Components of place names Flashcards
Terms for geographical features, such as hills, rivers, cliffs, streams, mountains, the coast; and adjectives describing them, such as small, big, little and long, are found in many place names. Source: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/100-maori-words#marae
1
Q
Au
A
current
2
Q
Awa
A
river
3
Q
Iti
A
small, little
4
Q
Kai
A
in a place name, this signifies a place where a particular food source was plentiful, e.g., Kaikōura, the place where crayfish (kōura) abounded and were eaten
5
Q
Manga
A
stream
6
Q
Mānia
A
plain
7
Q
Maunga
A
mountain
8
Q
Moana
A
sea, or large inland ‘sea’, e.g., Taupō
9
Q
Motu
A
island
10
Q
Nui
A
large, big
11
Q
Ō or o
A
means ‘of’ (so does a, ā); many names begin with Ō, meaning the place of so-and-so, e.g., Ōkahukura, Ōkiwi, Ōhau
12
Q
One
A
sand, earth
13
Q
Pae
A
ridge, range
14
Q
Papa
A
flat
15
Q
Poto
A
short
