First Lessons in Maori
§ 57
§ 57.
The Causative Prefix, whaka-, may be used:—
i. With a verb, adjective or participle (§ 66), to form a verb signifying the attempt at, beginning of, or approach to the action or condition indicated by the root word.
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Na ka whakawhiti a Kupe i te moana o Raukawa, a, ka whiti. Then Kupe set about crossing the straits of Raukawa, and crossed over.
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Po rua a Tukutuku e whakatata ana ki a Paoa, kihai i tata, For two nights Tukutuku was trying to get near to Paoa, but did not succeed.
ii. With a noun to form an intransitive verb signifying the assumption of the character or form appropriate to the noun.
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Kua whakatangata taua kukupa, The pigeon had assumed the form of a man.
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Ka mea a Wairaka, Kia whakatane ake ahau, Wairaka said I must play the part of a man.
iii. With a verb, adjective, participle (§ 66), or noun to form a causative verb, generally transitive. Thus, whakamahi, cause to work; but whakakite, cause to be seen.
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Ka mea nga hoa kia whakarerea nga kahu, His companions told him to discard his clothes.
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Kia nunui nga tao, kaua e whakaririkitia, Let the spears be large, don't make them small.
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Whakamau te titiro ki te kapua rere mai, Fix your gaze on the cloud flying hither.
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Hei konei au whakamau ai, I will remain established here.
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Katahi ano a Rupe ka whakakukupa i a ia, Then Rupe made himself into a pigeon.
Of course these compounds with whaka- may, like other words, be used otherwise than as verbs.
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Ka puta whakarere mai te hau, The wind sprang up suddenly.
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Ka nui rawa te whakama o Paoa, Paoa's shame was very great.