SYNTAX OF THE ADJECTIVES.
§ 1. Adjectives generally follow substantives; e. g., he tangata
kohuru, _a murderer_. Sometimes, however, they will take the form of
an adverb, and precede; e. g., homai _katoa_ mai nga mea, _give (me)
all the things_. Sometimes, also, they will take the form of a verb
and precede; e. g., _nui rawa_ taku riri, _very great is my anger_--or
of a substantive; e. g., he _nui_ taku riri, idem.
§ 2. The pronominal adjectives, _tenei_, &c., and _taua_ will always
precede; e. g., _tena_ mea.
§ 3. Adjectives will generally take the form of the noun with which
they are connected; i. e., if the noun be of the verbal form, so also
will be the adjective; e. g., oranga tonutanga, _eternal life_;
rerenga pukutanga, _sailing hungry_.
NOTE.--To this rule there are many exceptions. Thus, we have kainga
_kotahi_, _one eating_; i. e., _one meal_; matenga nui, patunga tapu,
whakamutunga pai, tikinga hangarau, korerotanga tuatahi. In many
cases observation can alone determine when such forms are admissible.
As a general rule, it would perhaps be correct to say that when the
verbal noun is of very familiar use, so as almost to have its verbal
character forgotten, or when some _thing_ or _single_ act, is spoken
of, it will sometimes admit after it an adjective of the simple form.
It will, we think, also be found that such common adjectives as nui,
pai, katoa, and also the numerals most frequently follow in the
simple form.
§ 4. Under other circumstances, the adjective will follow in the
verbal form, especially when diversity or a number of acts of the
same kind, is intended. Thus, oku nohoanga katoa will mean _all my
settlements_; aku nohoanga katoatanga, _all the times in which I sit
down_. The following expressions are objectionable: korerotanga
whakamut_u_, tirohanga ata_whai_, whakinga puk_u_.
§ 5. It should be noticed, perhaps, here, that we sometimes find the
verbal noun used as an adjective or participle, and with a passive
meaning: e. g., he toki tua, is _an axe to fell with_; he toki
_tuakanga_, _an axe which has been used in felling_; he mea
_whakakakuranga_ mai no tawahi, (clothes) _worn abroad and sent here_.
Whakakahu would in this construction be seldom used. On the other hand
we meet with pu whakamoe; _gun taken to bed with you_; poaka whangai,
_fed pig_.
§ 6. _Many adjectives to one substantive._--It is contrary to the
genius of Maori to allow many adjectives to follow one substantive.
When, therefore, it is desired to affirm many qualities of the same
word, the word itself will be repeated before each adjective; e. g.,
_a great and good man_, would be thus rendered: he _tangata_ nui, he
_tangata_ pai; or the adjectives will be converted into substantives,
by taking the article _he_ before them. Thus, the above sentence might
be rendered: _he nui, he pai_ tena tangata, _he was a great_, &c.; a
large red blanket might be thus rendered: he paraikete nui, he _mea_
whero. Sometimes the adjective will be resolved into the verb; "a
great and terrible God," would be thus rendered; he Atua nui, _e
wehingia ana_.
§. 7. The following are instances in which an adjective is made to
qualify two substantives: ko te poaka raua ko te paraoa, _he reka
kau_, _pork and flour (they are both) sweet, or (a sweetness)_; he mea
reka te poaka, he me reka te paraoa, idem. Tena koa etahi hate, etahi
tarau hoki, _kei nga mea pai_: _Shew some shirts and some trousers;
let them be good ones_: _i. e._, _shew some good shirts, &c._
§ 8. Sometimes the adjective will unexpectedly assume the form of a
verb or substantive, e. g., kei ona kainga, _e_ (or _he_,) maha, _he
is at his many settlements_. The following form is heard at Taranaki:
kia toru _he_ ra, _it will take three days_. Sometimes adverbs are
used as adjectives; e. g., he tohunga _rawa_, _a great artist, &c._,
te _tino_ tangata, _the very individual_. The following form in which
the verb supplies the place of the adjective, is, we believe, in
general use: a pouri ana o matou ngakau mo tenei patunga o matou _ka
rua_; _our hearts are dark at this second murder of our friends, lit.,
this murder of our friends, it is two_.
_Comparison of adjectives._--The comparative degree is denoted in
various ways in Maori. (a) The first, and most common, is similar to
that adopted in Hebrew; viz. by putting the preposition _i_ (_from_)
after the adjective; e. g., e kaha ana a Hone _i_ a Pita, _John is
stronger than Peter_. (b) Sometimes there is joined to the adjective
some adverb of intensity; e. g., e kaha _rawa_ ana a Hone _i_ a Pita,
_John is much stronger, &c._ (c) Sometimes it is denoted by the
adjectives ngari, and rangi, the verb following in epanorthosis; e. g.,
e ngari a Hone i a Pita, _e kaha ana_.
(d.) Sometimes the comparative is denoted by some approbatory, and the
positive by some disapprobatory term; e. g., e _pai_ ana tenei
paraikete, e _kino_ ana tera, _this blanket is good, that is bad_.
(e.) Sometimes the positive is put into the negative form, and the
comparative into the affirmative; e. g., e ngari ano te patu i a au;
aua e tangohia oratia taku kainga, _it is better to kill me, do not
take away my settlement while I live_; i. e., I should rather die than
have my possessions taken from me. E nui ana taku hara, e kore e taea
te muru, _my sin is greater than that it can be pardoned_; lit. my sin
is great, it cannot be pardoned. He _hira_ te hunga i a koe nei; _e
kore_ e ho atu e ahau nga Miriani ki a ratou, _the people that are
with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their
power_.
(f.) Sometimes the positive is made antecedent, and the comparative
consequent; e. g., me patu ano au ka riro ai toku kainga, _you must
kill me, and_ THEN _take my possessions_.
(g.) Following, are two modes of comparison which are sometimes met
with: _poka ke atu_ te pai o te ra tahi _i_ ou whare i nga ra ko tahi
mano, _one day in thy courts is better than a thousand_. Ma tenei e
whakakoakoa ai a Ihowa _tera atu_ i te koakoatanga ki te okiha, _this
shall please the Lord better than an ox_.
NOTE.--These two forms are not much used in Waikato. The following is
sometimes heard, but it is a weak mode of comparison: _rere ke_ ana
te pai o tenei _i_ tera, _the goodness of this is different from
that_.
(h.) A very common process for denoting an _inferiority of degree_, is
to associate two contrary qualities: e. g., pai kino, _indifferently
good_; roa poto, (long short,) _of moderate length_; mangu ma nei,
(black white,) _blackish_.
(i.) The adverb _tua_ prefixed to the adjective denotes a similar kind
of comparison: e. g., _tua_ riri, _somewhat angry_; _tua_ pouri,
_rather dark_. (k.) Sometimes comparison is implied by reduplication
of one or more syllables: e. g., pouri_uri_, _darkish_ (as in
twilight). All adjectives which, in English, are preceded by some
qualifying adverb: as _somewhat_, _not very_, _moderately_, _as it
were_, &c., can be rendered into Maori by one, or other, of these
three last methods.
_The Superlative degree._ Maori has no direct form to mark the
superlative, but expresses it by various circumlocutions: (a.) by the
definite article prefixed, with, or without some word of intensity: e. g.,
Ko au _te_ kaumatua, _I am the eldest son_; ko _te tino_ nohinohi
rawa tena, _that is the least_; ko te nui tenei o nga rakau _katoa_,
_this is the largest_ (lit. _the_ large one) _of all the trees_. (b.)
The form for the comparative sometimes necessarily implies the sense
of the superlative: e. g., he _tino_ mohio ia _i_ nga tangata katoa,
_he is the most wise of all men_.
(c.) Following are two other forms for denoting the superlative: e. g.,
e ngari a Hone e mohio ana; a, _waiho ano i_ a Wiremu te tino
mohio, _John is better, he understands; but leave the great knowledge_
with _William_; or, whakarerea rawatia i a Wiremu, &c.
Sometimes a great degree of intensity is denoted by a repetition of
the adjective, with a peculiarly prolonged sound of the first
syllable; e. g., nūi, nui whakaharahara.