THE MAORI LANGUAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2421, 9 February 1909, Page 5

THE MAORI LANGUAGE.

NECESSITY OF PRESERVATION

ARCHDEACON WILLIAMS’ DICTIONARY.

In his presidential address to the Polynesian Society at New Plymouth last week Mr S. Percy Smith said: — On the subject of tho new Maori dictionary, Archdeacon W. H. Williams informs us that fair progress lias been made in the compilation on to cards of tho many contributions from various sources received,, and which continue to accumulate. There is yet a good deal of work to be transcribed on to tho cards,, but Mr Williams liojics, should iliis other duties permit, to commence tho fair Copy for the printer during this year. None but those who have undertaken similar work are aware of the great amount of patient and careful thought involved in the process of incorporating and testing contributions from so > many sources, and the translation of the many exam, pies illustrative of the meanings of words and phrases. We have reason to believe this will be the best dictionary of any of the Polynesian dialects. The council is glad to note that there seems to be an awakening in many of the educated classes of this country to the necessity of preserving the Maori language in its purity. I he New Zealand University lias lately included Maori as one of tho subjects for examination, which is a step in the right direction. But it is to be hoped that this may some day merge into a Chair of Polynesian Ethnology and Philology, and that funds may be found for the endowment of research in these and cognate matters. The importance of these subjects when studied from the Polynesian basis is as Vet hardly appreciated. The light they will yet throw on the early history of mankind is only at present perceived, iand that obscurely, by a small band of Polynesian scholars.