Maori
- Language Family
- Austronesian
- Subgroup
- Malayo-Polynesian, Tahitic
- Area
- —
Summary
Morpheme-final non-labial nasals metathesize with a following front vowel when the nasal is preceded by a vowel that differs from it in backness.
Type(s) of metathesis
| Type | Status | Optionality | Position | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. CV | Synchronic | Obligatory | Adjacent | Between root and suffix |
Case types and qualities
-
- CV
-
- C:
- Alveolar nasal
- C:
- Velar nasal
- V:
- High front
Examples
| Active | Passive | UR | Gloss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aroha | arohaina | *arohania | arohan | ‘love’ |
| tahu | tahuna | *tahunia | tahun | ‘burn’ |
| kai | kaiŋa | *kaiŋia | kaiŋ | ‘eat’ |
Conditions
Morpheme-final segments other than non-labial nasals do not trigger metathesis.
| Active | Passive | UR | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| maka | makaia | maka | ‘throw’ |
| awhi | awhitia | awhit | ‘embrace’ |
| hopu | hopukia | hopuk | ‘catch’ |
| inu | inumia | inum | ‘drink’ |
| mau | mauria | maur | 'carry' |
‘wh’= voiceless bilabial fricative or [f]
When a morpheme-final non-labial nasal is preceded by a vowel that does not differ from it in backness, metathesis fails to apply.
| Active | Passive | UR | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| tohu | tohuŋia *tohuiŋa | tohuŋ | ‘point out’ |
Motivations
No motivations could be found
Symbols
Comments
Bibliography
- Sanders, Gerald. 1990. On the Analysis and Implications of Maori Verb Alternations. Lingua 80. 149-196.