ABSTRACT
Maori makes some use of ideophones. However, there were many cases where my consultant was in doubt as to whether particular forms were ideophones or not, notably for bird names. The following list is fairly conservative, and contains only those of which there is reasonable certainty. Other consultants might well have included others, and excluded some of these.
|
Form |
Gloss |
|---|---|
|
amuamu |
grumble |
|
au |
howl (of dog) |
|
aue |
to cry with distress |
|
haruru |
dull, heavy sound |
|
ihiihi ?kea |
make a hissing, rushing noise, as the wind N.Z. bird (from call) |
|
keekee |
quack (duck) |
|
kekee |
creak |
|
keo |
screech (as bird) |
|
?kiwi |
native flightless bird (from call) |
|
kihikihi |
cicada |
|
kiki(tara) |
cicada sound |
|
kitaa |
chirp of cicada |
|
kuuii |
bird call, call |
|
ngawee ~ ngawii |
squeal, yelp, howl |
|
ngawiingawii |
cry of puppy |
|
ngetengete ~ ketekete |
palatal click for surprise |
|
ngongoro |
snore |
|
ngunguru |
rumble (as thunder) |
|
paatiitii |
splash |
|
pakuu |
loud sudden sound, pop |
|
piipii |
young of birds, chick (from call) |
|
?tuuii |
native song bird (from call) |
|
wawaa |
make a loud rumble or roar |
|
whio |
whistle |
