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A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of New Zealand.

Of a Noun Substantive

Of a Noun Substantive.

Of Number.

Nouns have two Numbers; the Singular and the Plural. The Plural is formed by prefixing the particle nga to the singular.

Examples.
íka a fish nga íka fishes
ínu oil nga ínu oils
kai sweet potatoe, nga kai sweet potatoes
wai water nga wai waters
wáo nail nga wáo nails
wáre house nga wáre houses.

Of Case.

The Cases of Nouns Substantive are thus distinguished:

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1.

E kai ána te mánu, The bird eats. Te mánu is the Nominative Case Singular.

2.

E ou no te mánu, A feather of the bird. No te mánu is the Genitive Case.

3.

O átu te táro ki te mánu, Give the food to the bird. Ki te mánu is the Dative Case.

4.

Túki Túki hía te mánu, Kill the bird. Te mánu is the Accusative Case.

5.

E mánu, O bird; Vocative.

6.

Kóa pau te kai i te mánu, The food is eaten by the bird. I te mánu is the Ablative Case.

Note.—When, in expressing the Genitive Case of a Noun Substantive, personal acquisition of property is denoted as well as possession, the syllable na is used instead of no.

Examples.
Ránga tíra, A Gentleman.
Singular.
Nom. Te ránga tíra the gentleman
Gen. No te ránga tíra of, or belonging to the gentleman
Na te ránga tíra of, or belonging to the gentleman
Dat. Ki te ránga tíra to the gentleman
Acc. Te ránga tíra the gentleman
Voc. *E mara O gentleman, or O person
Abl. I te ránga tíra by the gentleman.

* It is unusual in this Case to make the Vocative by prefixing E to the word in question.

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Plural.
Nom. Nga ránga tíra the gentlemen
Gen. No nga ránga tira of, or belonging to the gentlemen
Na nga ránga tíra of, or belonging to the gentlemen
Dat. Ki nga ránga tíra to the gentlemen
Acc. Nga ránga tíra the gentlemen
Voc. E mára ma O gentlemen, or O persons
Abl. I nga ránga, tíra by the gentlemen.
Another Form of the Plural Number.
Nom. Te ánga ránga tíra the gentlemen
Gen. No te ánga ránga tíra, of the gentlemen
Dat. Ki te ánga ránga tíra, to the gentlemen
Acc. Te ánga ránga tíra the gentlemen
Voc. E mára ma O gentlemen, or O persons
Abl. I te ánga ránga tíra by the gentlemen.
Táka; the proper name Táka.
Singular.
Nom. Táka Táka
Gen. No Táka, To Táka of, or belonging to Táka
Na Táka, Ta Taka of, or belonging to Táka
Dat. Ki a* Táka to Táka
Acc. Táka Táka
Voc. E Táka O Táka
Abl. I a Táka by Táka.

* This letter appears to be a part of the Pronoun ia, he, which is here introduced by way of pleonasm

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Móka; the proper name Moka.
Singular.
Nom. Móka Móka
Gen. No Móka of, or belonging to Móka
Na Móka of, or belonging to Móka
Dat. Ki a Móka to Móka
Acc. Móka Móka
Voc. E Móka O Móka
Abl. I a Móka by Móka.
Matúa, a Parent.
Singular.
Nom. Matúa the parent, or a parent
Gen. No te matúa of, or belonging to the parent
Dat. Ki te matúa to the parent
Acc. Te matúa the parent
Voc. E kara, or E pá O parent
Abl. I te matúa by the parent.
Plural.
Nom. Nga matúa the parents
Gen. No nga matúa of, or belonging to the parents
Dat. Ki nga matúa to the parents
Acc. Nga matúa the parents
Voc. E pá má parents
Abl. I nga matúa, or by the parents.
I te matúa by the parents.
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Táma íti, a Son: (contracted, Tamaiti.)
Singular.
Nom. Táma íti the son, or a son
Gen. No te táma íti of, or belonging to the son
Dat. Ki te táma íti to the son
Acc. Te táma íti the son
Voc. E koro, or E táma O son
Abl. I te táma íti by the son.
Plural.
Nom. Nga táma níki the sons
Gen. No nga táma níki of, or belonging to the sons
Dat. Ki nga táma níki to the sons
Acc. Nga táma níki the sons
Voc. E koro ma O sons
Abl. I nga táma níki by the sons.
Another Form of the Plural Number.
Nom. Te ánga táma níki the sons, or boys
Gen. No te ánga táma níki, of, or belonging to the sons, &c.
Dat. Ki te ánga táma níki, to the sons or boys
Acc. Te ánga táma níki, the sons or boys
Voc. E koro ma O sons, or O boys
Abl. I te ánga táma níki, by the sons or boys.
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Táma íne, a Daughter.
Singular.
Nom. Táma íne the daughter, or a daughter
Gen. No te táma íne of, or belonging to the daughter
Dat. Ki te táma íne to the daughter
Acc. Te táma íne the daughter
Voc. E ko O daughter, or O girl
Abl. I te táma íne by the daughter.
Plural.
Nom. Nga táma íne the daughters
Gen. No nga táma íne of, or belonging to the daughters
Dat. Ki nga táma íne to the daughters
Acc. Nga táma íne the daughters
Voc. E ko ma O daughters, or O girls
Abl. I nga táma íne, or by the daughters.
I te ánga táma íne by the daughters.

Of Gender.

The distinction of Gender, in this language, is generally made by adding the word signifying male or female.

The words which denote the different sexes are the following; viz.

Táne—a male as he is in alliance with the female, or as he is the husband of a wife.

Wahíne—a female as she is in alliance with the male, or as she is the wife of her husband.

Touráwi—any male.

Uwha—any female.

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Examples.
E táne tohúnga a priest.
E wahíne tohúnga a priestess.
E táne íka a male fish.
E wahíne íka a female fish.
E táne mánu a male bird.
E wahíne mánu a female bird.
Also,
E matúa táne a father.
E matúa wahíne a mother.
E tupúna táne a grandfather.
E tupúna wahíne a grandmother.
E ponónga táne a man-servant.
E ponónga wahíne a maid-servant.
E kára rée touráwi a male beast.
E kára rée úwha a female beast.