Maori: A Linguistic Introduction

Mäori, the indigenous language of New Zealand, is an endangered, minority language, with an important role in the culture and identity of the Mäori community. This comprehensive overview looks at all aspects of the Mäori language: its history, its dialects, its sounds and grammar, its current status, and the efforts being made by the Mäori community and the state to ensure its survival. Central chapters provide an overall sketch of the structure of Mäori while highlighting those aspects which have been the subject of detailed linguistic analysis - particularly phonology (sound structure) and morphology (word structure). Though addressed primarily to those with some knowledge of linguistics, this book describes a language with a wealth of interesting features. It will interest anyone wishing to study the structure of a minority language, in fields as diverse as typology, sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology, as well as all those interested in endangered languages and their preservation.

• Only book which brings together a discussion of all aspects of Mäori - history, dialects, sounds, grammar and status • Contains an exhaustive bibliography of literature on the language • Author is, through his own experience and involvement with Mäori, uniquely placed to provide an authoritative and personal overview of the language

1. Introduction; 2. A brief history of Mäori; 3. Regional variation in Mäori; 4. The phonology of Mäori; 5. The morphology of Mäori; 6. The syntax of Mäori; 7. The sociolinguistic situation of Mäori.

\' … readable and stimulating … a good and handy introduction to the linguistic research on Maori.\' The Linguist List