The New Zealand word "Maori", which conveys the distinction between a mortal human and a spirit or deity, is highly likely to mean "shadow", since a shadow itself is what differentiates a person from a spirit.
Did you know what the Megrelian word "maorebeli" means? It translates to დამჩრდილავი, which means "one who casts a shadow."
What morphemes form "maorebeli"? Naturally, it originates from the masdar "maoreba", followed by the root "maori", from which we ultimately derive the stem "oro", meaning "shadow."
Take note: the prefix "ma-" has a personifying function, meaning it shapes the word into a reference to a person.
And finally, if you look up the word "shadow" in a Maori-English dictionary, you’ll find "maru."
0 Comments