A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of New Zealand.

Familiar Dialogues

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61

Familiar Dialogues.

Dialogue I.

Teacher.

Éaha te méa ki tóu dínga dínga?—What (is) the thing in thy hand?

Pupil.

E matau kau áno.—A fish-hook only.

  • E'aha, an interrogative pronoun, signifying what.

  • Te, a definite article, and like the English article the.

  • Méa, signifies a likeness unto any substantive intended or understood, but not expressed: it is also used for the word thing.

  • Ki, signifies close to, adjoining, in, or to.

  • Tóu, the possessive pronoun, denoting thy (singular number).

  • Dínga dínga, The hand, or The fingers.

Note.—E'aha te méa, when translated literally, denotes What the thing? The neuter verb is being understood.

  • E, an indefinite article.

  • Matau, a Fish-hook.

  • Kau, ad. signifying solely, only, & c.

  • A'no, answering generally to the verb neuter To be.

  • E matau kau áno, signifies, ‘A fish-hook only is here.’

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T. Na wai óki i ó mai te matau ki á koe?—Who gave the fish-hook to thee?

P. Na Táka ra óki.—Táka.

T. E tángata pai ra nei ía?—Is he a good man?

P. Ai ra óki; e tángata pai, e tángata hóha.—Yes; a good man, a generous man.

T. Ke ihéa kóia tóna káinga?—At what place truly is his residence?

Na, a particle, used to mark the genitive case.
Wai, interrogative pronoun Who; or Na wai? Of whom?
Ra óki, an auxiliary verb, meaning is, or does, or the like. (See the Paradigma.)
I, sign of the past tense. (See Parad.)
O', ‘To produce,’ to give.
Te, definite article the.
Matau, Fish-hook.
Ki, prep, to; used in transferring one thing to another.
A' koe, Thou (present).
Na, particle, as before. Táka, proper name.
E, indefinite article.
Tángata, a Man. Pai, Good.
Ra nei, words denoting a probability, perhaps, & c.
I'a, pronoun he.
Ai, Yes, or Yes truly.
Hóha, Generous.
Ke, At.
Ihéa, What place? or, Ke ihéa, in asking a question, Where?
Kóia, Truly.
Tóna, His; pronoun possessive.
Káinga, Residence.

63

P. Ke Port Jákson ra óki; ke Paramáta.—At Port Jackson; at Parramatta.

T. Kóa tai óti koe ki reira?—Hast thou been there?

P. Kóa tai ra oki 'au.—I have been there.

T. I nahéa?—When was it?

P. I te e áu tóke ra óki: katai áno 'au ka e óki mai.—It was in winter: just now I am returned here.

T. E wahíne óti ta Táka?—Has Táka a wife?

P. E wahíne ra óki.—He has a wife.

Ke, At.
Port Jákson, proper name of a place.
Ra óki, an auxiliary verb, meaning is, does, or the like.
Ke Paramáta, At Parramatta.
Kóa, particle denoting the past tense.
Tai, To reach, or arrive at. O'ti, (interr.) Whether? & c.
Koe, Thou. Ki, To.
Reira, There, or In that place.
I nahéa? When? I, sign of past tense.
Te, The. E áu tóke, Winter.
Katai, Present arrival.
A'no, verb neuter, is. Au, pron. I.
Ka e óki mai, Present return here.
E, indefinite article. Wahíne, Wife.
O'ti, auxiliary verb, Is it; Has he?
Ta, particle forming the genitive case of a substantive denoting possession. Táka, proper name.
E wahíne, a Woman, Wife.

64

T. Tóko hía ána tamaníki?—How many children has he?

P. Tóko óno.—Six.

T. E'aha tána máhinga?—What is his office?

P. E karakía ra óki ki tóna Atúa.—A praying to, or calling upon his God.

T. E tohúnga peóki ía?—Perhaps he is a priest?

P. E tohúnga ra óki.—Yes, a priest.

T. Ko wai óki tóna Atúa?—Who is his God?

P. Ko Jihóva ra óki; ko Jízus Kraist; ko te Waidúa pai.—Jehovah; Jesus Christ; the Good Spirit.

Tóko hía? ‘How many?’—relating to persons.
Hia, relates to the number inquired after.
A'na, His, (a possessive pronoun.)
Tamaníki, Children.
O'no, Six.
Tóko óno Six (persons).
E'aha, interr. pron. What?
Tána, His.
Máhinga, Work, or Office.
Karakía, Invocation.
Atúa, God.
Pe óki, particles used to express the Subjunctive Mood. (See Paradigma.) I'a, He.
Ko wai, or K'wai, interrogative pronoun Who, or Who is he?
O'ki, auxiliary verb, is.
Tóna, His.
Atúa, name of the Supreme Being.
Ko Jihóva, Jehovah.
Ko Jizus Kraist, Jesus Christ.
Ko te Waidúa, The Spirit. Pai, adjective, signifying Good.

65

T. E tódu ra nei énei Atúa?—Are these possibly three Gods?

P. E téka. Ko táhi ra óki rátu; ko Jihóva ra óki tó rátu ingóa waka éra éra.—No. They are one; Jehovah is their great name.

T. E aira ána koe?—Art thou moving (or going)?

P. E aire ána ra óki 'au. Apópo ka e óki mai, kía wakáko táu'.—I am moving. Tomorrow return back, when thou and I will teach.

T. Aire átu ra.—Go in health.

P. I ko na ra.—Remain in health.

Tódu, Three. Ra nei, Perhaps.
E'nei, These.
Atúa, God; and following énei, becomes plural; as, énei Atúa, These Gods.
E téka, No.
Ko táhi, One. Rátu, They; (personal pronoun.)
Tó rátu, Their.
Ingóa, Name. Waka éra éra, Great.
Aire, To move.
A'na, auxiliary answering to the verb neuter He does.
Koe, Thou. Apópo, To-morrow.
Ka e óki, Return. Mai, Hither.
Kia, To perform. Wakáko, a Lesson.
Táu', abbreviation of Táua, ‘Thou and I.’
Aire átu, Go.
Ra, this word not only signifies ‘a body,’ but ‘a healthful body.’
Aire átu ra, ‘Depart well,’ or ‘Fare thee well;’ the word thee being understood. I ko, Here, or Behind me.
Na ra, ‘Remain well;’ the word thee being again understood.

66

Dialogue II.

T. Aire mai ra; aire mai, aire mai. Té na ra ko koe.—Come cheerly, or well; come, come. Be thou revived and well; or, Health to thee.

P. E'mara má! nohéa ténei kai?—O my friends! from whence is this food?

T. No té Wai Máte.—From te Wai Máte.

P. Na e O'ngi I'ka óki i ó mai ki a kodúa?—Did Ongi I'ka give it to you?

Aire mai, ‘Come;’ (imperative mood.)
Ra, ‘A healthful body.’
Té na ra, Be quickened, revived, & c.
Ko koe, Thou.
E'mara! address to a person, whereby his attention is arrested.
, signifies that more persons are intended in the address than the person spoken to.
Nohéa, adv. ‘From whence.’
Ténei, demonstrative pronoun this.
Kai, Food. No, prep. from.
, definite article.
Wai Máte, the proper name of a place.
Na, used here to distinguish the giver in the gift.
O'ngi I'ka, proper name. I, sign of past tense.
O', ‘To produce.’
O' mai, ‘To produce here;’ often used for the word give.
Ki, To.
A kodúa, ‘You who are now in a body.’

Note.—Although kodúa signifies, for the most part, ye two, it is sometimes used in expressing a company, or party belonging to a man.

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Title: A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of New Zealand.

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Publication details: London Missionary Society, 1820, London

Part of: New Zealand Texts Collection

This text is the subject of: Victoria University of Wellington Library Catalogue

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