A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of New Zealand.
Of the Article
Of the Article.
The vowel e is often used as an Indefinite Article, and has the same signification as the English Article a or an. The syllable te is also often used as a Definite Article, and has the same signification as the English article the; but it should be observed, that neither of these articles can be always used according to the rules of the English Language, the idiom of the New-Zealand Language being different.
e mánu | a bird | te mánu | the bird |
e mára | a farm | te mára | the farm |
e máta | a face | te máta | the face |
e púke | a hill | te púke | the hill |
e púte | a bag | te púke | the bag |
e rára | a rib | te rára | the rib. |
Exceptions.
The Article e will not always apply to Nouns of the Singular Number, as the Indefinite Article a or an in English; but is often used before Nouns Plural.
e púnga réu | ashes |
e kai máodi | sweet potatoes |
e aróhi | fern roots |
e díma | five |
e díma te kau | fifty |
e máha | many in number. |