§ 25. Degrees of Comparison

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§ 25. Degrees of Comparison

are expressed by the adverbs atu, or ake, for the comparative degree; tino, or rawa, with the definite article te, for the superlative degree. Tino or rawa, with the indefinite article he, forms an intense comparative.

Obs. Tino always stands before the adjective, and rawa after it.

Examples.

  • He mea pai atu i tena, a better thing than that.

  • Te mea pai rawa, the best thing.

  • He mea tino pai, a very good thing.

  • Te mea tino pai rawa, the very best thing.

  • He mea pai rawa i tena, a far better thing than that.

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About this page...

Title: First Lessons in Maori

Author: W. L. Williams

Publication details: Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, 1930

Part of: New Zealand Texts Collection

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

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence