Of Interrogation
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Of Interrogation.
Maori has many particles which indicate interrogation, and which correspond, in some particulars, with
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the enclitic particles ne and num of Latin; e. g.,
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E pai ana? ne are you inclined? are you?
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Ine, (Waikato,) differs but little in its use from the above.
Ranei, ianei, iana, and iara, are always incorporated into the sentence, and generally denote a question, e. g.,
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E pai ana ranei koe?
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Koia? † Indeed? (when used by itself.)
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Oti, else.
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Na-te-aha? why?
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Me pehea? How must it be done?
Ranei is very frequently used in the sense of whether.
Ianei, iana, and iara, are sometimes pleonastic in Waikato.
† Koia, when part of an interrogative sentence, is, as far as we have obeerved, (although we are aware that some respectabie 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 some what similar construction with the meaning of else, e. g., He aha oti? what else then is it?
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