The Project Gutenberg eBook of Grammar of the New Zealand Language (2nd Edition), by R. Maunsell.

The other compound prepositions may often be rendered very useful by giving them, as in the above, a figurative acceptation according with the nature of the subject. One or two examples will suffice.

The student should carefully remember that muri and mua do not exactly correspond with behind and before in English, and that tua is very frequently employed to denote those words.

Muri and mua (as well as the substantive aroaro) are chiefly employed in connexion with living objects. When allusion is made to the date of events, the student will remember that the prepositions a, mo, mo, a, hei, kei, ko, hei a and ko a, denote future time, and that no, i, and o will always indicate past time.

These prepositions will sometimes take verbal particles into connexion with them, and may be frequently found in other forms to occupy the place of verbs, substantives, and adverbs; vid. ch. 1, § 6. (c), ch. 7. § 1. (b), and ch. 9.

Sometimes we meet with other forms for denoting what would be represented by a preposition in English. Though their proper place belongs to the dictionary, we beg the reader's permission to insert a few here:

The prefix whaka, when in union with a word, will impart the meaning of towards, and change it into an adverb; e. g.,

The above form deserves, we think, the notice of our Missionary brethren as supplying a good approximation to an use of the word by, which we have not been able to find under the preposition ki or mo, viz., when it is used in adjuration. If, for example, we had to translate into prose the following stanza:—

By thy birth, and early years;
By thy griefs, and sighs, and tears;
Jesus look with pitying eye.
Hear, and spare us when we cry,

we should feel very reluctant to use either ki or mo. For, in that case, our Lord's hearing would be represented as a thing to be accomplished, or purchased by himself with his birth and early years—a version quite foreign from the original.

We should therefore prefer something to this effect:—"Whakarongo mai, tohungia hoki matou, &c., wakamaharatia tou whanautanga, &c.," or, "kia mahara hoki ki tou whanautanga ki tou taitamarikitanga, &c., &c."

Some, perhaps, would prefer—"I whanua nei hoki koe i taitamariki, &c.;" neither should we object to such a form. All we contend for is, that ki and mo will not answer, and that they would often, in such kind of sentences, convey very erroneous doctrines. Approximation to such a meaning is all we can hope for; and that is the best which differs least in sense from the original.

[16] Many of the following remarks belong properly to the Syntax. The student however will, we trust, find it advantageous to have the whole subject placed thus, in one connected view before him.

[17] By neuter verbs, here, are intended also participial adjectives. (Vid. verbs, note, under head "Neuter.")

CHAPTER IX.
OF THE ADVERBS.

The adverbs of Maori may be considered under two heads, primitive and derivative.

The last class is very large, Maori being deficient in the variety of adverbs; and though, strictly speaking, most of them cannot claim a place in this chapter, we shall mention them:

1stly. Because many foreigners are much perplexed from not being acquainted with them, and

2ndly. Because, being idiomatic phrases, a knowledge of them is of great importance to the composition of elegant Maori.

Note 1.—Some of the following adverbs might, it will be seen, have been easily classified under other heads. It was necessary, however, to have a classification, and it is not of much consequence under which head a phrase of equivocal character should be classed.

Note 2.—Some of the adverbial particles are fully considered in the next chapter.

Adverbs may be reduced to the following classes:—to those of time, place, order, quantity, quality, manner, affirmation, negation, comparison, interrogation, and intensity.

ADVERBS OF TIME.[18]

OF PLACE.

Note 2. Ki reira, no reira, hei reira, &c., correspond, in most cases, with ki kona, no kona, hei kona, with this difference, however, that the na and ra follow the rule already noticed. Vide tena, Pronouns.

OF ORDER.

OF QUANTITY.

OF QUALITY.

OF AFFIRMATION.

Maori is very well supplied with affirmative and negative particles, all of which differ by very slight shades of meaning from each other, and the uses of which will be best learned by practice.

OF NEGATION.

Negative adverbs partake of the nature of verbal particles. We have given some examples of them in chapter vii., (vid. paradigm of the tenses,) and we shall have occasion also to notice them in the Syntax.

OF COMPARISON.

OF INTERROGATION.

Maori has many particles which indicate interrogation, and which correspond, in some particulars, with the enclitic particles ne and num of Latin; e. g.,

Ranei, ianei, iana, and iara, are always incorporated into the sentence, and generally denote a question, e. g.,

OF INTENSITY.

Pai rawa, tino tika, tino pai rawa, kino whakaharahara, tika pu, he noa iho, tini whakarere, tika tonu; all these adverbs stand for very or some modification of it; e. g.,

Maori, as might be expected in the language of a rude people, abounds in adverbs of intensity. We shall have to mention some of these hereafter, (vid. adjective, comparative degree, Syntax.) They sometimes elegantly supply the place of verbal particles, as we shall have occasion to show when we treat on the Syntax of the verbs.

From the preceding table the student will see that Maori has the power of increasing its adverbs to any extent, and that the chief process by which a word may be converted into an adverb, is by placing it in immediate connexion with the verb or adjective.

It should, perhaps, be here noticed, 1st, that Maori inclines to this mode of construction. Thus, where we should say, the women and the children must all roll the log; a native would most probably employ the adverb; e. g., Huri tane huri wahine. Such a mode of construction, though loose, is, however, concise and emphatic.

2ndly. That the adverb, in this case, admits of the same variations as the verb—admits of number, voice, and the form of the verbal noun. For this, however, vid. Syntax.

3rdly. That another process for the creation of adverbs is by prefixing whaka, or a to the preposition, noun, or adverb.

4thly. That the compound prepositions, especially when time and place are denoted, will very often take the adverbial form.[27]

5thly and lastly. It would be a very useful exercise for the student to examine those sentences, the place of which would be supplied by an adverb in English, and notice the nature of their construction. Some, for example, he will find rendered by the verb, some by the verbal noun, some by the substantive in the possessive case, some by the pronoun, &c.

We have dwelt so long upon this subject, that we are unwilling to occupy his attention any further with it.

[18] These adverbs of time are arranged according to their times, past present, and future. For the time of those adverbs which are compounded with prepositions, vid. the simple prepositions, chapter 8. The principal compound adverbs are hea, ahea, mua, muri, amata, apopo, reira, ko. They are chiefly adverbs of time and place. As they are of very common use, we shall give examples of their various combinations. Some of these combinations ought, perhaps, more properly to be considered as belonging to the class of substantives:

A hea?
Ko hea?
No hea?
Na hea?
I hea?
Mo hea?
Ma hea?
Ki hea?
Kei hea?
I hea?
O hea?
Hei hea?
A popo.
Ko apopo.
Mo apopo.
Hei apopo.
A mua.
Ko amua.
Ko mua.
No mua.
Na mua.
I mua.
Mo mua.
Mo a mua.
Ma mua.
Ki mua.
Kei mua.
I mua.
O mua.
Hei mua.
A hea?
Ko ahea?
Hei ahea?
Mo ahea?
No nahea?
I nahea?
A muri.
Ko muri.
No muri.
Na muri.
I muri.
Mo muri.
Ma muri.
Ki muri.
Kei muri.
I muri.
O muri.
Ko anaianei.
Hei anaianei.
Mo anaianei.
I naianei.
O naianei.

Reira, ko and konei, &c., will take the same combination as muri. It will be observed that some of the above adverbs take n between them and the preposition.

[19] Ka mutu, and ka mea generally denote future time, and imply a short interval between the time of speaking and the act. Though the former expresses an ending of something else, it does not always intend it; for it is often used when the person addressed is not engaged at any thing. As there is nothing in Maori corresponding exactly to the Hebraic mode of phrase which is translated "it came to pass," "it shall come to pass," some have adapted ka mea as a substitute, and in some cases, perhaps, it must stand for want of better. There are, however, cases in which we think a more correct and idiomatic form might be adopted; viz.:—a simple a, or nawai a or tenei ake, &c. We, for example, should have no scruple in translating the following sentences "so it came to pass when all the men of war were consumed," &c., nawai a, ka poto nga tangata hapai patu katoa te mate, &c., "and it shall come to pass if ye hearken," &c., a tenei ake, ki te whakarongo koutou, &c., "and it came to pass when he heard," &c., a, te rongonga o, &c.

[20] For the difference between nei, na, and ra, vid. pronouns, page 30.

[21] The tangata wero, is the person who advances to meet a party, and throws a spear at them. If, in turning to retire, he turns to the side different from that from which the spear was darted, it is a huri koaro, and a bad omen.

[22] Tahanga is only to be found as adverb.

[23] Ae, and ina do not always strictly imply affirmation; e. g., Kahore he kete? He kete ano; ae ra, tikina atu. Is there no basket? There is a basket; yes, then, go fetch it. The word answer in Hebrew, and that corresponding to it in the Greek Testament and Septuagint, affords, we think, a parallel to this use of ae. (vid. Parkhurst's Greek Lexicon, by Rose.) It is putting a command, &c., into the form of an assent to some previous sentence.—N.B. Ina is often used to denote energy, certainty, &c.; e. g., ina ka riri au, certainly, in that case, I will be angry.

[24] Some, we believe, maintain that the adverb besides should be always rendered by haunga. It is true that, wherever exclusion or negation is indicated by that word, haunga will generally answer; e. g., E rua tekau ratou, haunga nga wahine, they were twenty, besides (that is not counting) the women. In the leading sense, however, of besides, viz., that of moreover, addition to, haunga will, we are sure, seldom find an use; as in the following examples: "Besides you know," "nobody thinks so besides yourself," "there is nothing there besides the box," "besides her he had no child."

[25] Some foreigners, we observe, give this adverb a more extensive meaning than we have allowed it. In such phrases, for example, as the following: "Held by the hand," "built by the hand," &c., they would say "purutia a ringaringatia," "hanga a ringaringa." We are, however, decidedly of opinion that such expressions are very rare in genuine Maori. "Purutia ringaringatia, hanga e te ringa," are, we consider, in every way preferable.

[26] Koia, when part of an interrogative sentence, is, as far as we have observed, (although we are aware that some respectable speakers of Maori have not followed the rule,) almost always used in rejoinder; e. g., I pehea koia ahau? what then did I say? The speaker here supposes that the hearer had disputed his statement, and uses koia. Oti is used in a somewhat similar construction with the meaning of else, e. g., He aha oti? what else then is it?

[27] It has been objected by a learned friend that the compound prepositions are more properly adverbs, and that in such a sentence as "kei roto i te whare," i is the governing preposition, and roto is an adverb. With all deference, however, to his very superior critical abilities, we submit, that if a preposition be "a particle denoting the relation of one substantive to another" then roto is a preposition; for it clearly indicates a local relation between roto (or i roto, if you please,) and the thing spoken of. Those who feel sceptical on this point, we would beg to examine the composite prepositions of Hebrew. For example, the Hebrew preposition under (tahath) is recognised as a preposition by grammarians, even though it may require the prepositions from and to in combination with it to exhibit its meaning. So also, in English, such prepositions as according to, out at, out of, &c., are not considered as disfranchised by the supplementary preposition annexed to them. At the same time it is to be noted, that where there is a break between the compound preposition and its supplement, then the former must be considered as an adverb; thus, in the sentence, "Kei raro, kei te whare," it is below, it is in the house; raro is here, as it is in English, an adverb joined to is; the line of connection being broken by a comma. In such a construction as this, the same preposition that precedes the compound preposition, (or rather, in this case, the adverb,) must also follow it.

CHAPTER X.
OF THE PARTICLES.

We have thought it better to devote a separate chapter to the consideration of the following particles of Maori; first, because those words, though they strongly partake of the nature of adverbs, are yet sometimes used as conjunctions; secondly, because we are of opinion that a distinct consideration of them will be the best way to impart clear and comprehensive views of their nature.

An accurate acquaintance with these epea pteroenta "winged words" of discourse, is in most languages of very difficult attainment: but in Maori, particularly, do they require our study; that language not conceding to the verb the same prominent place that it occupies in other languages, and rather, (as we have already observed,) transacting the business of predication by pronouns, particles, &c.

They are mainly used for embellishing, defining, and impressing a sentence, and may, with the prepositions, be justly denominated the hinges of Maori.

To enumerate them all would be an endless task, and perhaps a useless one: for, in no part of Maori is there so great a discrepancy in the various districts. The following, we think, are the most general in use, and most deserving of notice: atu, mai, ake, iho, ai, ano, ra, koa, u, hoki, kau.

Atu and mai are, in most respects, exactly opposite; atu indicates an emanation forth of action from—the latter an approach or direction towards—the speaker.

N.B.—Atu will sometimes lose its peculiar meaning after a verb, (vid. verbs, S.) It will also occasionally stand for other: Tera atu ano, that is another; i. e., there are other besides.

Ake and Iho. The general uses of ake and iho are, of the former up, and of the latter down, to the speaker:

Sometimes they will stand, the one for up, the other for down, to the object of the action; e. g.,

Ake and iho will sometimes denote propriety, peculiarity, self-existence, &c.; e. g.,

Ake will sometimes signify the other side of the speaker, whether it be before, behind, to one side of, above, below, &c.; e. g., haere ake to a hearer in front will mean come behind me: to a person behind, it will signify come to my front.

N.B.—Iho does not seem to have any corresponding opposite to this meaning of ake.

Sometimes, also, ake is employed to designate a motion by another towards some place with which the speaker is in connexion; e. g.,

Under these two last rules should, perhaps, be mentioned the following examples:

Note 1.—There are other subordinate meanings of ake and iho, of which examples have been given under the adverbs, and which do not, we think, require any further notice.

Note 2.—Ake and iho are often used after verbs, in a manner somewhat corresponding to that of the verbal particles. (vid. verbs. S.)

Ai is a particle of great use. It is chiefly employed as a substitute for the relatives who, which, what, and has reference to the time, place, manner, cause, means, intention, &c., of an action; as in the following examples:

2ndly. It is employed with the verbs to denote a sequence and, occasionally, an opposition of action, and might be translated by "and then," "to," and sometimes "but."

Puta noa i tera taha, (make its appearance out at the other side);—through.
A taea noatia tenei ra,	{	arrives on to	}
or		or		this day.
A tae noa ki tenei ra		till it reaches

Aianei,	}
Anaianei,		presently.
Akuanei,
Akuaina.
Moanaianei, for this present occasion.
Nonaianei,	}	now, just now.
Inaianei,	}

A moroki noa nei,			}
A mohoa noa nei,
A tae noa ki,	}	tenei ra (lit. until it is		down to this.
taea noatia,		arrived to this day),		present time.
A, e noho nei, (Waikato), [lit. down to
this (time) in which (we) are sitting.]
Rapua Te Atua i tona kitenga ai, karangatia atu kei tata ana ia, seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.

Wawe,	}
E kore e taro, it will not be long,		soon.
E kore e roa, idem,
E kore e wheau, idem,

	{	ake nei,	}
Tukua		or		(leave hence forward,) hereafter.
		atu,

No	}	tahi ra,	{	the day before yesterday; (lit.
I				from or on the other day).
No	}	tahi ra atu,	{	a short time ago, (lit. from or on
I				the other day besides, or beyond).
No	}	mua, formerly.
I
No	}	nanamata, a long time ago, or in old times.
I

No	{	muri	}	afterwards.
I
Muri	{	iho	}	afterwards.
		ake
I	}	te aonga ake, next day.
No
No te atatu, early in the morning.
No reira, from that time, occasion, &c.
I tenei ra i tenei ra, (lit. this day, this day),			}	continually.
I te ao i te po, (lit. day and night),
Tena ano, do it again.
Ka	{	turua	}	waenga, at midnight.
		turoto

Ko hea, (whea Waikato), whither.
Hei hea, at what place (future).
No hea,	}	from what place, whence.
I hea,
Ki ko, thither.
No	{	konei,[20]	}	from this (and that) place.
I		kona, & kora,
Kei reira te pakaru kei reira te paru: lit., there the broken place there the repair, wheresoever it is broken there coat with raupo.[20]
Kei waho e noho ana, he is sitting outside.

Ora noa,	}
Me i kotahi, (lit. if it had been one),		all but, &c.
Wahi iti, a little bit,
Whano,

I te tahi taha i te tahi taha,	}
(lit. on one side, on one side.)
A karapoi noa, (lit. until it surrounds)		round about.
A porowhawhe noa, id.
A potaipotai, id.

Hore, no; hore rawa, by no means.
Kahore, not and no.
Kaho,	}	no.
Kao,
Kihai, not.
Kore, idem.
Tē, idem; tē whakaaro ia, who did not remember.
Aua,	}
Auaka,		do not.
Kaua,
Kauaka,

Aua,	}	I do not know.
Au,	}
Meho, (Waikato,)	}	not at all, (used in abrupt replies).
Hori,	}

Meatia,	{	peneitia, do it thus,
or		penatia,	}	do it in that manner.
		peratia,

E kore ahau e rongo atu, I do not hear forth.	E kore e rongo mai, will not hear towards (me or us).
	E rangona mai ranei tatou? shall we be heard towards (us)?
Tu atu, stand out of my way.	Kati mai i kona, stand towards me there.
Tikina atu, go there and bring here, i. e., fetch thence.	Tikina mai, fetch hence.
E tatari atu ana matou ki a koe, we are waiting forth to you.
E kore ahau e kaha atu, I shall not be strong forth, i. e., shall not be able to take it there.	Mau mai ano, for you truly hither, i. e., it is for you to strike the first blow, &c.

CHAPTER IX. OF THE ADVERBS.