NZ Scholarship Te Reo Māori flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Tohutō (macron)

A diacritic over a vowel marking length. Length distinguishes meaning, e.g. kōrero versus kore, so omitting it is an orthographic error in formal writing.

Ng and wh

The two consonant digraphs of Māori, each representing one phoneme. Ng is a velar nasal; wh is typically a voiceless w, pronounced as f in some western dialects.

Māori syllable structure

Every syllable is an optional single consonant followed by one or two vowels, always ending in a vowel. Consonant clusters and final consonants never occur.

Vowel length contrast

Short and long vowels are distinct phonemes. Long vowels are written with a macron and pronounced roughly twice as long, changing word meaning.

The Māori consonant inventory

Ten consonants: p, t, k, m, n, ng, w, wh, r, h. Sounds such as s, f, b, d, g, l and v do not exist and are substituted in loanwords.

Word stress rule

Primary stress falls on the first long vowel in a word; if there is no long vowel, it falls on the first syllable. Prefixes and compounds can shift stress.

Te reo in the exam

Responses are written in Māori and assessed on quality of thought, control of language and cultural appropriateness, not on English translation accuracy.

Dialectal variation

Regional differences exist, such as k versus ng and w versus wh in southern dialects. Consistency within a piece of writing matters more than choosing one variety.

Loanword adaptation

Borrowed words are reshaped to Māori phonology: consonants are substituted and vowels inserted to avoid clusters, e.g. 'hōiho' for horse and 'pēke' for bag.

Kupu and whakaaro

Assessment rewards precise word choice (kupu) serving a clear idea (whakaaro). Ornate vocabulary without coherent argument does not raise the grade.

Register in Māori

Formal writing uses full forms and respectful address; colloquial speech allows ellipsis and particles. The exam expects register matched to purpose and audience.

Kīwaha and whakataukī

Kīwaha are idiomatic colloquial expressions; whakataukī are traditional proverbs. Quoting a whakataukī should support an argument, not merely decorate it.

Pānui (reading)

Reading tasks require locating stated information, inferring implied meaning, and recognising tone and idiom within authentic Māori texts.

Whakarongo (listening)

Listening tasks test comprehension of spoken Māori, including gist, specific detail and speaker attitude, delivered at natural speed.

Tuhituhi (writing)

Writing tasks require structured, coherent Māori prose with accurate grammar, appropriate register and a clearly developed central idea.

Kōrero (speaking)

Speaking tasks assess fluency, pronunciation, intonation and the ability to sustain and develop ideas in spoken Māori.

Particle te and ngā

Te marks a singular noun and ngā a plural noun. Choosing between them depends on whether the referent is singular or plural in context.

Particle 'a' and 'o'

A-category possession marks things acquired or controlled; o-category marks relationships, origins and things inherited. The choice is grammatical, not stylistic.

Verbal particle tense markers

Particles such as ka, kua, e...ana, i and kei te mark tense and aspect. Selecting the right one controls whether an action is past, perfect, ongoing or future.

Passive suffix variation

Passive forms take suffixes such as -tia, -hia, -ngia, -a, -ina, and the correct one is lexically determined by the verb, so it must be learned per word.

Nominalisation

Verbs and adjectives become nouns through suffixes such as -nga and -tanga, e.g. kōrero to kōrerotanga. This shapes formal written style.

Whakapapa in argument

References to genealogy and ancestral connection establish identity and authority. Used accurately they strengthen a response; invented connections undermine it.

Pepeha structure

A pepeha identifies mountain, river, tribe, sub-tribe and ancestors. Structure and order matter, and content must be accurate to the speaker.

Mihi and acknowledgements

A mihi greets people and acknowledges place and ancestors. In formal writing, acknowledgements come early and use respectful address forms.

Tikanga in response

Cultural protocol shapes what can be said and by whom. Responses should respect appropriate attribution of knowledge and avoid misusing restricted material.

Direct and indirect speech

Māori marks quoted speech with particles such as 'e ai ki' or 'hei tā'. Accurate framing signals control of reported speech conventions.

Negation patterns

Negation uses kāore, kāore i, or ehara depending on sentence type and tense. The wrong negator changes the sentence structure as well as meaning.

Question formation

Questions use particles such as he aha, ko wai, and pēhea, with word order adjusted accordingly. Correct particle choice is part of grammatical accuracy.

Cohesion devices

Connectors such as nā te mea, engari, otirā and ā link ideas. Their correct use distinguishes a structured argument from a list of sentences.

Audience and purpose

Each text type, such as pūrākau, pānui and mihi, carries expected conventions. Matching form to purpose is part of the assessed communicative competence.

Editing for accuracy

Final checking should target tohutō, particle choice, passive suffixes and word division, since these are the errors most often penalised in formal writing.

Evidence and interpretation

Strong responses quote or reference specific textual detail and explain how it supports the interpretation, rather than asserting a reading without evidence.