§ 20. Possessive Prepositions following Definitives.

(a) When a possessive follows a noun preceded by he, always use one of the prepositions na or no, never a or o.

– 19 –

Examples.

• He mara kumara naku, a kumara field of mine, or belonging to me.

• He whare no tenei tangata, a house belonging to this man, or of this man's.

(b) When a possessive follows a noun preceded by any other definitive than he, always use one of the prepositions a or o, never na or no.

Examples.

• Te toki a Rita, Rita's axe.

• Tenei taha oku, this side of me.

• Taua whare o Hamo, that house of Hamo's.