First Lessons in Maori
§ 51·1
§ 51·1.
The passive termination, tia, may be used with a noun, adjective, or participle to indicate a change to the thing or condition which the simple word signifies.
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Ka tamahinetia, ka wahinetia ia, she grew to girlhood and womanhood.
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Aua e taparurutia te haere, do not let the rate of travelling become slow.
The passive termination may also be used with a noun to denote the bringing of the subject of the sentence under the action of what is represented by the noun.
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Kei pongia matou, lest we be benighted.
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Ka uaina ratou, they were rained upon.
This construction may even be extended to a clause, as: Ma-te-matapihitia, let it be passed through the window, from ma te matapihi, through the window.
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