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A Maori Podcast
Whakatauki - Nga koko tataki o Te Akatea [Kohikohinga Whakatauki a Raupo. pg 161.]
Kia ora! This week I thought that we would take a quick look at the particle "ai" because this is something I still have yet to master. Hopefully this is helpful for all of us.
Also I wanted to try and introduce a new topic called Atua Wahine. Basically, I find an atua wahine, and speak a little bit on it. Today I will speak on Miru.
The Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary [E. Tregear, pg 243] is where I came across this info, however the text can be found here with references to further resources.
https://pantheon.org/articles/m/miru.html
1.
The first example below is used for the existence of something.
Me e ai ana he toki maaku. - If there were an axe for me. [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 120]
2.
This example is quite familiar to us all. It's used in the sense of the conception of an idea/opinion.
E ai ki a Hori, me ako katoa nga tamariki kura i te reo Hapanihi. - According to Hori, all school children should learn Japanese. [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 153]
3.
This example, has a vibe of consequence. The implied meaning is that one must do something for some outcome to happen.
Kia tino tere ai te haere - So that it should go very quickly. [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 45]
So this usage has two examples, but the vibe they both give seems to be the same. Both are consequential.
Koi mate noa ai koe i a au i konei tonu, tē riro ai na te hoariri. - (I should be careful) so you dont get killed by me here, instead of by the enemy. (The context is that a rifle has discharged accidentally.) [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 55]
4.
If you split this sentence into two parts. First [Me pewhea ratou] then [e mohio ai]. We can see that the second part is used to give more information on the first. Think of it like:
How can they do it? (Do what?) How can they figure it out?
Me pewhea ratou e mohio ai? - How are they to know? [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 54]
Ka whakaaro a Tia, akuanei te tae wawe ai ko Ngatoroirangi ki reira i mua i a ia. [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 55]
5.
This example is quite familiar to us. Just then action followed by ai, this is used to show habit.
Noho ai nga wahine ki konei - The women sit here (habitually/usually/always) [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 54]
This usage is new to me, but here's an easy way to remember it.
6.
Especially = Te mea ai
I tino whakamihi nga tangata, te mea ai hoki ko to matou tau tuatahi tenei. - The people were very appreciative, especially seeing as this was our first year (of our band's existence). [A Maori Reference Grammar, R.Harlow, pg. 54]