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Loan words

Historical loan words

tātai

1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ngia,-tia) to measure, arrange, set in order, plan, recite (genealogies).

Ka tīkina ngā whetū, ka tātaitia. Ka whakamārōkia Te Ika-o-te-rangi (Tr 7:33). / The stars were fetched and arranged. The Milky way was stretched out.

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Synonyms: whakapai, ine, mehua, mēhua, meiha, rūri, whakatātūtū, whātau, kaupapa, tikanga, whakangārahu, mahere, whakatakoto, whakamahere, hoahoa, pēwheatanga, take, whakakaupapa, whakatakotoranga, whakaaro, tītakataka


2. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to calculate.

Tātaihia te horahanga o te māra (TRP 2010:264). / Calculate the area of the garden.

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3. (verb) (-a,-hia) to adorn, deck out, beautify.

Kātahi te tamāhine ka tahuri ki te tātai i a ia, nā ka heru i a ia, nā ka rākei i a ia ki ōna kaitaka, ka tia hoki i tōna māhunga ki te raukura - —ko ngā raukura he huia, he kōtuku, he toroa, ka oti (NM 1928:198). / Then the daughter set about adorning herself, placing a comb in her hair, dressing herself in fine kaitaka cloaks, and placing feather plumes in her hair - feather plumes of huia, white heron and albatross feathers, and then she was finished.

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4. (noun) lineage, line of ancestry, genealogy.

I te hononga o Tūrongo rāua ko Māhina-a-rangi ka hono hoki ngā tātai nunui o te Tai-rāwhiti ki ngā tātai o ngā iwi o Tainui (NIT 1995:73). / When Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi married they united the chiefly lineages of the East Coast with those of the Tainui tribes.

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Synonyms: kāwei, kaha, kāwai, kākano, whakapapa, kauhou, kauwhau, kauhau


5. (noun) purpose, plan, tactics.

Mēnā he huatau ōu, he pakirehua kē rānei āu e pā ana ki tēnei tātai whakatairanga reo Māori a te Taura Whiri, kia hohoro te whakapā mai, kia hau ai te rongo ki ngā tōpito o te motu (HM 4/1993:2). / If you have ideas or enquiries concerning this Māori language promotional plan of the Māori Language Commission, contact us urgently so that the information can be spread to all parts of the country.

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Synonyms: take, kaupapa, tikanga, aronga, hoaketanga, whāinga, koronga


6. (noun) arithmetic.

E tika ana kia ako ngā tamariki ki te tātai (Ng 1993:18). / It's right that children should learn arithmetic.

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