iā koe tō mātou mōtokā : You broke our car; KB koe 'oki, you tangata your you 'akavā E kimi nei : You are the man that the police force seeks.

'Aia: it, him, it; Kua kai 'aia I you ika : il/elle the fish ate; 'Does Ea' have aia I 'ventilated May I.E.(internal excitation)? : Why did it/it come (E)? ; Kāre aia I konei : il/elle is not

there

Duel

Tāua : inclusive, us two (inclusive: you and me); Kua kai tāua I you ika : We (you and me) ate fish; ventilated tāua : Allons-y; KB tō tāua taeake tērā ake : Our friends arrive

Māua : us two, (exclusive: he/it and me); Kua kai māua I you ika : We (him/it and me) ate fish; Ka 'oki māua my Taria ki you kāinga : Taria and me let us return on our premises; No māua will tera 'are : This house is ours

Kōrua : you two; Kua kai kōrua I you ika : You two ate fish; Ventilated kōrua : Go ahead; Na kōrua teia puka : This book belongs to you to both

Rāua : they, they (two); Kua kai rāua ite ika : They two ate fish; Mei 'ea May rāua? : Where were you both? ; KB rāua KB Pā tei no' O ki you kāinga : He (or it) and Pa remained on their premises

Plural

Tātou : Us (inclusive: you - 2 or more - and me); Ko' have tā tātou E tiaki nei : Who wait? ; Kāre ā tātou kai toe : We do not have any more food

Mātou : us (exclusive: they, they and me); KB mātou my Tepaeru I 'ventilated May I.E.(internal excitation) : We came with Tepaeru; Kua kite May koe ia mātou : You saw us

Kōtou : You all; E 'ventilated atu kōtou, ka āru atu with the : Leave in front of, I am to you; KB kōtou KB 'have mā I ventilated I.E.(internal excitation) ki you tautai? : With which are you parties to fish?

Rātou : They, they, them (more than two); Kua pekapeka rātou KB Teia : They quarreled with Teaia; Nō rātou you pupu māro' iro' I : They have the strongest team

aspectual Markers

Tē… nei: Indicate that the action is achieving itself; Tē manako nei with I you 'oki ki you 'are : I think that I will return to the house; Tē kata nei rātou : They are laughing; Te tanu nei with I you taro : I plant taro
Kia: Indicate a wish, a desire; Kia vave May! Ka tūreiti tāua : Dispatch! we will be late; Ventilated kia viviki, 'E pō teia : Come quickly, it soon will make night; Kia manuia! : Good luck! Good courage! Hello! ; Kia tae May ki you anga' anga ā you pōpongi Mōnitē : Come to work Monday morning; Teia you tātāpaka, kia kai koe : Here pudding of breadfruit tree, eat in.

'ē: Express an order, a command, the duty, the obligation; ē 'eke koe ki raro! : Drop! ; ē tū ki kō ! : Raise from there! ; ē 'ventilated 'aia ē tiki ia Tere : It should leave and go to seek Tere; ē no' O May, E tēnā tangata keiā : Stop robber there!

'Auraka: mark prohibition; Auraka E 'will ākara : Do not look at! ; Auraka E tuatua : Do not speak! ; Auraka E 'aired, tē ma' ani feeds ruffle 'has Mina I you tī : Does not go there, Mina is preparing the; Kua ako 'aia ia rātou 'auraka kia pekapeka : He warned us that we should not create problems
E… ana: Express an action or a usual state; E no' O ana 'aia ki Nikao I tē will reira tuātau : At that time, he lived in Nikao (northern west of Rarotonga); E 'ventilated ana koe ki you 'will ura : Are you accustomed to dancing? ; E tevarevare 'ua ana 'aia : It is always late
Ka: Express an action or an unaccomplished state; Ka 'īmene 'has Mere ākonei ite pō : Mary will sing later in the evening; Kua kite with the ē ka riri has Tere : I know that Tere will be dissatisfied
Kua: Express an accomplished action or a state present; Kua kite May koe ia mātou : You saw us; Kua meitaki koe ? : That goes better now; Kua oti you tārekareka : The match is finished; Kua riri with the : I am dissatisfied, in anger
I… (ana): Express a definitively finished action or a last state. It can some time being also employed only; I 'a' has ana rātou? : What could they well make? ; I tamariki ana 'oki tātou louse roa : We have all be one day a child; I ānau 'aia ki Rarotonga nei : it was born here in Rarotonga

Mē: Express a condition, an assumption, but also the doubt, uncertainty; Generally translated by if; Mē ka 'ōmai koe I tēta' I 'anga' anga nāku, kā no' O May with the ki Rarotonga nei : If you had given me a work, I would have remained here in Rarotonga; Kua tupu ki 'ea, ki Tītīkāveka, mē ki Avarua? Where that did it occur, in Titikaveka or Avarua? ; Mē kā 'oki May 'aia : I wonder, if it will return; Nā 'have I kave May I you puka? Mē nā 'have : Who brought the book? I do not know

Ākōnei E: Also express an assumption, generally translates by perhaps; Ākōnei E kō you tika tāna : Perhaps it is right; E no' O koe ki you kāinga ākōnei koe E roko' ia have E you maki : Remain at the house or you could be sick

Kāre/kore: These two markers express the negation, kore having a direction emphatique. The two terms nevertheless today are employed more and more as synonyms. Kāre with the 'ē 'oki May : I will not return; Mē kāre koe E 'oki May, E tātā May koe kia kite tom cat : If you do not return, write to us so that we know it; Kāre I 'ānau 'aia ki Rarotonga nei : It was not born here in Rarotonga: Kāre I you 'are ma' ATA roa : It is not a very large house; Kua kore tōna māro'iro'i'anga : it does not have any more a force; Kāre atu : anything else, any more; Kāre atu ā mātou E 'ōronga atu nā' with the : We do not have anything any more to give you; Kāre pa' has : perhaps not; Kāre pa' has with the E 'ventilated ki Avarua : I will undoubtedly not go in Avarua; Kāre E kore : it is sure, without any doubt.

Interrogative

There are four series ('have 'ea-a' has 'ia) relating respectively to the identity, the localization (space and temporal), the nature of the subject and the number or the quantity. Those then will combine with a whole series of markers to produce a multitude of semantic nuances

Series of 'have: questioning on the identity

Ko' have? : who? , which (lle)? which? Which? For the name of the people, animals, places, months but neither days nor years; Ko' have koe? : who are you? ; Ko' have to' or ingoa? Is Which your name? ; Ko' have ia kōtou tei tuatua ana? : Which among you spoke?

Nō' ai/Nā' have? : With which? , of which? by which? ; Nō 'have teia avoids? : With which is this hat? ; Nā' have I kave May iā koe ki you pure? Nā tāku māmā : Who you ace taken along to the church? My mom.

Series of the 'ea: questioning on the localization (space or temporal)

Tei'ea ? : Where? , at which place? ; Tei'ea koe ? : Where are you? ; Tei'ea rā tāku māmā ? Mē tei'ea : Where can be my mother well? I do not know.

Nā'ea/Nō'ea : by which place? , how? (idea of place); ventilated Kā 'kōrua nā' ea? : By where did it come? ; I nā 'ea koe I you tunu' anga ite vararoa? I nā you ngūtupa : How (by which place) you entered the house? By the door.

Ki 'ea : where? In which direction? ; ventilated Tē 'nei koe ki' ea? : Where do you go? ; Kua 'apai koe ki 'ea? : Where did you take?

Mei'ea : From where? Of which origin? ; Mei' ea May koe? : From which do you come? , Where were you?

Ko'ea : Which? which? (For the place names); Ko' ea teia nga' I? : Which is this place?

Pē'ea ? : How? , How? ; Pē'ea koe ? : How are you? ; I pē' ea 'ia E koe 'has Taka I auē I.E.(internal excitation) ? How did you make to make cry Taka?

Ā'ea ? : When? ; Ā' ea you pa' ī E tae May? : When the boat T will arrive?

KB ā' ea? : Towards where? ; KB ā' ea teia ngā' I? : Towards where this place is?

Series of a' a: Questioning on the gasoline, the nature or the characteristics of the subject

Ea' has? : What? , What? What? ; Ea' has tō' U teima' has? : Which is your weight? ; Ea' has 'oki tā' with the ka 'inangaro? : What do you want of other?

Ia' has : What? , What? What? (with an idea of accomplished); I' a' has ana kotou? : What did you make?

Ēia' has…? 'Ea' has… (I.E.(internal excitation))/'ea' has to you mea… (I.E.(internal excitation)) /No a' has you?: : why, for which reason? ; Ea' has koe I auē I.E.(internal excitation)? For which reason do you cry? : 'Does Ea' have you mea I kāpiki I.E.(internal excitation) koe iāia? : Why the called ace you? ; Eia' has koe kia kite? : What do you want to know? for which reason do want you to know that? ; Eia' has tēnā pi' has? : What can you agree to make this box?

Mei you a' has to you roa : Since when? Since how long? (insinuation why?); Mei you 'a' has to you roa ia koe ki konei? Mei you rima meneti : Since how long do you find you here? Since five minutes; Mei you a' has to you roa I tō' or no' o' anga ki Aitutaki? : How long did you remain in Aitutaki? ; Mei you a' has May koe? : That ace you make (since all this time)

Series of the 'ia: questioning on the number, the quantity

Kā 'ia/'Ē' ia : How much? ; Kā 'ia pūtē will kōpara I kī I teianei? Kā rima nga'uru : How much bags of copra were filled? fifty; Kā 'ia ēnā? Kā 'ia rā : How much are they? A certain number

Ē 'ia ā' with the tamariki? : How much, children do you have? ; Ē 'ia Pāpā aini? 'Ē 'itu paved : How much money with Papa? He has seven dollars: Ē 'ia tangata tei tae May? 'Ē 'ia 'ua : How much people came? Enough little

Te'ia : In which order? , how much? ; Te 'ia vaka tei tae May? Te toru : To which place did arrive the dugout? It arrived the third

Possession

Like the majority of the languages of Polynesia, the rarotongien is characterized by two types of possession (Ā and Ō) generally described like “weak” and “strong” The possession in “Ā” is used when the owner has control on the relation, is higher or dominating than this one or when the possession is regarded as transferable. The possession in “Ō” is used when the owner does not have any control on the relation, lower or is subordinated to this one, or when the possession is regarded as inalienable.

the “Ā” is used for

any transportable object
food or the drink,
the husband, the wife, the girl, the son
the animals
the people of lower row

Te puaka ā tērā vain : the pig belongs to this woman

Ā Tere tamariki : Children of Tere

Kāre ā Tupe mā ika I napō : Tupe and they his did not have fish yesterday evening

Tāku/Tā' with/Tāna/Tā tāua/Tā māua…. : my, my, mine, mine/your, your, the tien, hold it/its, its, it his, his

KB tāku vain teia : It is my wife

KB tāna tāne will tera : It is her husband

Tā kotou 'apinga : Your business

Tā Tere 'apinga : Businesses of Tere

Ō east uses for:

part of a unit
feelings, characters
the building, transport
the clothes
parents and the family (neither the husband, neither L wife, nor children….)

individuals considered as superiors

Te 'are ō Tere : The house belonging to Tere

Ō Tere avoids : The hat of Tere

Kāre ō Tina no' O anga E no' O I.E.(internal excitation) : Tina does not have nowhere where to sit down

Tōku; Tō' or; Tōna; Tō tāua; Tō māua…: my, my, mine, mine/your, your, the tien, hold it/its, its, it his, his…

KB tōku 'are teia : It is my house

I tōku manako, kā tika tāna : With my opinion, it rightly

Teia tōku, tērā tō' or : This is with me, that is with you

Some deictics

Te: , one (E)

Kua tae May you torōka: the truck passed

Kāre I you 'anga' anga ngaro: It is not a secret thing

Teia : this, this, this, this (near to the speaker)

Teia avoids: this hat

Teia nga avoids: these some hats

Teia with avoids: these many hats

'Does Ea' have teia? What is it? What it last?

Teia with! : Me here! It is me!

Tēnā : this, this, this, that (near to the interlocutor)

Tēnā tā' with the kai? : Do you have your food with you?

'Does Ea' have koe I 'ventilated 'ua May I.E.(internal excitation) mei tēnā you tū? : Why did you come like that (e.g. with your working clothes)?

Mē kake atu kōtou ki ATU I you 'enua, tēnā kā tae May 'has Puna Ariki I you 'ārāvei ia kotou: When you arrive on this ground, the Puna chief will come to your meeting

E no' O May, E tēnā tangata keiā: Stop there, robber!

Tērā : this, this, this, that (far away from the interlocutor in time or space)

No 'have tērā 'are: With which belongs this house?

Ventilated Ka 'rātou mei tērā oire ki tērā oire: They will go from a village to another

Kare I will reira you mata' iti, I tērā May E I tērā May mata' iti rātou I soft I.E.(internal excitation) I you kapu: They did not gain the cut this year there, but they gained it the following year then still that according to.

Taua : This, this, this (which is not present at the moment when it is question)

KB tērā taua tangata: It is the man (of the situation)

Kāre taua tuatua I you tika: This history is not true

Soft Kua taua manu tā' aē ruffle: This wild beast was caught

Konei : here, close to me

Kāre aia I konei: il/elle is not there

Does Mei you 'a' have to you roa ia koe ki konei? Mei you rima meneti: Since how long do you find you here? Since five minutes

Kona : there, close to you

Ka meitaki 'ua kia vao' O koe I kona: It would be better if you started from there

Mei kō 'aia ki kona: It came where you are

Glossary

'ventilated: to go, go
'akakore: to give up
'will ākara: to look at, observe
'Akarongo: to listen to, hear
Ake: at a short distance, some time ago
Ako: to prevent to advise, exhort, preach, sermon
Akōnei: later in the course of the day. Be opposed to nakōnei: earlier in the course of the day
'ānau: to be born, give birth; Rā 'ānau anga: birthday
'anga' anga: work, to work
'apinga: possession, richness
Āpōpō: tomorrow
'ārāvei: to meet
'are: house, building; are 'āpi' I: school; 'are kāvamani: Governmental building; 'are kōrero: put where traditionally the genealogies and other accounts were taught with the young people; 'are umu/-are kūki: cook; 'are maki: hospital; 'are will ōtera: hotel; 'are pure: church;
'ārote: to plow, dig a furrow
Aru: To accompany, follow, continue
Atu: express the distance compared to that which speaks; 'ventilated atu: to leave
auē: to cry but also an interjection to express the surprise, the joy, the astonishment; but also the rejection; Auē you rekareka! : Oh well! Good news! ; Auē a' has you! : Goes to the devil! Get stuffed!
'ea: where…? ; mei 'ea: from where…?
'ika: female sex, vagina. (Precision to avoid any misunderstanding on the examples above, to the attention of course of those which would not note the glottale…)
Ika: fish
'īmene: to sing, song
Inana' I: yesterday
Innate: Please
Ingoa: name
Kai: food, to eat; kaikai or kakai: much food, to eat much, goinfrer
Kāinga: field, property, by extension (at home)
Kake: to climb, go up, rise (for the sun or the moon); kake ki ATU: to unload
Kapu: cross, cup (loan with English “cup”)
Kāre: negation, nothing
Kata: to laugh; kata 'āviri: to make fun
kave: to take, bring, take along
Keiā: to steal, conceal
Keiā: to steal, conceal
Kimi: to seek
Kino: bad (general term), damaged, broken down
Kite: to see, know
My: and, with
May: express the movement towards that which speaks. 'ventilated May: to come (by welcome extension)
Maki: patient
Manako: To think, idea, spirit
Māro' iro' I: extremely, in good health. Manako maro' iro' I: a strong, intelligent spirit
Meitaki: Thank you
meneti: minute
Mōtokā: convey (loan with English “motocar”)
Mou: to catch, hold
nga' I: place, position
Ngaro: dissimulated, secret (synonym " muna")
Ngūtupa: carry, entered; you ngūtupa O you ana: the entry of the cave
No' O: to remain, live, remain
'oire: village, district
pa' ī: boat
Papa' ā: an European, a white
Avoids: hat, to wear a hat; avoid ka' a: quoted out of coconut fiber
Pekapeka: quarrel, argument, to dispute
pi' a: box, part; pi' has moe: room
Pia: Polynesian manioc
Pōpongi: morning
Puaka: pig
Pupu: group of anybody, team
Riri: to be dissatisfied, be in anger against (ki)
Tae May: to arrive
Taeake: friend or relative pertaining to the same generation (brother, sister, cousin (E), but not by alliance).
Tama: friend (respectful form); 'Ē tamamā: my dear friend (in introduction of a letter). Another term for friend is 'oa undoubtedly borrowed from the tahitien (hoa) during the period missionary
Tamariki: children; 'āngai tamariki: to adopt a child
Tanu: to plant, cultivate
Tārekareka: to have fun, play, distract themselves, match, left
Tātā: to write
Tautai: to fish
Tiaki: to await, keep
Tika: correct, acceptable
Tū: appearance, character, nature, behavior, variety, description but also to be upright, set up, rise.
Tuātau: time, period, season; Ē tuātau 'ua atu: for always
Tuatua: to speak, word, account; tuatua muna: secrecy; tuatua raurau: a piplette; tuatua ta' eke: rumor; ta' eke: diarrhea
Ua: rain, rainy
'will ura: to dance, dance

Sources of this article

thesis of Laurent Nevers, prepared with INALCO.
Cook islands Maori dictionary, To marble Tube and Raututi Taringa published by Bruce Biggs and Rangi Moeka' has, Canberra, 1995.
has dictionary off the Maori language off Rarotonga , Stephen Savage, Wellington 1962. This last dictionary although rich in cultural information, does not achieve the unanimity because of the few errors there being slipped.

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