Māori language: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Language | {{Infobox Language | ||
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An [[Eastern Polynesian languages|Eastern Polynesian language]] of the indigenous [[Māori]] people of [[New Zealand]] (Aotearoa). Its closest relative is [[Cook Island Māori language|Cook Island Māori]], which has particular affinities to the New Zealand Māori dialects of [[Northland]] and [[Taranaki]], and the ''k''-dialect of much of the South Island. It is part of the [[Eastern Polynesian languages#Tahitic subgroup|Tahitic subgroup]] of Eastern Polynesian. The extinct [[Moriori language]] of the [[Chatham Islands]], east of mainland New Zealand, is a widely divergent dialect of Māori. | An [[Eastern Polynesian languages|Eastern Polynesian language]] of the indigenous [[Māori]] people of [[New Zealand]] (Aotearoa). Its closest relative is [[Cook Island Māori language|Cook Island Māori]], which has particular affinities to the New Zealand Māori dialects of [[Northland]] and [[Taranaki]], and the ''k''-dialect of much of the South Island. It is part of the [[Eastern Polynesian languages#Tahitic subgroup|Tahitic subgroup]] of Eastern Polynesian. The extinct [[Moriori language]] of the [[Chatham Islands]], east of mainland New Zealand, is a widely divergent dialect of Māori. | ||
==Phonology and alphabet== | ==Phonology and alphabet== | ||
The letters of the Māori alphabet are, in order: | The letters of the Māori alphabet are, in order: | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | |||
Ray Harlow: ''A Māori Reference Grammar'', Longman, Auckland, 2001 | Ray Harlow: ''A Māori Reference Grammar'', Longman, Auckland, 2001 | ||
Revision as of 21:19, 20 February 2010
| Māori | |
|---|---|
| Te Reo Māori | |
| Language family | Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Polynesian Nuclear Polynesian Eastern Polynesian Tahitic |
| Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. See IPA chart for English for an English-based pronunciation key. | |
An Eastern Polynesian language of the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand (Aotearoa). Its closest relative is Cook Island Māori, which has particular affinities to the New Zealand Māori dialects of Northland and Taranaki, and the k-dialect of much of the South Island. It is part of the Tahitic subgroup of Eastern Polynesian. The extinct Moriori language of the Chatham Islands, east of mainland New Zealand, is a widely divergent dialect of Māori.
Phonology and alphabet
The letters of the Māori alphabet are, in order:
- a, e, h, i, k, m, n, ng, o, p, r, t, u, w, wh.
The digraphs ng and wh each represent single sounds, and are treated as distinct letters, so that ngaru is after noho, and whare after wiri alphabetically.
The vowels a, e, i, o and u have phonemic length. In older written and printed Māori, vowel length is not normally indicated. Nowadays, length is most commonly indicated by the macron: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū. In some publications, especially those by people associated with Auckland University, length is indicated by doubling: aa, ee, ii, oo, uu.
The syllabic pattern of Māori is (C)V(V)—a consonant followed by a pure vowel or a diphthong, or a pure vowel or diphthong without a preceding consonant.
References
Ray Harlow: A Māori Reference Grammar, Longman, Auckland, 2001