Cook islands Maori
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The Cook Islands Maori language, also called Māori Kūki 'Āirani, is the official language of the Cook Islands. Most Cook Islanders also call it Te reo Ipukarea, literally "the language of the Ancestral Homeland".
Cook Islands Maori. became an official language of the Cook Islands in 2003 <ref>Since 1915, English had been the only official language of the Cook Islands</ref>. According to Te Reo Maori Act, Maori:
- (a) means the Maori language (including its various dialects) as spoken or written in any island of the Cook Islands; and
- (b) Is deemed to include Pukapukan as spoken or written in Pukapuka; and
- (c) Includes Maori that conforms to the national standard for Maori approved by Kopapa Reo; (see external link).
These dialects<ref>In a sense of mutual intelligibility</ref> of the Cook Islands Maori are :
- Rakahanga-Manihiki dialect;
- Tongareva dialect (Penrhyn)<ref>Tongarevan is sometimes also considered as a distinct language.</ref>;
- the Ngaputoru dialects of Atiu, Mitiaro and Mauke;
- Aitutaki dialect;
- Rarotonga dialect; and
- Mangaia dialect.
It is closely related to Tahitian and New Zealand Māori, and there is a degree of mutual intelligibility with these two languages.
The language is regulated by the kopapa reo created in 2003.
The Pukapukan language is considered by scholars as a distinct language closely related with Samoan and the language spoken on the three atolls of Tokelau.
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[edit] Writing system and pronunciation
There is actually a debate about the standardization of the writing system. Although the usage of the macron (־) te makaroni, and the glottal (') is recommended, most speakers do not use these two diacritics in everyday writing.
[edit] Consonants
| Bilabial | Labiodental | Alveolar | Velar | Glottal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosives | p ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | t ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | k ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | ʔ ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | |
| Nasals | m ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | n | ŋ ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | ||
| Taps | ɾ ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | ||||
| Fricatives | f Manihiki ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) v | s Penrhyn ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) | h Manihiki and Penrhyn ( Image:Ltspkr.png Listen ) |
[edit] Vowels
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i
iː | u
uː | |
| Close-mid | e
eː | o
oː | |
| Open | a
aː |
[edit] Grammar
As for most South Pacific languages, classical descriptions are generally based on the system used for Indo-European languages, especially concerning grammatical classes. Today linguists try to avoid it, considering it a form of linguacentrism, even if any perfect description is adequate. Most of these examples are taken from Cook Islands Maori Dictionary, by Jasper Buse with Raututi Taringa edited by Bruce Biggs and Rangi Moeka'a, Auckland, 1995.
[edit] Personal deictics
Singular
- Au : I, me
| Cook islands maori | English | Word-to-word and gloss |
|---|---|---|
| Ka 'aere au ki te 'āpi'i āpōpō | I'm going to school tomorrow | (unaccomplished asp.)/ go / I / (prep. goal/destination) / the / learn / tomorrow |
| Ka 'ārote au inana'i, nō te ua rā, kua 'akakore au | I was going to do the ploughing yesterday, but gave it up because of the rain. | (unaccomplished asp.) / plough / I / yesterday / because (origin) / the / rain / day /(perfect asp.) / give up (litt. "do nothing") /I |
- Koe : you
| Kua kino iā koe tō mātou mōtokā | you damaged our car | (perfect asp.) / bad / by / you /(possession)/we (exclusive) /car |
| Ko koe 'oki, te tangata tā te 'akavā e kimi nei | you are the person the police are looking for | (subject marker) / you / also / the / man / (possesion) / the / police / (progressive asp. with "nei") /look for/here and now. |
- 'Aia : he, she
| 'Ea'a 'aia i 'aere mai ei | why did he/she come? | why ('ea'a... ei) / he or she / (accomplished asp) / go / towards me / |
| Kāre 'aia i konei | he/she is not here | (negation asp.) / he or she / (marking position) / here |
Dual
- Tāua : we two, us two (you and I)
| 'aere tāua ! | Let us go ! | go / we two (inclusive) |
| Ko tō tāua taeake tērā ake | Here comes our friends | (sujject marker) / (possession) / we two (inclusive) / friend or relative of the same generation (brother, sister, cousin either sex speaking, but not in laws./ that (deictic)/ a little time (or distance)away |
- Māua : we two, us two (he/she and I)
| Ka 'oki māua ma Taria ki te kāinga | Taria and I are going back home | (unaccomplished asp.)/ return / we two (exclusive) / with / Taria/ (prep. goal)/ the / home |
| Ko mō tāua taeake tērā ake | Here comes our friends | (subject marker) / possession / we two (exclusive) / friend / that (deictic)/ a little time (or distance away) |
- Kōrua : you two
| 'āe ! kua rongo kōrua i te nuti ! | Hey ! have you heard the news | hey (interj) / (perfect asp.) / hear / you two / (object marker) / the / news / |
| Na kōrua teia puka | this book belongs to you two | (Possession) / you two / this (deictic) / book |
- Rāua : they, them (the two of them)
| Tuatua muna tēia, ka akakite 'ua atu au kia rāua | This is a confidential matter, I shall tell it only to them two | speak, speech / secret / this / (unacomplished asp.) / reveal (make known) / only / away (from the speaker)/ I / (prep. ki+a)towards (someone)/ they two |
| Mei 'ea mai rāua ? | where the two of them been ?/ What have they been doing ? | from / (time and space interr.) / (indicating progression of time towards present) / they two |
Plural
- Tātou : We, us (you -2 or more- and I)
| Ko'ai tā tātou e tiaki nei | Who are we waiting for ? | Who (subject marker+identity interr.) / (possession) / we, all of us (inclusive) / (progressive asp.) / wait for / here and now |
| Kāre ā tātou kai toe : we have no more food | we have no more food | (Negation asp.) / (possession) / we, all of us (inclusive) / eat, food / remain, remaining, the rest |
- Mātou : we, us (they and I)
| Ko mātou ma Tere mā i 'aere mai ei | We came with Tere and the others | (subject marker)/ we (exclusive) / with, and / Tere / (part used only after persons meaning those in company with / (accomplisshed asp.) / go / (movement towards speaker) / (emphasis marks) |
| Kua kite mai koe ia mātou | You saw us | (perfect asp.) / see(towards speaker) / you / at someone (i+a) / we (exclusive) |
- Kōtou : (all of you)
| E 'aere atu kōtou, ka āru atu au | you go on, and I 'll follow | (imperative asp.)/ go / (away from the speaker) / you all / (unaccomplished asp.) / follow / go / (away from the speaker) / I |
| Ko kōtou ko'ai mā i aere ei ki te tautai ? | Who did you go fishing with ? | (Subject marker) / you all / who (identity interr.) / in company with / (accomplished asp.) / go / (emphasis) / (goal/destination) / the / fishing |
- Rātou : they, them (more than two)
| Kua pekapeka rātou ko Tere | they and Tere have quarrelled | (perfect asp.)/ trouble / they all / (subject marker)/ Tere |
| Nō rātou te pupu māro'iro'i | they have the strongest team | (Possession) / they all / the / team (litt. group of people) / strong |
[edit] Aspectual marks
- Tē… nei : present continuous
Tē manako nei au i te 'oki ki te 'are : I am thinking of going back to the house; Tē kata nei rātou : They are laughing; Kāre au e tanu nei i te pia : I'm not planting any arrowroot;
- Kia : Mildly imperative or exhortatory, expressing a desire, a wish rather than a strong command.
Kia vave mai !: be quick ! (don't be long!); Kia viviki mai! : be quick (don't dwaddle!); Kia manuia ! : good luck ! ; Kia rave ana koe i tēnā 'anga'anga : would you do that job; Kia tae mai ki te anga'anga ā te pōpongi Mōnitē : come to work on Monday morning; Teia te tātāpaka, kia kai koe : Here's the breadfruit pudding, eat up.
- 'ē : Imperative, order
'ē 'eke koe ki raro : you get down; 'ē tū ki kō : stand over there
- 'Auraka : interdiction, don't
'Auraka rava koe e 'āmiri i teia niuniu ora, ka 'uti'uti 'ia koe : Don't on any account touch this live wire, you'll get shocked
- kāre : indicate the negation, not, nothing, nowhere
Kāre nō te ua : It 'll not rain; Kāre a Tī tuatua : Tī doesn't have anything to say.
- e… ana : habitual action or state
E 'aere ana koe ki te 'ura : Do you go to the dance?: E no'o ana 'aia ki Nikao i tē reira tuātau : he used to live in Nikao at that time
- Ka : Refers prospectively to the commencement of an action or state. Often translatable by and English future tense or "going to" construction
Ka 'īmene 'a Mere ākonei ite pō : Mary is going to sing later on tonight; Kua kite au ē ka riri a Tere : I know (or knew) that Tere will (or would) be angry
- Kua : translatable by an English simple past or a present tense (with adjectives)
Kua kite mai koe ia mātou : You saw us; Kua meitaki koe ? : Are you better now; Kua oti te tārekareka : the match is over now
[edit] Possessives
Like most Polynesian languages (Tahitian, New Zealand Māori, Hawaiian, Samoan, …), Cook Islands Maori has two categories of possessives, the ā and ō.
Generally the ā category is used when the possessor has, or had, control of the relationship, is superior or dominant to what is owned or when the possession is considered as alienable. The ō category is used when the possessor has, or had, no control over the relationship, is subordinate or inferior to what is owned or when the possession is considered as inalienable.
The following list indicates the types of things in the different categories
- ā is used in speaking of
- Movable property, instruments,
- Food and drink,
- Husband, wife, children, girlfriend, boyfriend,
- Animals and pets,
- People in an inferior position
Te puaka ā tērā vaine : the pig belonging to that woman; ā Tere tamariki : Tere's children; Kāre ā Tupe mā ika i napō : Tupe and the rest didn't get any fish last night
Tāku ; Tā'au ; Tāna ; Tā tāua ; Tā māua…. : my, mine ; your, yours ; his, her, hers, our ours…
Ko tāku vaine teia : This is my wife; Ko tāna tāne tera : That's her husband; Tā kotou 'apinga : your possession(s); Tā Tare 'apinga : Tera possession(s);
- ō is used in speaking of
- Parts of anything
- Feelings
- Buildings and transport
- Clothes
- Parents or other relatives (not husband, wife, children…)
- Superiors
Te 'are ō Tere : The house belonging to Tere; ō Tere pare : Tere's hat; Kāre ō Tina no'o anga e no'o ei : Tina hasn't got anywhere to sit;
Tōku ; Tō'ou ; Tōna ; Tō tāua ; Tō māua…: my, mine ; your, yours ; his, her, hers ; our, ours …
Ko tōku 'are teia : This is my house; I tōku manako, kā tika tāna : In my opinion, he'll be right; Teia tōku, tērā tō'ou : This is mine here, that's yours over there
[edit] Vocabulary
Pia : Polynesian arrowroot
Kata : laugh at; laughter; kata 'āviri : ridicule, laugh sneeringly, mockery
Tanu : to plant, cultivate land
'anga'anga : work, job
Pōpongi : morning
Tātāpaka : a kind of breadfruit pudding
'ura : dance, to dance
Tuātau : time, period, season ; ē tuātau 'ua atu : for ever
'īmene : to sing, song
Riri : be angry with (ki)
Tārekareka : entertain, amuse, match, game, play game
[edit] Dialectology
If most words of the various dialects of Cook Islands Maori are identical, there are few variations (to complete)
| Rarotonga | Aitutaki | Mangaia | Ngāputoru | Manihiki | Tongareva | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tuatua | 'autara | taratara | speak, speech | |||
| kūmara | kū'ara | kū'ara | sweet patatoes | |||
| kāre/kore | kā'ore | ‘āore | kare | no, not | ||
| tātā | kiriti | tātā | write | |||
| 'ura | koni | 'ura | 'ingo | dance | ||
| 'akaipoipo | 'akaipoipo | 'ā'āipoipo | 'akaipoipo | fakaipoipo | wedding | |
| 'īkoke | koroio | rakiki | thin | |||
| 'are | 'are | 'are | 'are | fare | hare | house |
| ma'ata | 'atupaka | ngao | big |
[edit] Notes
<references />
[edit] See also
Common phrases in Cook Islands Maori
[edit] External links
- Te Reo Maori Act 2003
- SBS Cook Islands Maori Radio Program. Updated each week
- http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/dictionaries.asp
- http://www.cookislands.com/index.html?Mainframe_Dictionary.html
- Cook Islands Ministry of Cultural Development
- Te Reo Māori Kūki 'Āirani i roto i te Kurakarāma o Aotearoa (Cook Islands Maori in the New Zealand Curriculum)
- Ethnologue on the languages of the Cook Islands
[edit] Dictionaries, learning methods and books in Cook Islands Maori
- Cook Islands Maori Dictionary, by Jasper Buse with Raututi Taringa, edited by Bruce Biggs and Rangi Moeka'a, Auckland, 1995.
- A dictionary of the Maori Language of Rarotonga, Manuscript by Stephen Savage, Suva : IPS, USP in association with the Ministry of Education of the Cook Islands, 1983.
- Kai Korero : Cook Islands Maori Language Coursebook, Tai Carpentier and Clive Beaumont, Pasifika Press, 1995. (A useful learning Method with oral skills cassette)
- Cook Islands Cook Book by Taiora Matenga-Smith. Published by the Institute of Pacific Studies.
- Maori Lessons for the Cook Islands, by Taira Rere. Wellington, Islands Educational Division, Department of Education, 1960.
- Conversational Maori, Rarotongan Language, by Taira Rere. Rarotonga, Government Printer. 1961.
- Some Maori Lessons, by Taira Rere. Rarotonga. Curriculum Production Unit, Department of Education. 1976.
- More Maori Lessons, by Taira Rere. Suva, University of the South Pacific.1976
- Maori Spelling: Notes for Teachers, by Taira Rere. Rarotonga: Curriculum Production Unit, Education Department.1977.
- Traditions and Some Words of the Language of Danger or Pukapuka Island. Journal of the Polynesian Society 13:173-176.1904.
- Collection of Articles on Rarotonga Language, by Jasper Buse. London: University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies. 1963.
- Manihikian Traditional Narratives: In English and Manihikian: Stories of the Cook Islands (Na fakahiti o Manihiki). Papatoetoe, New Zealand: Te Ropu Kahurangi.1988
- Te korero o Aitutaki, na te Are Korero o Aitutaki, Ministry of Culutral Development, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. 1992
- Atiu nui Maruarua : E au tua ta'ito, Vainerere Tangatapoto et al. University of South Pacific, Suva 1984. (in Maori and Englsih)
- Learning Rarotonga Maori, by Tongi Maki'uti, Ministry of Cultural Development, Rarotonga 1999.
- Te uri Reo Maori (translating in Maori), by Tongi Maki'uti Punanga o te reo. 1996.
- Atiu, e enua e tona iti tangata, te au tata tuatua Ngatupuna Kautai...(et al.), Suva, University of the South Pacific.1993. (Maori translation of Atiu : an island Community)
- A vocabulary of the Mangaian language by Christian, F. W. 1924. Bernice P. Bishop Bulletin 2. Honolulu, Bernice P. Bishop Museum.
- E au tuatua ta'ito no Manihiki, Kauraka Kauraka, IPS, USP, Suva. 1987.br:Rarotongeg
es:Idioma maorí de Islas Cook fr:Maori des îles Cook fi:Rarotongan kieli
