Grammar Cook_Islands_Māori

1 grammar

1.1 personal pronouns
1.2 tense-aspect-mood markers
1.3 possessives

grammar

cook islands māori isolating language little morphology. case marked particle initiates noun phrase, , east polynesian languages, cook islands māori has nominative-accusative case marking.

the unmarked constituent order predicate initial. is, verb initial in verbal sentences , nominal-predicate initial in non-verbal sentences.

personal pronouns






tense-aspect-mood markers

most of preceding examples taken cook islands maori dictionary, jasper buse raututi taringa edited bruce biggs , rangi moeka a, auckland, 1995.

possessives

like other polynesian languages (tahitian, new zealand māori, hawaiian, samoan, tongan ...), cook islands māori has 2 categories of possessives, , o .

generally, category used when possessor has or had control on initiation of possessive relationship. means possessor superior or dominant owned, or possession considered alienable. o category used when possessor has or had no control on initiation of relationship. means possessor subordinate or inferior owned, or possession considered inalienable.

the following list indicates types of things in different categories:

a used in speaking of

– movable property, instruments,

– food , drink,

– husband, wife, children, grandchildren, girlfriend, boyfriend,

– animals , pets, (except horses)

– people in inferior position

te puaka tērā vaꞌine : pig belonging woman; ā tere tamariki : tere s children; kāre ā tupe mā ika inapō : tupe , rest didn t fish last night

tāku ; tāꞌau ; tāna ; tā tāua ; tā māua…. : my, mine ; your, yours ; his, her, hers, our ours…

ko tāku vaꞌine tēia : wife; ko tāna tāne tērā : s husband; tā kotou ꞌapinga : possession(s); tā tare ꞌapinga : tērā possession(s);

o used in speaking of

– parts of anything

– feelings

– buildings , transport (including horses)

– clothes

– parents or other relatives (not husband, wife, children…)

– superiors

te o tere : house belonging tere; ō tere pare : tere s hat; kāre ō tina no o anga e no o ei : tina hasn t got anywhere sit;

tōku ; tō ou ; tōna ; tō tāua ; tō māua…: my, mine  ; your, yours ; his, her, hers ; our, ours …

ko tōku tēia : house; tōku manako, ka tika tāna : in opinion, ll right; tēia tōku, tērā tō ou : mine here, s yours on there