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First Lessons in Maori

§ 4

§ 4.

The nouns have no Inflections, nor any distinctions of Gender.

Obs. The interrogative pronoun aha, what, is treated as a common noun.

The Number of a common noun is denoted generally by the number of the definitive in connexion with it. (§§ 17, 18.) The following words have one vowel lengthened in the plural, thus:

Singular. Plural.
Mătua, parent. Mātua, parents.
Tŭpuna, ancestor. Tūpuna, ancestors.
Tăngata, man. Tāngata, men.
Wăhine, woman. Wāhine, women.
Tuăhine, sister (of a man). Tuāhine, sisters.
Tuăkana, elder brother. Tuākana, elder brothers.
Těina, younger brother. Tēina, younger brothers.
Tamăhine, daughter. Tamāhine, daughters.
page 8

The word tamaiti, child, is used in the singular only, tamariki being always used for the plural.