Re(2): Ti Plant? (not) (linguistic note)
fukada@aloha.net writes:
>A botany friend of mine indicated that much of the indigenous NZ language
>is similar to that of Hawaii. Additionally much of the flora is similar
>indicating possible origins (i.e. Metrosideros)
Both Haiwaiian and Maori are in the Austronesian language family which
includes Philippine languages, Indonesian languages, Malaysian, Formosan,
and Malagasy among many, many others (it is one of the largest language
families).
Here is SIL.org's site that shows all of the languages of Austronesian:
http://www.sil.org/ethnologue/families/Austronesian.html
Linguistic classification for Hawaiian and Maori:
Hawaiian:
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern
Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic,
Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East,
Central, Marquesic. 79% lexical similarity with
Rarotongan, 77% with Pa'umotu, 76% with Tahitian (Elbert), 71% with Maori
(Schütz).
Maori:
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern
Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic,
Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East,
Central, Tahitic. Dialects: NORTH AUCKLAND, SOUTH ISLAND, TARANAKI,
WANGANUI, BAY OF PLENTY, ROTORUA-TAUPO, MORIORI. 71% lexical similarity
with Hawaiian, 57% with Samoan.
