SYNTAX OF THE VERB.
_Of the Verbal Particles._--The consideration of the verbal particles,
and of the other means by which a verb is modified in Maori, has been
reserved for the Syntax; chiefly because the investigation of those
subjects will involve also that of compound propositions, and of other
constructions which belong to this part of Grammar.
_E_ (a) is sometimes used for the present, e. g., _e_ noho mai, _he is
sitting there close at hand_. (b) Most frequently it is joined with
_nei_, &c.; e. g., _e_ riri _nei_, _who is angry with me_, &c. (c) It
is sometimes used to denote the future; e. g., ko wai ma _e_ haere?
_who will_ go? He tokomaha _e_ mate, _many will die_. (d) It is
chiefly employed to denote contingency, or some future act on which
something else depends; e. g., _E_ riri ia, _if he be angry_; _E_ tae
mai a Hone tonoa ake, _If John comes here send him after me_; _E_ hau,
_if there be a wind_.
NOTE.--(1.) In such constructions as the last, it will be found that
the latter verb will generally, except when it is in the imperative
mood, be in the second person. In the following sentence, for
example, _E_ muri ka puta mai nga kuri ka puhia, _henceforward if
dogs come here they will be shot_, _e_ is wrongly used; puhia being
in the third person. To this rule, however, there are exceptions.
(2.) There is a difference between _e_ and _ka_, as particles of the
future; _ka_ being of much more extensive use; i. e., being used with
all persons, and in all senses, whether absolute or contingent; vid.
_ka_.
(3.) There are, however, some constructions in which _e_ is always
preferred; chiefly, we believe, when the verb is preceded by some
word with which it is in connexion; i. e., when it is preceded by the
negative adverb _kore_, and sometimes _kahore_; e. g., ka _kore_ e
pai, _if he is not willing_; _kahore e_ tangi _she did not at all
cry_,--by the preposition _ma_; e. g., _ma_ wai _e_ hanga? _who is to
build it?_--and by _no_ (sometimes), _nohea e wera?_ _Whence_, i. e.,
_why should it take fire?_--by the pronouns _tera_ and _ehea_; e. g.,
_tera e_ mate, he will die perhaps, ko _ehea e_ patua, _which are to
be killed?_--by the noun or pronoun in the possessive case
(sometimes); e. g., _taku e_ pai ai _that which I like_, he aha tau e
tohe? what are you importuning about?--by _taihoa_ and _taria_; e.
g., _taihoa e_ haere _wait going_; i. e., _don't go for a while_.
N.B.--For the distinction between _e_ and _ka_, when prefixed to
numerals; vid., numerals, chap. 17, sec. 5.
(e.) For _e_ as prefixed to the imperative mood, vid. page 40 (c). It
is generally omitted in that mood, when the verb is followed by _atu_,
_mai_, _ake_, _iho_, _&c._
_Ana_ is a particle corresponding, in many particulars, with _ka_. It
is most frequently employed, however, in the continuation of a
narrative, and does not often except in abrupt and animated discourse,
occupy a place in the leading clause of the sentence.
The following examples illustrate this last remark. Ki te kahore e
homai, ina _haere ana_ ahau, ka riro. _If it is not given, certainly
going I will depart_; ko nga tangata o Taranaki, _aia ana_ e matou ki
te maunga, _the men of Taranaki, driven were they by us to the
mountain_. It will be seen that the verb preceding in the above
clauses gives a larger measure of emphasis than if another word had
gone before it. In such animated sentences, as the above, the speaker
will generally prefer _ana_ to any other verbal particle. But another
leading use of _ana_ is to denote a continuance of action. The
following extract from a translation of the first eight chapters of
Genesis, made some years since by the Church Missionaries, will serve
as an illustration of this, and our other remarks on this particle.
We may add that, though we suggest a few trifling alterations in the
part quoted, yet, considering the time in which it was made, it is
very creditable to the Maori knowledge of the translators.
Ch. 1, v. i. I te orokomeatanga i hanga e te Atua te rangi me te
whenua.
2. A kihai whai ahua te whenua, i takoto kau; a ngaro ana i te pouri
te mata o te hohonu. Haerere ana te Wairua o te Atua ki runga ki te
mata o nga wai.
3. Mea ana te Atua, Kia marama; a kua marama.
4. A kite ana te Atua i te marama, pai ana; wehea ana e te Atua te
marama i te pouri.
5. A huaina ana e te Atua te marama, hei ao.
In the first verse _ana_ can have no place, it would give an
unpleasant jerk, as well as the appearance of levity, to a
commencement so methodical and dignified. Our translators, therefore,
with good taste, employed _i_; I te timatanga _i_ hanga, &c. In the
second verse, however, in the clause commencing _a ngaro ana, &c._, it
is very correctly used; because there is a close connection between
_that clause_ and the one preceding. In the third verse it is, we
think, injudiciously used, because a new subject is now commenced. We
should, therefore, have preferred _na_ KA _mea_ te Atua. So also in
the commencement of the fourth verse, _A kite ana te Atua_ i te
marama, pai ana. We should prefer, a _ka_ kite, &c. Pai _ana_ is, we
think, objectionable. It is too abrupt, and unconnected, and makes the
_pai_ refer to the _atua_, rather than to _marama_. _E_ pai _ana_,
perhaps, or _he mea pai_, would be preferable. _E--ana_ is strictly
the sign of the present tense; e. g., _e_ kai _ana_, _he is eating_.
Sometimes when it follows a past time its meaning will also be past;
as may be seen in our remarks on _ana_ (vid. also page 38, and our
remarks on compound times).
_Ka_ is a particle of very extensive use. It is sometimes employed to
denote the present tense; e. g., ka pai, _it is good_. It is the
particle most frequently used in historic presents (vid. John iv., 1,
3, and N. T. _passim_). It is very frequently used to denote future
events, and is often employed in hypothetic, or contingent
propositions; e. g., _ka_ mate koe i a au; _you will be killed by me_,
_ka_ haere ahau _ka_ riri a Hone, IF _I go, John will be angry_.
NOTE.--_Ka_, as a particle of the present, will often differ in
meaning from _e--ana_. For example, ka tere te waka may signify _the
canoe will drift_, or _that it_ DRIFTS; _e_ tere _ana_, that _it is
drifting_.
For the distinctions between _ka_ and _e_ vid. _e_. Occasionally _ka_
is followed by _te_. Vid. two examples page 57.
_I_, a particle of the past time; vid. _kua_.
(a.) Sometimes, however, it is employed to denote the present; e. g.,
_koia_ i riri _ai_, _for that cause is he angry?_ _na_ te aha koe _i_
tohe _ai_ kia haere, _why do you persist in going?_ Ka tahi ano to
hanganga _i_ pai, _this house (which I am now roofing) is now, for the
first time, properly done_.
(b.) Sometimes _i_ is employed where contingency is designed;
e. g., he aha koa i pono he titaha, he titaha; i pono he hate, he hate
_well, it won't signify_. _If an axe happens to be (my payment)
let it so happen_ (lit. let it be an axe). _If a shirt, &c._
Ka whiua to tahi wahi ki tahaki, hei whakahere i tona Atua. _I_ whiua
ranei ki te wahi tapu ranei; _i_ whiua ranei ki te wahi noa ranei, _he
throws a portion to one side as an offering to his God_. _It may have
been thrown_ (i. e., it matters not whether it is thrown) _upon a
sacred spot, or upon a spot not sacred_.
_Kua_, the sign of the past tense; e. g., _kua_ korero atu ahau ki a
ia, _I have spoken to him_.
(a.) The leading distinction between _kua_ and _i_ is, we believe,
that _kua_ is unlimited (i. e., will not admit of limitation), and _i_
limited in construction; and that the former, when it precedes in the
sentence, will be often found to correspond to the perfect, the
latter to the imperfect of English; e. g., _kua_ kitea te mea _i_
kimihia e koe? HAS _the thing been found that_ WAS _sought for by
you?_ _Kua_ ora koe? Kahore, I ora ano au; a, hoki mai ana te mate;
_have you recovered? No, I did recover, but the sickness has
returned_.
N.B.--It would, however, be very incorrect to affirm, as have some
good Maori scholars, that _kua_ always corresponds to the perfect,
and _i_ to the imperfect.
In accordance with the preceding remarks, it may be observed, 1st,
that _kua_ is seldom used when the verb is preceded by the _cause_,
_time_, or other qualifying circumstance of the action; i. e., when
the verb is followed by _ai_. For example, we might say _kua_ patua,
_he was killed_; but we could not say, te take _kua_ patua _ai_, _the
cause for which he was killed_; neither would it be correct to say,
koia _kua_ riri _ai_ ia, _for that cause was he angry_. 2dly. It will
also, we believe, be found that, in secondary clauses, in which the
relative is understood, _i_ obtains a much more general use than
_kua_. For example, in the following sentence,--"enei mea _kua_
korerotia e koutou," we should prefer _i_ korerotia. 3dly. _Kua_ will
seldom, when denoting the perfect or imperfect tenses, be found
associated with the particle _ko_; e. g., we very seldom hear _ko_
Hone _kua_ haere, _it was John who went_. In the following sentence,
we disapprove of the use of both of these particles:--e pai ana matou
ki a ia, no te mea _ko_ ia _kua_ atawhai mai ki a matou, _we love him,
because he was kind to us_. We should have preferred _mona i_ atawhai,
&c.[38] (4.) When a preposition immediately precedes, _kua_ will
seldom be employed to denote the tenses; e. g., nonahea _i_ mate ai;
_Since what time_, or, _at what time did he die?_ Nana ano _i_ haere
noa mai, _he came of himself_.
(5.) _Kua_ is never used after the negative adverbs kahore, kihai, and
kiano; e. g., kahore ahau i rongo, _I have not heard_; kiano _i_ mate
noa, _he has not yet died_.
(6.) The following, also, are constructions in which _kua_ will be
found to give place to _i_: _Me_ koutou hoki i whakarere _i_ to koutou
kainga, _as ye also left your country_; _me i_ kahore koe, _if it had
not been for you_, _&c._
In the following constructions, however, _kua_ is prefixed: _penei
kua_ ora, _in that case he would have lived_; _ano kua_ mate, _as if
he were dead_; _me te_ mea _kua_ waruhia, _as if it had been planed_;
_Me_ i kahore koe _kua_ mate au, _if it had not been for you, I should
have died_. In the following, however, _i_ is preferred: _me_ i kahore
koe _i_ ora ai ahau, _If it had not been for you, (the cause) why I
was saved_; i. e., I should have been lost, but for you.
(b.) _Kua_ is sometimes employed where a present would be used in
English; e. g., _kua_ mate, _he is dead_; _kua_ po, _it is dark_, or,
is past sunset; _kua_ riro, _he is gone_.
(c.) In animated narrations of past events, _kua_ is sometimes
employed to give variety; e. g., te taenga atu o Hone, _kua_ mau ki te
hamanu, e tatua ana, te tino haerenga, _so John goes, he_ HAS _taken
(his) cartouch box, (he) is girding it on; the instant marching_.
(d.) Sometimes, also, when the speaker wishes to convey the idea of a
certain, and speedy accomplishment, he will (as did the Hebrews)
employ the past tense; e. g., E pa, he aha i kaiponuhia ai to waru?
_kua_ whakahokia mai apopo, _Father why do you withhold your plane? It
will_ SURELY _be returned to you to-morrow_; E hoa, reia atu; _kua_
hoki mai koe, _Friend, run (and tell them) you will be back (in quite
time enough)_; e noho ana tenei; _kua_ pata iho te ua, e rere ana ki
rote ki te whare, _we are sitting here, but, immediately as soon as it
rains, we run into the house_.
(e.) Kua is often prefixed to denote an action which is to take place,
or has taken place previous to something else--in which latter use it
will sometimes correspond to the pluperfect of English; e. g., _I_ a
koe _kua_ riro, _after you had gone_. Mo te ara rawa ake _kua_ maoa,
_that, exactly as he awakes, it may have been cooked_; i. e., _it may
be cooked against he awakes_. Me i noho _kua_ wha na rakau e toia, _if
I had remained, four logs would have been dragged_. Akuanei mau nga
riwai _kua_ kainga, _presently, the potatoes that have been first
eaten will be yours_; i. e., your crop will be the soonest ripe. Huatu
_ko_ tena _kua_ ngakia, _no, but let that be first dug_.
Vid. our remarks on _ko_, when associated with _kua_ (note to _a_) (3).
NOTE.--The student will see, in the above examples, that _kua_, when
employed in this sense, will often enter into combinations which
would not be admitted under other tenses.
KIA.--This particle has been already considered, as far as it is
connected with the imperative mood (vid. page 40). There are, however,
other uses of it, which are both varied and important.
(a.) It may, in asking a question, be used for the future; e. g., Kia
haere ahau? Ne? Shall I go? shall I?
(b.) It may, also, be found where an hypothetic statement is made, or
an expectation, or other reference to some future event, is implied--a
use in which it will sometimes be found to correspond to the second
future indicative and perfect potential of English; e. g., E noho ki
konei; _kia_ hoki mai ra ano ahau, _stop here until I shall have
returned_; _Kia_ titiro atu matou, ka patua to matou hoa, hei reira ka
whakatika atu matou, _let us have seen_ (i. e., if we had but seen)
_him strike our friend, we should then have risen_; me noho _kia_ ora,
ka haere, _you had better remain, and when you are well, depart_; e
hoe katoa ana ratou, _kia_ oti te waka o Nini, _they are all going
when Nini's canoe is finished_; I raro ahau e whakarongo mai ana, _kia
mate, kia_ mate; a ka ora noa ano, _I was at the northward waiting for
news from here of his death; but he has recovered_.
(c.) Often, when intensity of _negation_, _doubt_, _&c._, is intended,
it will be used instead of the proper particles of the present, past,
and future; e. g., hore rawa _kia_ tika, _by no means is it correct_;
kahore _kia_ kotahi, _not even one_; Ko au _kia_ mate, ko ia _kia_
ora? _must I (by feeding this pig) starve, while he has food?_ Kahore
ano _kia_ haere noa! _not yet gone!_
(2.) It is often found, also, in exclamations of wonder; e. g., _Kia_
nui! _How large!_
(3.) In the same sense, also, it is used where an infinitive would be
employed in the learned languages; particularly where _contempt_,
_disregard_, &c., are denoted; e. g., Kia whakarongo atu ahau ki o
korero hei aha? why should I listen to your talk? lit. _that I should
listen to your talk is for what?_ _Kia_ ho atu taku poaka mo tena!
_that I should give my pig for that!_ i. e., I will not give it.
(d.) _Kia_ is frequently employed to denote the infinitive; e. g.,
haere _kia_ kite, _go to see_.
(e.) It will also be employed when the latter verb is an amplification
of the meaning of a preceding one; e. g., ahea hanga ai tou whare,
_kia oti_? _When will your house be built, that it may be finished?_
Te tangata e whiuwhiu ana i ana tikaokao, _kia wawe te mate_! _The man
who is pelting his fowls that they may be soon dead!_ Tanutanu rawa
_kia_ ngaro, _bury, bury deep, that it may be concealed_; (a song.)
Whiua, _kia_ mamae, _beat it that it may be pained_; na koutou _i_ aki
mai _kia_ tata, _it was you who pressed forward so as to be near_.
NOTE.--There is a distinction between _kia_ and _ki te_, when
prefixed to a verb in the infinitive, which should be noticed. KIA is
very seldom prefixed to a verb in the active voice,--_ki te_ almost
always; e. g., Haere _ki te_ to i te waka. We could not say _kia to_.
(2.) _Kia_ is almost always prefixed to the passive verb; _ki te_ very
seldom; e. g., Tikina atu _kia_ tirohia is _fetch it to be seen_.
Tikina atu _ki te_ titiro is _fetch him to look at it_. The following
sentence is erroneous:--arahina _ki te_ patu, led to be killed. It
should be _kia_ patua, or e arahina e patua ana.
Sometimes, before neuter verbs, either _kia_ or _ki te_ will be
employed; e. g., I mea ahau kia, (or ki te) haere.
Kia will most frequently be used when the former of the two verbs is
in the passive voice. Verbs following adjectives, by which _ability_,
_habit_, _&c._, are denoted, will take _ki te_; e. g., uaua _ki te_
mahi, _strong to work_; e kino _ki te_ tahae, _is displeased at
thieving_.
Between the uses of _kia_ and _ki te_ there may be often a very
material difference; e. g., e riri ana _ki te ata noho_ means _that
he is angry at the stopping quiet_,--i. e., that he wishes for war; e
riri ana _kia_ ata noho, means that _he is repressing (them) that they
may stop quiet_; ka tohe ki a maua _kia_ waru i te kai i te ra tapu,
_they pressed us to scrape food on the Sunday_. If it had been, Ka
tohe ki _te_ waru, &c., the speaker would have implied _that they_
(the persons toheing) _persisted in scraping, &c._
Some foreigners seem remarkably careless in the use of this particle.
We subjoin a few instances in which it has been omitted, or introduced
erroneously. Ko tana hanga _kia_ korero, _his custom was to speak,
&c._; it should be, _he_ korero. E kore ahau e ahei _kia_ mea atu; it
should be, ahei _te_ mea atu. Ko te aroha e whakahauhau ana i te
tangata _hei_ mahi; it should be, _ki te_ mahi. Whakatika _hei_ patu;
it should be, whakatika _ki te_ patu, or whakatika atu, _patua_.
It may be here observed that (1) some verbs have a partiality for
certain particles; e. g., hua _noa_ ahau, or, _ka_ hua ahau, _I
thought_; e kore _e_ ahei _te_ patu. (2.) Some verbs very rarely take
any verbal particle into connexion with them. Of this sort are heoi,
or heoti, kati, taihoa, penei (_in that case_), and, sometimes,
rokohanga, or rokohina.
(3.) Many constructions will be met with in which the verbal particle
is omitted. (a.) A common adverb of quantity or quality following the
verb will often cause the verbal particle to be dispensed with. (b.)
It is also omitted in constructions like the following:--_meake_
haere; whano mate; kei te ata haere ai; taihoa maua haere atu; &c.
(c.) In animated discourse, the common verb will sometimes be used
without any kind of auxiliary; e. g., kaiponu noa ia, kaiponu noa,
_tangohia_ e au. _Withhold it, withhold it as he might, yet I took it
away._
AI.--The Aborigines sometimes appear to vary in their use of this
particle; some introducing it into sentences in which others would
omit it. These instances, however, may, we believe, be reduced to one
class:--viz., to that in which _ai_ is used in connexion with _kia_.
When _kia_ is prefixed to a verb which is merely an explanation, or
some other enlargement of the meaning of a preceding one, it will
seldom take _ai_ after it; as may be seen in our examples of _kia_,
(rules _d_ and _e_). But when the _intention_, _cause_, _&c._, are to
be specifically denoted, then _ai_ will be used. Thus, in the
following sentence, haere kia kite, _go to see_, _kite_ is a plainly
natural effect of _haere_, and _ai_, therefore, is omitted. If,
however, some unusual act is to be done that he might see, then _ai_,
most probably, would be employed; thus, e piki ki runga ki te rakau
kia kite _ai_ koe, _climb up the tree_ THAT _you_ MAY _see_. The
distinction is the same as that between the two following in
English:--_go_ AND _see_; _climb_ THAT _you may see_. Again, in the
last example of kia (rule _e_), na koutou i aki mai kia tata,
"nearness" is a natural effect of "pressing forward," even though they
had no specific intention of being near: _ai_, therefore, is not used.
If, however, the speaker wished to say _ye pressed forward_ THAT _I
might be angry_, he would employ _ai_; kia riri _ai_ ahau; because
here we have two acts, not necessarily connected, and one specifically
performed to produce the other.
The following are a few out of the many instances that might be
adduced of the erroneous introduction, and erroneous omission, of this
particle:--e kore koe e pohehe me ratou, _kia_ roa _ai_ taku
korerotanga, _you are not ignorant (as they are), that I should be
long explaining it to you_; it should be, _e roa ai_. As it stands it
means, YOU WILL NOT MAKE YOURSELF "POHEHE," IN ORDER THAT, &c. Aua e
whakaara ake i tetahi rakau _kia_ tu _ai_, _erect not any stick that
it may stand_; it should be rakau, _tu ai_. Kihai i tonoa kia uia
_ai_ matou, _he was not sent to question us_; it should be, _ki te_ ui
i a matou. Ko nga mutunga o ia waiata, o ia waiata, kia whakahuatia
_ai_ tenei waiata, _at the end of each song let this chant be
repeated_. As this stands, its meaning is, _in order that this chant
may be repeated_; it should be, _kia_ whakahuatia tenei, &c., or _ka_
whakahua _ai_. Ka puta te kupu o Hone _kia_ haere atu _ai_ ratou, when
John speaks, let them proceed; it should be, me haere, &c., or ka
haere. A wrong use of this particle may often seriously misrepresent
the meaning of the speaker. For example, if we were to say, e inoi ana
ahau _kia_ murua _ai_ oku hara, we should mean, _I pray that (in
consideration of my prayer) my sins may be forgiven_. Prayer, here, is
made the immediate and effective means by which this end is obtained.
If a Native were to say, "E inoi ana ahau kia homai _ai_ tetahi
paraikete," absurd as would be the remark, it would mean that the
blanket is to be given to him, not as a favor, or as due on other
grounds, but simply as a _reward_ for _his asking_. The Bible tells us
of another consideration, by which pardon is obtained, and prayer
answered; and, therefore, in such passages as the above, we must
carefully abstain from _ai_. Koia nga tamariki a Hone i haere tahi me
ratou; it should be, i haere tahi _ai_. E kore ia e poka ke i tana i
mea; it should be, i mea _ai_; te tangata _i_ he _ai_, the man who had
committed the offence. In Waikato this will mean, _the man through
whom they had erred_; it should have been, _te tangata nona te he_.
(a.) _Whaka._--The leading property of this particle is _causative_;
e. g., _tu_ is _to stand_, whakatu is _to cause to stand_ (vid. etiam,
page 50, under pai, kau, and kakahu, and Syntax of Numbers, under
Ordinals).
NOTE.--In this use of it, adjectives, and neuter verbs, will be
converted into active verbs; e. g., toe, _to be left_; whakatoe, _to
put by, as a leaving_; e. g., _whaka_toea etahi ma mea ma, _put by
some for our friends_.
In the following example, the adjective is made improperly to retain
the form of a neuter verb, he mea _whakapirau i te_ hau, _a thing
blasted by the wind_. Its meaning, as its stands, is, _a thing that
destroys the wind_.
Considerable variety may sometimes be found in the nature of the
causation implied by this prefix. Thus, puru, _to cork (a bottle,
&c.)_. Whakapurua nga pounamu, _to stow, or pack (with straw, &c.,
between) them_. Waha, _to carry on the back_; whakawaha, _to take up
the load on the back_; e. g., waiho atu e au e whakawaha ana, _as I
came away they were loading themselves with their burdens_.
(b.) Sometimes it will imply the _becoming_, or the _being like to_,
or the _feigning_, or _exhibiting the_ root to which it is prefixed.
Frequently, also, it will indicate an _origin_ or _propriety_ in the
root; e. g., Kei te _whaka_riwai a Hone i roto i te rua, _John is
making himself potatoes_, i. e., (is occupying the place of) _in the
rua_ (or potatoe house); ka po, ka _whaka_ahi; ka awatea, ka
_whaka_kapua, _at night it became a fire, by day it became a cloud_;
kia _whaka_tangata, _to act like a man_; ka riro, ka _whaka_-Hone ki
te wai, _he will be off, and become like John in the water_; i. e.,
will be drowned as John was; he kupu _whaka_-te-Kanaua, _a speech made
by Kanaua_; i. e., any promise, &c., made by him; he tangata
_whaka_-Ngapuhi, _a person belonging to, or that frequently visits_
Ngapuhi; he aha kei to tatou hoa? Kahore pea. E _whaka_matemate noa
iho ana, kia kiia e mate ana, _What is the matter with our friend?
Nothing at all. He is feigning sickness, that he may be regarded as
unwell._
(c.) Sometimes it will denote _reciprocity_; e. g., ko ratou
_whaka_ratou hoki, _he is one of themselves_! (d.) Sometimes it will
denote an action either _inceptive_ or _gradually declining_; e. g., e
_whaka_tutuki ana te tai, _the tide is beginning to get full_; e
_whaka_hemohemo ana, _he is sinking_; i. e., is on the point of death.
(e.) Sometimes it will denote _towards_; vide page 71. (f.)
Occasionally it will indicate some action corresponding to the sense
of the root; e. g., ka _whaka_-ahiahi ratou, _they act at sunset_; i. e.,
they wait for sunset to make their assault.
_The other auxiliaries of the verb._--These, it has been already
observed, are adverbs, prepositions, pronouns, and the articles _he_
and _te_, placed in connection with the verb. We proceed to make a few
remarks upon them, and some other forms which the Maori verb
occasionally assumes:--
_On the adverbs as auxiliaries._--These chiefly are the adverbs of
intensity and negation; we may add, also, the particles atu, mai, ake,
iho.
The adverbs of intensity, as well as the last mentioned particles,
will frequently lose their distinctive force, and either in some way
modify the meaning; i. e., denote _rapidity_ and _certainty_ of
_effect_, _succession_ or _connection_ of events, &c., or be
redundant. The following examples will, it is hoped, sufficiently
illustrate their use:--te whakaarahanga ake o te ra, tahuri _tonu
iho_, the putting up of the sail _forthwith_ was it upset; akuanei,
_ahiahi noa_, ka tata ta maua te oti, _presently_ BY SUNSET _ours will
be near being finished_; mo te ara _rawa ake_ o nga tamariki kua maoa,
THAT EXACTLY _as_ THE _children awake it may have been cooked_; i. e.,
_it may be cooked before they awake_; kahore, ha, he kainga;
_kainga[39] rawa atu_ ki Waitoke, _oh, there is no settlement_ (in the
interval); _the nearest settlement is Waitoke_; tia _rawa_ ki te
raukura, pani _rawa_ ki te kokowai, _he braided his hair with
feathers, and besmeared himself with red ochre_; _te tino_ haerenga,
so on _they started_.
N.B.--Between _noa ake_ and _noa atu_ a distinction will sometimes be
found not unlike that which obtains between the perfect and imperfect
of English. _Noa ake_ will generally convey an allusion to some date,
either present or past; _noa atu_ will most frequently refer to the
past, without any such allusion; e. g., kua mate, _noa ake_, _he has
been dead this some time_; kua mate _noa atu_, _he died a long time
ago_; kua maoa, _noa ake_ te kai, _the food has been this long time
cooked_; kua maoa _noa atu_, _it was cooked a long time ago_; kua mate
_noa ake_ i reira, _he had been dead then some time_; kua mate _noa
atu_ i reira, _he had been dead a long time previous to that date_.
For further illustrations of the adverbs as auxiliaries the student is
referred to chapter 9, pages 78, 79, &c. For the negative adverbs, as
employed with the verb, vid. next chapter.
_Of the Prepositions._--The use of these as auxiliaries is to supply
the place of the verb substantive when no verb is expressed in the
sentence; e. g., _naku_ tenei, _this is mine_; _kei_ hea? _where is
it?_ _I_ a au i runga, _when I was at the Southward_. The tenses they
denote, and those also which they admit after them, have been
mentioned, chapter 8. Other notices respecting them will be found in
the next chapter. For the pronouns as auxiliaries, vid. page 35.[40]
_Verbs which assume the form of a noun._--It has been already observed
that Maori inclines to the substantive form; and that such is only
natural will be obvious to anyone who will reflect that it is more
easy for an unpolished mind to conceive of things as existences, than
to trace them through the various modifications of act denoted in a
verb. In many instances, indeed, a New Zealander is compelled to adopt
this form, in consequence of the Maori verb not supplying any
satisfactory form for the infinitive mood, and the participles. That
these two parts of speech strongly partake of the nature of a noun is
well known; and we may therefore be prepared to find the forms for
denoting them in Maori exhibit a mixed character; i. e., to be a kind
of compound of the verb and the noun. It may be added, also, that, as
in some Latin authors, the infinitive mood is often used for the
finite verb;[41] so also, in Maori, will the verbal noun, especially
when a brief and animated mode of diction is desired, be found very
frequently to occupy the place of the verb.
The following examples illustrate the various modes in which the Maori
verb adopts the substantive form.
The student will observe that even passive verbs will submit to the
same operation, and receive the sign of the substantive, (viz. the
article) before them; e. g., Tenei au _te tu_ atu nei, _here am I_ THE
_standing towards (you)_; he kainga hou _te rapua_ nei, _a new country
is the being sought_, i. e., is what we are seeking for; ko koe _te_
korerotia nei, it is _you who are the being talked about_; _he noho_
aha tau? _what are you sitting for?_ kua oti _te keri_, _it is
finished, the being dug_; ka tata ahau _te patua_ e koe, _I am near,
the being beaten by you_; he mohio koe? _are you a knowing?_ i. e., do
you know anything about it?
The following are examples of _the verbal noun as used for the finite
verb_:--me he mea _ko te mahuetanga_ o to matou waka, _if it had been
the leaving of our canoe_, i. e., if our canoe had been left to us;
kei riri mai ia ki te kai; _te taunga_ iho--ko ia, ko tana waka, _lest
he (the God) be angry at the food (not having been given)--the
alighting (upon him, the priest), &c._, i. e., and should then alight
upon him, &c.; haere atu ana a Rona ki _te kawe_ wai, Ka pouri. _Te
kanganga_ ki te marama. Te _tino tikinga_ iho nei, ka tae ki a Rona,
_Rona_ (the man in the moon) _goes to fetch water. It is dark. The
cursing at the moon. The instant coming down to him, &c._, i. e., he
cursed at the moon, and she in anger came down to him.
NOTE.--More examples of this very animated mode of narration might be
easily adduced. The student will find several others scattered
throughout this work. We may observe, also, that the very frequent
use of this form by the natives constitutes one remarkable feature by
which the language, as spoken by him, differs from that spoken by the
foreigner.
As a further illustration of the way in which predication in Maori is
sometimes performed by the substantive, the following forms may be
mentioned:--_he mea whakamaori_ no te reo pakeha, _a thing translated
from the foreigner's tongue_, i. e., it was translated from, &c. Na
Hone tenei, _he mea ho atu na_ Pita,--_this is John's, it was
presented to him by Pita_: lit. it was a thing presented, &c. Akuanei,
he _noho atu te otinga_, _presently a remaining away will be the end_,
i. e., (we shall find that) he will remain away.
It should be also noted that the following verbs always take the
substantive form after them, viz., hohoro, oti, hei, and ahei, pau,
taea, tau, timata, heoi ano, kati, poto; e. g., timata _te mahi_,
_commence to work_; kati _te tahae_, _stop thieving, &c._
NOTE.--These verbs, it would appear, deserve most justly the
appellation of "auxiliaries," 1st, as they are real verbs; and 2ndly,
as by their help we can approximate to many forms of the verb in
other languages. For example, kua _oti te tiki_, mai, _has been_
fetched hence; e kore e _ahei te korero_, cannot _divulge_.
The use of the verbal noun, it would appear, is very prevalent in
Oriental languages (vid. Lee Heb. Gram., second edition, p.p. 75 and
76, and Carey's Gram. of the Burman, also Humboldt on the Chinese, as
there quoted.) The following form, however, will often be found in
Maori to supersede it.
A noun, or pronoun, in the oblique case, will, frequently, in Maori,
take the finite verb after it;[42] e. g., e whakapono ana ahau ki a
_ia i mate_ i a _Ponotio Pirato_.
The expression "ki tana hekenga atu ki te reinga" is precisely the
same as "ki a ia i heke atu ki, &c." Again, _Noku i haere_ mai nei,
_since I arrived here_: lit., _from or of me_ (I mean) _came here_; ko
te rua tenei o nga wiki _o Hone, i hoki ai_, _this is the second week
since John returned_: lit., _this is the second week of John_ (I mean)
_returned_; _i a ia e ngaro ana_, _whilst he is hid_; _mo ratou_
kahore _i rongo_, _because they would not obey_: lit., _for them_ (I
mean) _their not having obeyed_.
Often, also, a noun, which, in English, would be in the nominative,
will, in Maori, be converted into the possessive; the verb following
as in the preceding rule; e. g., _naku i patu_, _I struck_: lit., _it
was mine_ (I mean) _the having struck it_; _maku e korero_, _I will
speak_: lit., _it will be for me_ (I mean) _the speaking_.
It was most probably, through ignorance of this, and the preceding
rule, that some good Maori speakers adopted the following very
unsatisfactory analysis of the two examples first adduced:--"Naku i
patu," they would translate, _it was struck by me_; "maku e korero,"
_it shall be spoken by me_; and they thus explain them: _Na_ and _ma_
mean _by_; and _patu_ and _korero_, though active in _form_, are
passive in _meaning_. To this theory, however, there are strong
objections. (1.) It cannot be shewn, except by examples derived from
this class, that _na_ and _ma_ ever signify _by_; these words all must
admit are the active form of _no_ and _mo_--the prepositions which
denote the possessive case. (2.) It will altogether fail in those
instances in which other prepositions, besides _na_ and _ma_ are
found. In the following, for example:--"i a au e noho ana i reira,"
_whilst I was sitting there_; nona i tango, _because he took it_, it
will be seen that it is as difficult to determine the nominatives of
"noho" and "tango" as it was to determine those of patu and korero in
the other examples. Those who attend to the genius of the language
(vid. preliminary remarks, pages 102 and 103, and Syntax of Nouns,
sec. 3, page 114) will, we think, find but little difficulty in the
question. They will see that there are no participles, adverbs, or
relative pronouns, in Maori, and that, therefore, we must not be
surprised at a construction which, though loose, is admirably adapted
to supply the defect. That Maori has a peculiar love for the
possessive form in predication, especially when a relative pronoun is
understood, may be seen in the following examples[43]:--ko Tiaki anake
_ta matou i kite_, _Tiaki was the only person that we saw_: lit.,
Tiaki was our only one (actively) (I mean) saw; ka tohe ki _tana i pai
ai_, _he holds out for what he desired_: lit., he holds out for his (I
mean) desired; he mate _toku_, _I am sick_: lit., a sickness is mine;
ka tika _tau_, you are right: lit., yours is right; _koe_ would not be
here used; ko _taku noho_ tenei, a, po noa, _I will sit here till
night_: lit., this is my sitting until night.
The leading meaning of _na_, and _ma_, and their corresponding
passives _no_, and _mo_, seems to be, of the one class, _present_, or
_past_, of the other _future possession_. And most of the examples
given in p.p. 63-67, of their various uses might be reduced to those
heads. Thus, "_no_ te mane i haere mai ai," means, literally, _it was
of the Monday_, (I mean,) _having come_. "_No_ reira i riri," it was
_of that cause_ (I mean,) _the having been angry_; _mo_ a mua haere
ai, _let it be for a future period_, (I mean,) _the going_, &c.
_Compound tenses._[44]--A compound tense is one whose time and
quality are modified by some other time or circumstance with which it
is connected.
Thus in the examples in page 38 _me i reira_ ahau _e_ pai _ana_,
_e_--_ana_, which taken _absolutely_, is present, now represents the
pluperfect potential; because it has a reference to _i reira_, a past
time, and to _me_, a particle denoting contingency. Again, in the
example, "akuanei tae rawa atu _kua_ mate; _kua_, taken absolutely,
refers to past time; but, here, it is taken _relatively_, and refers
to a future; i. e. to the time in which I may arrive; the sentence
meaning, literally, "presently, exactly as I shall have arrived, he is
dead." The expression _shall have been dead_, in English, all will
see, is a compound tense of a similar character, for it is compounded
of a future, and a past tense, and thus represents a _second future_.
We proceed to lay before the student some examples of the most
important combinations of time and mood. To exhibit all that are
possible would extend our work beyond its prescribed limits. Some
remarks on this subject have been already made in treating on the
verbal particles.
INDICATIVE MOOD.
_Present._--_Ka_ taka ki hea, _e_ haere mai _ana_? _they have reached
what place as they come along?_
_Imperfect tense._--_Rokahanga_ atu e au, _i re_ira _e_ noho _ana_,
_when I arrived he was sitting there_: lit., he is sitting, &c. _I_
mua _e_ pai _ana_, _formerly I liked_ (it): lit., I like, &c. _E_ pai
_ana i_ mua--id. _I_ pai ano _i_ mua--id. _Na_ reira _i_ kore ai ahau
_e_ pai, _that was the cause why I did not assent_: lit., thence _was_
I not, (I mean) _am_ pleased. _I_ ki hoki ia, a _kua_ oti; _i_ mea atu
ia, a, tu _tonu iho_, _he spake, and it was done; he commanded and it
stood fast_. _Heoi_ ahau me tenei tamaiti, _ka_ haere mai; _I was the
size of this child when I came here_.
_I hea_ koe i mua, _ka_ kimi? _where were you before that you did not
look for it?_
Nei hoki, _kua_ ora, haere _ana_ ki Taranaki, _but he recovered, and
went to Taranaki_; _kua_ mea atu ra hoki; _e_ ki mai _ana_, _why I
said so, he replies_, i. e., _replied_.
_Perfect tense._--_Ka_ wha nga wiki _e_ ngaro _ana_, (or _ka_ ngaro
_nei_;) _it has been lost these last four weeks_: lit., _these_ ARE
_four weeks_ IT IS _lost_.
_I_ konei te kuri _e_ kai _ana_, mei te huruhuru, _a dog has been
eating a fowl here, as we may judge from the feathers_. _No_ku _ka_
mate, _since I have been poorly_.
_Pluperfect tense._--_Kihai_ i hinga _ka_ waiho e korua, _it had not
fallen when you left it_, lit., it did not fall, you leave it. _I_ a
koe _kua_ riro, _after you had gone_, (vid. our remarks on _kua_,
page 153 for other examples.)
_First future tense._--_Ma_ Ngatiwhatua _e_ takitaki to maua mate, ka
ea, _Ngatiwhatua will avenge our murder, (and) a satisfaction will be
obtained_.
_Akuanei_, rangona _rawatia_ mai, _e_ hoko _ana_ ano koe, _presently,
I_ SHALL _hear that you_ ARE STILL _purchasing_: lit., presently,
exactly as it has been heard, you are, &c.
_Kua_ mate ahau, _e_ ora _ana_ ano nga rakau nei, _these trees will
live longer than I_: lit., I died, these trees are still alive.
_Second future tense._--Vid. pag. 37.
POTENTIAL AND SUBJUNCTIVE MOODS.
_Present and imperfect._--(For examples of these vid. on _e_ page 136,
on _ka_ 138, and on _ai_ 146), _ko_ ahau _kia_ mate, ko ia _kia_ ora;
vid. on _kia_ (§. c. 1,) also our remarks on ahei, taea, &c., as
auxiliaries.
_Pluperfect._--_Kua_ riro au, na te mate o taku kotiro _i_ noho ai, _I
would have gone; but I remained in consequence of the sickness of my
daughter_: lit., I departed, my daughter's sickness was the cause of
my having remained; _e_ noho _ana_, _na_ Hone _i_ ngare, _he would
have stopped, but John sent him_: lit., he is remaining, John sent
him; _E_ murua a Hone, _naku i_ ora ai, _John would have been
plundered, but I saved him_; _me i_ kahore ahau _kua_ mate, _if it had
not been for me, he would have died_; _kua_ hemo ke ahau, _me_ i
_kaua_ ahau te whakapono, _I should have fainted if I had not
believed_; penei _kua_ ora, _in that case he would have been saved_;
_ka_ hua ahau, _i_ haere _ai_, _e_ rongo; _I thought that they would
have listened (which) was the cause of (my) having gone_; _ma_ku i
runga _e_ kore e marere, _when I am at the Southward (it) is never
granted_; ma raua e rere e kore e hohoro a Raiana, _when they both
run, Lion does not make haste_; me i maku e keri, keihea? _if it had
not been for me to dig it where (should I have been now)?_ i. e., I
should have dug to a vast distance.[45]
The following combinations of times are incorrect: _i_ te mea _i_
arahina nga Hurai, _while the Jews were being led_; it should be _e_
arahina _ana_. _I_ kite hoki ratou i a ia, a, _i_ rere, _for they saw
him and fled_; it should be, _a_, rere _ana_. To ratou taenga atu ki
te pa, i reira ano mahara ana ratou ki a ia, _and when they had
reached the pa, they then recognised him_; it should be na, _ka_
mahara, &c. Ma Hone _e_ whakaki o koutou peke, _pera_ hoki me o matou,
_John will fill your bags as full as ours_; it should be, _kia penei
me o matou_. It may be here noted that when two tenses are connected
together, not in the way of government, but are rather in apposition
with each other, the latter will generally be the same as, or at least
correspond to, the former; e. g., the following constructions are
erroneous:--_Korerotia_ atu, _mea ana_, _speak, saying_; it should be,
_meatia_. A ki atu _ana_ a Hone, ka _mea_; it should be, mea _ana_. Ka
tahi ahau _i_ kite, _now for the first time have I seen_; it should be
_ka_ kite.
NOTE.--Sometimes, however, we meet with exceptions to this rule: (1)
when there is a clear case for the operation of epanorthosis; (2)
when the particles _a_ or _na_ intervene.
The character of the sentence will sometimes be found to affect the
time of the verb; as, for example, in animated narration, where a
large measure of certainty, or when contingency is to be denoted, &c.;
e. g., Kihai i u ki uta, _kua_ tae ki te whare, _kua_ totoro ki te
maripi, ki te paoka, _E_ kai _ana_, _he had not landed, before he_ HAD
_reached the house_, HAD _stretched out (his hand) to the knife and
fork, (he) is eating_, i. e., immediately as soon as he landed he
began to eat; E pa ma, kia kaha, Kahore kua u, _My friends be strong,
(in pulling the oar), O no, we have landed_, i. e., we are close to
shore. A request or command, given to be conveyed to another, will
often be put into the imperative, just as if the individual, to whom
the request, &c., is to be delivered, were really present; e. g., Mea
atu ki a Hone, _Taihoa e haere_, _say to John, Don't go for a while_.
E kite koe i a te Keha, _Haere mai_, _if you see Keha_ (say to him),
_Come here_.
NOTE.--This form is generally adopted when the speaker wishes to be
animated and abrupt. Sometimes, as in the first example, it is the
only form admissible.
_Verbs associated to qualify each other._--It should here also be
noted that when two verbs are associated together, the latter of which
is modified in meaning by the former, in a way somewhat similar to
that in which the infinitive in Latin is modified by its governing
verb, the two verbs will, generally, be in the same tense and voice;
e. g., _Kua_ haere, _kua_ koroheke hoki, _he has begun to get old_,
lit., he is gone, he is old; _kei_ anga koe, _kei_ korero, _don't you
go and say, &c._; _e_ aratakina _ana_, e patua _ana_, _it is led to be
killed_.
_Repetition of Verbs._--The same verb will frequently be repeated in
Maori when _contingency_, _intensity_, _distribution_, _diversity_,
_&c._, are intended, and, particularly, when the speaker desires to be
impressive and emphatic; e. g., Ko te mea i tupono i tupono: ko te mea
i kahore i kahore, _(the karakia Maori) is all a work of chance:
sometimes there is a successful hit, sometimes a failure_, lit., that
which hit the mark hit it, that which did not did not; e pakaru ana, e
pakaru ana ki tana mahi _(it does not much signify) if it breaks, it
is broken in his service_; okioki, okioki atu ki a i a, _trust, trust
in him_, i. e., place your whole trust in, &c.; haere ka haere, kai ka
kai, _in all his goings, in all his eatings_, i. e., whenever he
walks, or eats, (_he retains the same practice_); heoi ano ra, heoi
ano, _that is all about it, that is all about it_; hapai ana, hapai
ana, _raise both ends at the same time_; i. e., _while you raise, I
raise_.
NOTE.--A similar usage obtains in other parts of the language; e. g.,
ko wai, ko wai te haere? _who, who is to go?_ ko tera tera, _that is
another_, or _a different one_; he kanohi he kanohi, _face to face_;
ko Roka ano Roka, ko ahau ano ahau? _are Roka_ (my wife) _and I
different persons?_ lit., Is Roka Roka, and (am) I I?
Sometimes the former verb will assume the form of the verbal noun; e. g.,
te haerenga i haere ai, _the going with which he went_, i. e., so
on he proceeded; na, ko te tino riringa i riri ai, _so he was very
angry_.
NOTE.--The learned student need not be reminded of the remarkable
parallel which Maori finds to the four last rules in Hebrew. From
this cause it will be sometimes found that an exactly literal
translation will be more idiomatic than another. Thus Gen. 1, 7,
"dying thou shalt die" could not be rendered more idiomatic than if
it be done literally: "na, ko te matenga e mate ai koe."
_Of the Passive Verbs._--It has been already observed (p.p. 49, 56)
that passive verbs are often used in Maori in a somewhat more extended
sense than is met with in most languages. It may naturally, therefore,
be expected that their use should be more frequent than that of active
verbs: and such we believe to be the case,--Maori seeming to incline
peculiarly to the passive mode or form of statement, especially in the
secondary clauses of a sentence. Independently of other uses which
they subserve, (such as often supplying a more animated style of
narration, being sometimes the more convenient--as being the more
loose or general--mode in which to advance a sentiment, &c.), there
are two of considerable importance which may be here noticed. 1st.
They are most frequently employed when the relative pronoun is
understood, and are generally equivalent to the active verb with _ai_
or _nei_, _&c._, after it; e. g., nga mahi i wakahaua e ia, _the works
which were ordered by him_. The active form here, without _ai_ after
it, would be seldom used. Vid. also, the examples p.p. 49, 51. 2ndly.
They sometimes supply the place of a preposition; e. g., he aha te mea
e _omakia_ nei? _what is the matter_ ABOUT WHICH _it is being run?_ Te
tangata i _korerotia_ nei, _the man about whom we were talking_. The
following sentence, ka korero ahau ki te whakapakoko, literally means,
_I will talk to the image_; it should have been, ka korero_tia_ te
whakapakoko. This usage, however, does not extend to all the
prepositions; and, when some of them are understood, the verb will
require _ai_ after it. The following sentence, for example, is
erroneous: te tangata e kainga ana te poaka,_the man by whom the pig
is eaten_; it should be _e_ kai _ana_, or _e_ kai _nei_, or _e_ kainga
_ai_.
Constructions will not unfrequently be found in which the active form
usurps the place of the passive, and vice versa; e. g., Ko tena kua
hohoro te _horoi_, _let that be first washed_; kua _tahu_ te kai o te
kainga nei, _the food of the settlement has been kindled_, i. e., the
oven is kindled for cooking; Kei te _uta_ to matou waka, _our canoe is
loading_; Ko tehea te _patu_? _which is to be killed?_ ko tera kua
_panga_ noa ake, _that has been much longer on the fire_: lit., has
been thrown; taria e _kawhaki_ te poti, _let not the boat be taken
away (by you) for a while_; he mea _tiki_, _a thing fetched_; kua oti
te _keri_, _it is finished, the being dug_; me _wero_ e koe, _it must
be_ (or, _let it be_) _stabbed by you_; ka timata tena whenua, te
_tua_, _that land has commenced_ (I mean) _the being felled_; kei
reira, a Hone e _tanu_ ana, _there John (lies) buried_; _Ka te arai_
taku ahi e koe, _my fire is being stopped up by you_, i. e., you are
intercepting the communication, &c.; kia rua nga waka e _hoe_ mai e
koe, _let there be two canoes that will be paddled here by you_. The
following form is not frequent:--kei te atawhaitia, _it the (pig) is
being taken care of_; kei te takina te kai, _the food is being taken
off (the fire)_. When ambiguity might arise from the object of the
action being considered as the _agent_, the passive form is almost
always used; e. g., ka poto nga tangata o reira _te kitea_, _when all
the men of that place have been seen_; ka tata tena tangata te nehua,
_that man is near being buried_.
_Neuter Verbs which assume the passive form._--Some neuter verbs
assume the passive form (1) without any material alteration of
meaning; e. g., ka _hokia_ he huanga, _if it is come backwards and
forwards to you, it is because I am a relation_.[46] (2.) Most
frequently, however, they derive a transitive meaning from the change.
Thus, in the example already adduced, page 50, horihori, _to tell
falsehoods_; te mea i horihoria e koe he tangata, _the thing which you
erroneously said was a man_. Again,--Tangi, _to cry_: te tupapaku e
_tangihia_ nei, _the corpse which is being cried_, i. e., which is the
subject of the crying; he tangata haurangi, _a mad person_; te tangata
i haurangitia nei, _a person for whom another is bewildered_.
[38] It is true that when _kua_ represents the pluperfect, or the
priority of one action to another, it may be frequently found in
connexion with _ko_. But this, we think, is a further confirmation of
the distinction for which we contend. For the expression "_he had
loved us_" is clearly more definite than "_he loved us_,"--the former
implying that that affection had been entertained _before some past
act_,--the latter simply affirming that it was entertained, without
reference to any date. _Ko_ we defined, page 106, as the article of
specification and emphasis, and it is quite natural that it should be
associated with a perfect to denote a pluperfect,--its office, in such
a construction, being to point out the individual who may be
emphatically said to _have_ performed the act--whose was the act which
was antecedent, or past. The sentence "ko ia kua atawhai," means _he
is the person who was first kind_. This emphatic use of the word _ko_
has been already illustrated under the head of _comparison,
adjectives_; the sentence "_ko_ tenei te nui o nga rakau" meaning
_this is the large one of the trees_; i. e., this is the one of which
we may (emphatically) say, _It is large_. So, also, in the
following,--"akuanei _ko_ Hone _kua_ tae," the meaning is _presently_,
it will be John who (emphatically) HAS GOT _there_; i. e., John will
have got there first.
[39] The student will see in this, and the other examples, that the
noun, as is very usual in Maori, assumes the form of a verb. To
translate literally such verbs into English is often impossible.
[40] Following is a connected view of some of the principal means by
which the defect of the substantive verb is _sup_plied or _im_plied,
in Maori: he kuri tenei _this_ is _a dog_. Tenei a Hone, _This is
John_. Tika rawa, _it is very correct_. Ki te _whai_ hau i te po nei,
_if there be wind in the night_, _&c._ Ki te _wa_ hau, &c., _idem_. Ka
_ai_ au hei kianga mai mau, I _am for an ordering for you_, i. e., You
find in me one that will obey, &c. _Waiho_, and sometimes _meinga_,
are often used instead of _ai_. E _ai_ ki tana, _it is according to
his_, i. e., as he affirms.
The following form is worthy of notice, Rokohanga rawatanga atu e
ahau, _ko_ Raiana! _on my reaching (that place)_ there WAS _Lion_;
rokohanga atu, _ko_ te tahi tangata o Taupo i Maungatautari e noho
ana, _when I got (there) there was a man of, &c._ Taku hoenga ki roto
_ko_ te waka o Hone, _as I was paddling up the river, lo, there was
the canoe of John, &c._ Some foreigners, we observe, use tera taua for
this form. We have never heard anything like it in Waikato. _Hei te_
and _ki te_ (vid. page 62) will often, also, seem to lose their
distinctive meaning in that of the verb substantive; e. g., _hei te_
pera me tou, _let it be like yours_.
[41] It will also be recollected that the gerunds and participles
will, in that language, often subserve the same office. Thus we have,
ante domandum, _before they are tamed_; urit videndo, _he burns when
he looks_; cum Epicurus voluptate metiens summum bonum, _whereas
Epicurus who measures the chief good by pleasure_.
[42] This is an exception to what we find in English, and other
languages, the finite verb in them being very seldom found after an
oblique case; i. e., after any case beside the nominative, unless the
relative, or the personal pronoun with some conjunction, intervene. We
may observe, also, that the verbal particles will be often prefixed to
other words beside the verb; e. g., e kore koe e pai _kia mau_ e
hanga? _Are you not willing that you should do it?_ _kia mou_ ai te
kainga, _that the land should be yours_.
[43] That the English language had once a similar tendency might, we
think, be shewn by many examples. Thus we hear, "_have_ pity on me,"
"_have_ her forth," "I _have_ remembrance of thee in my prayer." Many
of our tenses, also, are formed by this auxiliary; e. g., "_I have
seen_," "he _had_ gone," "I would _have_ loved, &c." The frequent use,
also, of this form in the Greek may be seen in Donnegan's Greek
Lexicon, under "_echo_," to hold.
[44] As the English language supplies but few illustrations of this
mode of construction, we will here lay before the student some
extracts from Professor Lee's Hebrew Grammar, as well to shew how much
this usage obtains in Oriental languages, as to enable him to enter
more readily into the subject. Professor L. says, page 328, "any
writer commencing his narrative, will necessarily speak of past,
present, or future events with reference to the period in which his
statement is made." This, he says, is the "_absolute_ use of the
tense." Again, "A person may speak of those events with reference to
some other period, or event, already introduced into the context. This
is the _relative_ use--Hence, a preterite connected with another
preterite will be equivalent to our pluperfect; a present following a
preterite to our imperfect, and so on." Again, page 330, "They, the
Arabians, consider the present tense as of two kinds; one they term
the _real present_, which is what our grammarians always understand by
the _present tense_. The other they term _the present as to the
narration_; by which they mean the time contemporary with any event,
and which may therefore be considered as present _with it_, although
past, present, or future with regard to the _real_ or _absolute_
present tense." In page 334 is a good illustration from the Persian:
"last night I _go_ to the house of a friend, and there _see_ a
delightful assembly, and _enjoy_ a most pleasing spectacle." The
student will see in the above example that _go_, _see_, and _enjoy_,
are _relative presents_, being presents to _last night_, the time in
which the speaker, in his imagination, now places himself. This mode
of construction abounds in the O. and N. T., vid., for example, Mark
xiv., _he saw Levi and says to him_. _Says_, here, is present to
_saw_, though past to the time of the narration.
[45] NOTE.--The student is recommended to notice the various forms
contained in the preceding table, and to endeavour to add to them from
his own observation. It would also be most useful to throw into one
form all the various examples of simple and compound times that he
will find in pages 37, 41, to 44, as well also as those contained in
the preceding part of this chapter.
[46] The passive verbs wheterongia, titahangia, &c., to which we
allude, page 39, note, may, we think, on reflection, be most correctly
reduced to this head.