# A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of New Zealand/Preface

A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of New Zealand was published in 1820
In presenting the following Work to the Public, it may be necessary to explain, under what circumstances, and for what end, it has been undertaken.
Mr. Kendall, who had for several years resided as a Settler in New Zealand, under the auspices of the Church Missionary Society, having, returned early in the summer of the present year, with two Native Chiefs, to England, it was resolved by the Committee, that every advantage should be taken of this opportunity, for the purpose of settling the orthography, and, as far as possible, of reducing the language itself of New Zealand to the rules of Grammar, with a view to the furtherance of the Mission sent out to that country. For this end, Mr. Kendall was, with the Chiefs, sent to Cambridge, where he might have the opportunity of such retirement and assistance as would tend to advance the objects in question. After a residence there of about two months, the MS. of the work now presented to the Public was, with such assistance as I could render, completed, and put to Press. The materials had, for the most part, been previously collected in New Zealand, by Mr. Kendall: they received at Cambridge some additions, with the arrangement in which they now appear.
​The furtherance of the Mission, sent out to New Zealand, for the double purpose of civilizing and evangelizing the Natives of that country, was the general object for which this work was undertaken.
The particular objects therefore kept in view in this compilation, were, in the first place, to make it useful to the New Zealanders themselves; and, in the second, to their Teachers—the Missionaries and Settlers.
With respect to the New Zealanders, care has been taken to represent their language in a manner as simple and unembarrassed as the nature of the subject and materials would admit. In doing this, the first point aimed at, was, to make the Alphabet as simple and comprehensive as possible, by giving the vowels and consonants such names and powers as were not likely to be burthensome to the memory or perplexing to the understanding: and for this end, the division into vowels, diphthongs, and consonants, as well as the names of each, as laid down in the Sanscrit Grammars, has been preferred; though the scantiness of the New-Zealand sounds has made it impracticable to follow their arrangement in every particular: it was not possible to illustrate every sound by English examples: some are therefore left to be learnt from the mouths of Natives. The next thing presented for the use of the New Zealander, is the Table of Syllables, which extends from page 2 to 8; and which, upon being well inculcated in the Schools, cannot fail of giving the learner a clear ​insight into the system of Alphabetical Writing; a thing hitherto unknown in that country.
The other particular object of the work, is the instruction of the European Missionary in the Language of New Zealand; whereby he may be enabled to communicate the blessings of Christian Instruction and Civil Improvement: and for this end it was, that Examples in declension and conjugation have been given, after the manner of European Grammars; when, in fact, there exists no such thing in the language in question; as is also the case in the Sister Dialects of Tonga and the Malayans: the declension of nouns being formed by the addition of particles or prepositions; and the conjugations of verbs, by the assistance of adverbs, pronouns, &c. which determine the person or tense required with sufficient accuracy. There is, moreover, nothing like the distinction of gender inherent in the forms of either verbs or nouns: whence it would follow, that words arranged in the order of Syntax would undergo no difference of form or termination from the influence of any other parts of speech: and hence it is, that so very little is given of Syntax, and that all that is given relates merely to the order of words.
The Vocabulary has been arranged according to the Alphabet laid down in the first page, (the New-Zealand words taking the lead,) principally with a view to the instruction of the Missionary in studying the Examples given in the body of the Grammar.
That either the Grammar or Vocabulary is as perfect as may be wished, no one will take upon himself to affirm: but when the unfavourable circumstances are considered, under which the materials have been collected and the work composed, it is hoped that it will be found not to fall very far short of reasonable expectation, both in extent and accuracy. At all events, a foundation has been laid; and we may hope, by the blessing of God, hereafter to see a fair superstructure.
​As a means of rendering a future edition of this work more perfect, I should recommend to the Missionaries to get their copies interleaved; and daily to make such remarks on every part of the Grammar, as well as additions to the Vocabulary, as the extent of their information may enable them. I would also advise them daily to translate into the New-Zealand Language some portion of the Scriptures or the Liturgy, with a view to their final circulation throughout the Island. They would do well, moreover, to compose short Addresses, to be read to the People, on the history and character of Christianity, as well as Hymns and Psalms to be sung at the times of Divine Service. Copies of these Exercises should be sent home for the approval of the Committee, and with a view to preserve them, should any accident destroy the originals in New Zealand. By this means, not only would a knowledge of the language be thoroughly attained, but the happiest effects might be expected, both in engaging the mind of the Missionary in his proper work, and in exciting the attention of the Heathen around him to the knowledge of God and of themselves as exhibited in the Holy Scriptures.
Samuel Lee.
Cambridge November, 1820.
* ↑ Some materials were collected in London in the year 1818, from Tooi and Teeterree, two New Zealanders who resided some time at the Society's House; but as ill health obliged them shortly to quit London, the work was necessarily suspended, and the materials sent to Mr. Kendall in New Zealand.—See Miss. Register for 1819, p. 465.
* ↑ If I do not much mistake, the X should have been omitted in the Table, as no instance occurs in which it has been used.
* ↑ There is one peculiarity in the pronunciation of the New-Zealand Language, which should here be noticed, and which could not be marked in the Alphabet. When two vowels concur, the combined sound becomes that of the English sh, ex. gr. E óngi, A salute, is pronounced Shóngi; and so of every other combination, in which the indefinite article e precedes a vowel. This appears to me a phænomenon in the history of speech; and, as the introduction of sh in such cases, either in the Dialogues or the Vocabulary, would have brought with it great confusion, it has been thought proper to omit it, and to mention it here.
* ↑ See the Grammar of the Tonga Language by Mr. Martyn: and Mr. Handen's Grammar of the Malay.