Maori, the loan language

Not just a loan word or two

Even the Australians are starting to cotton on.

Of course the word for wicket is wīkiti which like so many words in the Maori language is a loan word from English. But I was just wondering that as most words in Maori are loan words (it may also be true of English of course) is Maori therefore a loan language with the European contributions being the majority of those loan words? From English of course, and academics New Zealand wide have been busy little bees making up such words for 30 years or more, but there are also very likely loan words from the Portuguese & Spanish who were clearly here before Abel Tasman visited.

Intrigued? Well here’s some more intrigue;