Hunaonga & Hungarei

[Kingi]

Does `hunaonga' mean son-in-law and daugher-in-law (regardless of who is saying it) or is there a `gender' rule?

Does `hungarei' mean father-in-law and mother-in-law (regardless of who is saying it) or again, is there a `gender' rule?

Would like this clarified please.

[jarrod]

Tēnā koe Kīngi,

When you say 'gender rule', do you mean that the gender of the words change based on the gender of the person saying the word (like 'hunaonga' said by a woman can only mean 'daughter-in-law')? If that's the case, then no, I don't believe there is a gender rule for these words.

J

[Kingi]

Tēnā koe Kīngi,

When you say 'gender rule', do you mean that the gender of the words change based on the gender of the person saying the word (like 'hunaonga' said by a woman can only mean 'daughter-in-law')? If that's the case, then no, I don't believe there is a gender rule for these words.

J

Okay, Jarrod, you've confused me (which, believe me, isn't hard to do!)

Remember a while back a lesson taught us that teina meant younger brother (of a male) or younger sister (of a female). I took this to mean that I, a male, couldn't refer to my younger sister using the word teina and my older sister couldn't refer to me using this word. A man can only use it in regards to a younger brother and a woman can only use it in regards to a younger sister.

I'm wondering if the same `rule' applies to hunaonga and hungarei.

You say that `hunaonga' can only mean daugher-in-law if it's said by a woman. Does this mean a man can't use the word hunaonga? The same with hungarei. Who can say these words?

I hope I haven't confused you now!

[Kura]

Kia ora Kingi.

Hunaonga and hungarei can be used by anyone regardless of sex to refer to a son-in-law/daughter-in-law or mother-in-law/father-in-law. These two terms are not restricted by gender.

As an aside, in practice, the gender of the 'in-law' being talked about is often indicated by placing tāne (male) or wahine (female) after the term. Hence, hungarei-tāne (father-in-law), and hungarei-wahine (mother-in-law).

Ngā mihi.

THE KURA TEAM.

[jarrod]

Lol yeh, what Kura said is what I meant. When I said 'when a woman says hunaonga, it can only mean daughter-in-law', I was just giving an example to what I thought you meant by the gender rule, since I don't know the grammar lingo (I have never used grammar rules for Māori).

Apologies for the confusion

[Kingi]

Kia ora Kingi.

Hunaonga and hungarei can be used by anyone regardless of sex to refer to a son-in-law/daughter-in-law or mother-in-law/father-in-law. These two terms are not restricted by gender. THE KURA TEAM.

Thank you for clarifying this.

Lol yeh, what Kura said is what I meant....Apologies for the confusion

Thank you for trying to clarify this! Your help to me (and others) via the forums is always appreciated, believe me.

Kingi