CHAP. XI.
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Language--Vocabulary--Numerals.
THE language of these people I have reason to believe is copious, and it is by no means wanting in harmony. From the vociferation in the canoes, which came alongside the ship, an inattentive person would conceive that their language was discord itself; but from attending to their softer conversations, and their affectionate greetings, independently of their songs, I think I am warranted in saying, that the language of New Zealand possesses a considerable degree of softness.
Without attempting to say any thing of its construction, I shall give a vocabulary of
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their language, which, I conceive, may be of use to persons visiting this island; and may, perhaps, not be unacceptable to many others, who are exempt from the toil and danger of distant navigation.
By the help of the native I brought to, England with me, I acquired as much practical knowledge of their tongue as would enable me to make myself understood upon most subjects. It is true, he would sometimes laugh at my ignorance and want of comprehension; but, on the whole, he was so complaisant as to pronounce me a tolerably apt scholar.
I shall not swell these pages by a long account of words not likely to come into use during a transient visit, but merely give such as will enable the navigator, or visitor, to make himself understood, as to the common topics of conversation in his intercourse with the natives.
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VOCABULARY
Dar........................The sun.
Marrammah ................ The moon.
Paucoora .................. Clouds.
Whyttoo .................. A star.
Oota ................ ...... Land, the shore.
Tungata..................... A man.
Wyeena .................... A woman.
Tamoneke ...............A boy.
Coetedo .................... A girl.
Oopoko .................... The head.
Conohee.................... The eye.
Echoo .................... The nose.
Nootoo .................... The mouth.
Neehoo .................... The Teeth.
Arrero ....................The tongue.
Cakee .................... The neck.
Pocohoohee ................ The shoulder.
Dingadinga ........ ......The arm.
Pahro...................... The band.
Mattacurrah ................ Fingers, or toes.
Mattecoocoo ................ Finger or toe naiL.
Shoopay .................... The belly.
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Oomah ............ The chest.
Pahpah .................... The breech.
Ooha ...................... The thigh.
Turee.................. The knee.
Poonapoona .......... ......The leg.
Wyewye.. ............ The foot.
Ooroo-ooroo ................ Hair.
Coway ...... ...... ...... The chin.
Payow .................... The beard.
Tooacunna ...... ...... ......Brother.
Tooacunna Wyeena ..........sister.
Kakahow .................. A mat, or clothing.
Matta-matta ................ Ill, hurt, bad.
Matta-matta-kiki ...... ...Hungry.
Matta-matta-yaieda ........Tired.
Kiki ...................... Food.
Yaieda .................... Walking.
Corocoro ...... ...... ....Drink.
Corero .................... Speaking.
Wyata..................... Singing.
Aroroikee ..................A native song, with action.
Ugheeo .................... Whistling.
Catha...................... Laughing.
Arroh...................... Crying.
Maree...................... Coughing.
Oohurrie ..................Spitting,
Cokee........ .............. Throwing a spear.
Maureepa .................. A knife.
Too ............ .... ...To stand erect
Noho ...................... To sit down.
Moe ...................... To lie down.
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Moe-moee .................. Sleep, also death.
Moora .................... A light.
Curreerah ..................Blue.
Cocowhy .................. Red.
Coturrie .................... Yellow.
Narrahow .............. .... Black, or dark brown.
I could not find that they had any name for green.
Whakee .................... Yesterday.
Iheena ....................To-day.
Apopo .................... To-morrow.
Atieda .....,.............. The day after.
Awhakee................... The third day.
Awhakeenue ................ The fourth.
Qkeeo..................... To-night.
Matohee ..................To-morrow night
Racoonue .................. The night after.
Tooroo .................... The night after that.
Okiero .................... Carving.
Mooca .................... Thread, cord, rope.
Nue ...................... Much, enough.
Nuenuee .............. A great quantity, or large.
As Nuenuee Mooca .......... A large rope.
Itteeittee...... ...... ......Little, small.
Whou ............ ...... A carvingtool, small chisel.
Hurramy .................. Come here.
Tuwhittee ...... ...... .....Go, go hence.
Matuckeetuckee .............. See, seeing.
Terringa.................... Hear, hearing.
Piannah ..................... Good.
Miti ...................... Fine, agreeable.
Kiooda .................... Bad,improper.
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NUMERALS.
Keenana .................. Nasty.
Wedder-wedder.............. Heat.
Mackaredy.................. Cold.
Koraddee .................. A dog.
Eka........................ Fish.
Manoo ............ A bird.
Mattow .................... A fish-hook.
Racoo.................... Wood.
Achee...................... Fire.
Whey...................... Water.
Wauka .................... A canoe.
Cowpooka .................. A ship.
Tokee-..................... Iron.
Narko-..................... Fat, grease.
Ingwau ................... What, what do you call this?
Wurrie .................... A house, or hut.
Amoco .................... Tattooing.
Rungateeda ................ A friend.
Cotihi...................... One.
Cadooa .................... Two.
Catoodoo .................. Three.
Cawha .................... Four.
Cadeema ........ ..........Five.
Cahoonoo .................. Six.
Caheetoo ..................Seven.
Cawhadoo .................. Eight.
Caheewha .................. Nine.
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Kanghahoode.............. Ten.
Matihi.................... Eleven.
Madooa.................... Twelve.
Matoodoo.................. Thirteen.
Mawha.................... Fourteen.
Madeema.................. Fifteen.
Mahoonoo.................. Sixteen.
Mawhetoo.................. Seventeen.
Mawhadoo.................. Eighteen.
Maheewha.................. Nineteen.
Catteekow.................. Twenty.
Catteekow-Cotihi............ One score.
Cadooa............ Two ditto, &c, &c.
Thus the natives reckon by scores, marking each score by their fingers, or by pieces of stick: they go on without the smallest difficulty or embarassment in counting as far as twenty score, or catteekow-cattee-kow, but beyond that number I believe they seldom enumerate; contenting themselves with repeating the word catteekow a great many times when the number exceeds the limits of their calculation: thus, were you to enquire the population of their island, the answer would be catteekow, tungata-catteekow, catteekow, repeated ten
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or a dozen times, constantly clapping the hands, and accompanied with a tone of voice sufficiently expressive of their idea that the number is far beyond their power of ascertaining.
