A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan vocabulary
4. Pronouns
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4. Pronouns
These are declined by means of the same particles and prepositions as the noun, except the accusative, which takes the preposition used with proper names, and in addition an euphonic particle te, as Ia te a‘u, ia te ‘oulua. That it is merely euphonic seems proved by its absence in kindred dialects; e.g., Tahitian and Niuean. The first and third persons, dual aud plural, in every case take i before the pronoun; as ‘o i maua.
The dual is formed from lua, usually by eliminating the l, and prefixing ta, ma, ‘ou, la; as taua, maua, ‘oulua, laua.
The plural is formed from tou, a contraction of tolu, which appears in Niue and Tongan, mautolu. To this is prefixed the particles, ta, ma, ‘ou, la; as tatou, matou, ‘outou, latou. The same rules which regulate the o and a before the genitive of the noun regulate also their use with the pronoun.
The inclusive form of the pronoun is used when two or more persons speak of themselves inclusively; as Tatou te o, let us go. The exclusive form is used by two or more persons speaking of themselves to a third party not included: Ua matou o mai ia te ‘oe, we are come to you.
The sign of the nominative, ‘o, is subject to the same rules as in the nouns—except the third person. For euphony the ‘o is sometimes used after the verb: Ua alu ‘o ia, He is gone.
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Personal Pronouns
first person
Singular
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N. ‘O a‘u, ‘ou, ta, I.
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G. o and a a‘u, of me.
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D. mo o‘u (mo‘u), ma a‘u (ma‘u), for me.
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A. ia te a‘u, or ia te ita, me, in me.
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Ab. e a‘u, by me.
From me requires two prepositions, mai ia le a‘u.
Dual.
(Including persons addressed.)
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N. ‘O i taua, we two.
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G. o and a i taua, of us two.
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D. mo and ma i taua, for us two.
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A. ia te i taua, or ia ‘i taua, for us two.
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Ab. e i taua, by us two.
‘O i maua, we two (excluding the person addressed) is declined in the same way as taua.
Plural
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N. ‘O i tatou, we (including person or persons addressed).
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G. o i tatou, or a i tatou, of us.
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D. mo i tatou, or ma i tatou, for us.
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A. ia te i tatou, or ia i tatou, to us.
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Ab. e i tatou, by us.*
‘O i matou, we (excluding person or persons addressed), is declined the same as tatou.
second person
Singular
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N. ‘O ‘oe, thou.
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G. o and a ‘oe, of you.
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D. mo and ma ‘oe (contracted to maw and mou), for you.
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A. ia te ‘oe, you.
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Ab. e ‘oe, by you.
Dual
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N. ‘O ‘oulua, you two.
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G. o and a ‘oulua, of you two.
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D. mo and ma ‘oulua, for you two.
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A. ia te ‘oulua, you two.
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Ab. e ‘oulua, by you two.
* Examples:—
N. Ua tofia a‘u, I am appointed.
N. absolute: ‘O a‘u nei, ‘ou te alu, As for me, I will go.
G. ‘O le fale ‘o a‘a lenei, This is my house; more usual, lo‘u fale. ‘O le mea a a‘u lena, That is mine; more usual, la‘u mea.
D. Tu‘u mai le va‘a mo‘u, Leave the canoe for me. Au mai lea ma‘u, Give me that thing.
A. Ua fai mai o ia ia ti au, He told me.
Dual.
N. O le a nonofo i taua, We two (including the party addressed) will remain. ‘O i maua nei, o le a nonofo i maua, We two (excluding the party addressed) will remain.
G. ‘O le fale o i taue lenei, This is the house of us two. The possessive pronoun is usually used, ‘O lo ta fale.
D. Au mai le of u lena mo i maua, Give that garment for us two (excluding the person addressed).
Ia ‘ai le i‘a nei ma i taua, Let us two eat this fish for us.
A. Uu felalai le alii ia i maua, The chief spoke to us two (excluding the party addressed).
Ua agalelei o ia ia te i taua, He was kind to us two (inclusive).
Ab. Ua uma ona faia le fale e i maua, The house is finished building by us (excluding those addressed).
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Plural
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N. ‘O ‘outou, you.
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G. o and a ‘oulou, of you.
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D. mo and ma ‘oulou, for you.
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A. ia te ‘outou, you.
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Ab. e outou, by you.
third person
Singular
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N. ‘O ia, * he or she.
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G. o ia and a ia, of him or her.
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D. mo and ma ia, mo ona (mona), and ma ana (mana), for him, etc.
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A. ia te ia, him or her.
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Ab. e ia, by him.
Dual
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N. ‘O and a i laua, they two.
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G. ‘o and a i laua, of them.
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D. mo and ma i laua, for them.
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A. ia te i laua, them.
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Ab. e i laua, by them.
Plural
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‘O i latou, they, declined as ‘o i laua.
The personal pronouns are used of rational beings, animals, and trees. They are not used of inanimate objects. Not Ou te fa‘atau ia i latou, of articles of trade, but Ou te faatau ia mea, I will buy these things.
possessive pronouns
It is probable that these are formed from the personal pronoun by prefixing the articles le, se, and then eliding the e; as le a‘u, la‘u, se a‘u, sa‘u. The latter is an indefinite form.
In the distributive pronouns, ta‘itasi is more restricted in meaning than the English “each.” Thus, ia ta‘itasi ma sau would mean, let each one come separately.
Singular
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Lo‘u and la‘u, lota and lata, my.
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Lou and lau, lo ‘oe and la ‘oe, thy.
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Lona, lana, his.
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Lo and la maua, our two.
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Lo and la taua, our two (inclusive).
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Lo and la oulua, your two,
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Lo and la lana, their two.
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Lo and la matou, our (exclusive).
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Lo and la tatou, our (inclusive).
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Lo and la outou, your.
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Lo and la latou, their.†
Plural
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O‘u and a‘u, my.
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‘Ou and au, thy.
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Ona and ana, his.
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O and a maua, our; (and so on throughout the dual and plural).
* Na is also used, but only in the nominative; as Na na fai mai, he said, instead of Na ia.
† Ex. Ua fai la laua galuega, They two are doing their work.
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distributive pronouns
Ta‘itasi, each.* Ta‘itasi uma, every.
So before a personal pronoun; as—
So maua, one of us two. So ‘oulua, one of you two, etc.†
demonstrative pronouns
Singular
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‘O lenei. this; sinei, a diminutive.‡
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‘O lea, ‘o lena, ‘o lela, that.
Plural
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Ia and nei, these.
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Na, those; (la).
Sea, sisi, siasi, sinasi, diminutives.
indefinite pronouns
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Nisi (ni isi), isi, some, others.
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Ni. some, any. Nai, some (a few).
To avoid an indecent word it is better to omit the ‘o before these. Where it must have ‘o, as at the beginning of a sentence, then use isi: ‘O isi.
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Se tasi, le tasi, one, another, the other.
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Le isi, the other. Se isi, another.
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Au mai ni niu. Bring me some nuts.
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Au mai se tasi, Bring me also another.
relative pronouns
Personal pronouns are also used as relatives: O ia te i latou tupuga, whose are the ancestors; lit. there is to them ancestors.
Singular
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‘O le, who, that.
Plural
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‘O e, who, that.
Ai is also constantly used in a relative sentence; as Ona taon[gap — reason: unclear]lea, oti ai. Then he was crushed, by which he died. It is used for him, O le aupito ane i ai. He that was next to him. Her: Oe mai ai le tasi Tui, Another Tui answered her. Them: Se‘i lua silitonua mai ai, Ask of them. Where: Se mea e saofa‘i ai, A place where to sit. There: Ua i ai le aitu, The god was there.
interrogatives
Here also as in the personal pronoun the ‘o of the nominative is omitted, except in the third personal pronoun following the interrogation: O ai i latou? Who are they? O ai o ia? Who is he?
* Ta‘itasi ma alu i lona aiga, Let each go to his family.
† Sau ia so oulua taeao, One of you two come to-morrow.
‡ ‘O se tama itiili sinsi, This little child.
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In asking the name of a person, o ai, and not o le a, is used: O ai lona igoa? Who is his name? (For Eug.: What is his name?)
‘O ai is declined in the same way as the personal pronoun. The singular and the plural are the same.
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‘O ai? who? singular and plural.
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‘O le a? what? (singular). ‘O a? (plural).
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Se a? what? (indefinite). Ni a? (plural).
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Le fea? se fea? which?
Such of these as are declinable, are declined as the personal pronoun; ‘o ai, who; o and a ai, whose; mo and ma ai, etc. The others take i with the accusative; i lona, his; i lenei, this.
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