Smith. — On Maori Nomenclature. 401 



heard a Maori imitate the pakeha pronunciation in this and 

 in other words. We have comparatively few English words 

 where the " a " is pronounced as in "aroma," " marvellous," and 

 so many where it is sounded as in " rat," " cat," " bat," &c, 

 that the error is one easily fallen into. But let it be tested by 

 prolonging the vowel sounds, as is often done in a Maori song. 

 If you prolong the "a" sound of the syllable "ma" in " mate," 

 as we give it in " cat," "fat," &c, I think it will be at once 

 perceived that the sound is not Maori at all. 



The "e" has the simple French or Continental sound, 

 and that only. The Maori " u " is pronounced like the " oo " 

 in the English words " fool," " pool," " ooze," &c. 



I also repudiate the doctrine that there are diphthongs in 

 Maori. The combinations of vowels which are called diph- 

 thongs are simply dissyllables. Each vowel has its own 

 perfect proper sound. There is no coalescing or blending of 

 sound. Ac is as much a dissyllable as ate ; ai as ahi, ati, api ; 

 ao as amo, aro, apo; ei (in net) as cmi ; au as ahu, aru, atu, 

 ahu. In every case the vowels are, both in sound and in 

 form, as perfect dissyllables as when standing in the same 

 position relatively, with a consonant between them, and the 

 terminal vowel sound is capable of being prolonged indefinitely. 

 The written vowels which learners are told to pronounce long 

 are really dissyllables, which, strictly speaking, should be spelt 

 with the" vowel letter doubled. .4 (to drive) should be spelt 

 aa. 



To illustrate my meaning I will take a word — papa. This 

 is a dissyllabic root- word containing the idea of flatness or 

 extension of surface, which appears in many of its compounds 

 — as, haupapa, kopapa, tipapa, paparahi, paparite, all carrying 

 the idea contained in the root. Papa or papaa, is another 

 word, signifying to crackle, or explode with noise, usually spelt, 

 however, with the same letters as the first word. Papa, or 

 paapaa, is a third word, also usually spelt with the same 

 letters, the meaning of which is " father." In the second and 

 third words the root is pa or paa, which is a root having more 

 than one meaning — papa, to explode ; papa, to meet in 

 conflict, containing the idea of touch, or contact. " Kua 

 papa" — "The parties have met in conflict" — have joined 

 battle." In the word papa — father — the root pa, to touch, 

 suggests the idea of touch or connection in the paternal 

 relationship — pa-kuha, connections by marriage. 



Eeverting to the question of the proper pronunciation of 

 Maori names, I repeat that in my opinion no insurmountable 

 obstacle stands in the way of any one desiring to acquire "the 

 art — or accomplishment. 



As exemplifying the mode in which a Maori name of several 

 syllables may be dealt with, I will take one in connection with 

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