Contrasting Inclusive and Exclusive Groups
Tāua and tātou include the addressee; māua and mātou exclude the addressee.
How It Works
Tāua identifies the speaker and addressee together; māua identifies the speaker and one other person, excluding the addressee. Tātou includes the addressee in a group of three or more; mātou excludes the addressee from such a group. Predicates do not change endings to agree with these pronouns.
Check every clause separately. I waiata mātou, ā, i kanikani tātou assigns singing to an exclusive group and dancing to an inclusive group. Both contain the speaker; only the second necessarily contains the addressee.
Context identifies the other participants. An inclusive group need not contain everyone present or all members of an earlier exclusive group. Switching from māua to tātou changes both size and inclusion. English meanings should state membership when plain “we” would obscure the contrast.
Examples (3)
- I tunu kai māua, ā, i kai tātou.
The other person and I cooked, and we, including you, ate.
The cooking pair excludes the addressee; the eating group includes the addressee and has at least three members.
- Me kōrero tāua; kāore mātou e mōhio ki tō whakaaro.
You and I should talk; our group, excluding you, does not know your opinion.
The conversation pair differs from the larger exclusive group.
- I waiata mātou, ā, i kanikani tātou.
We, excluding you, sang, and we, including you, danced.
The addressee belongs to the dancing group; other membership depends on context.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Check size and addressee membership independently in every connected clause. A shift between forms can change both, and an inclusive group need not contain every member of an earlier exclusive group.
Related Patterns
Practice Contrasting Inclusive and Exclusive Groups in Bubblegum
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