Tahitian language courses can be challenging to find. However, you can access resources through the Tahiti Tourism website, the REO app for smartphones  youtube, and learn more about on-site summer language classes for Gump scientists on our community page.

Previous worksheets and audio recordings of these on-site language classes taught by Herenui Vanaa and Tagihia Mauati in 2022 can also be found here.

Reo Mā'hoi transcription systems

Language evolves. To the limited knowledge of visiting, non-native speaking scientists, there are two main systems of Reo Māʼohi transcription in the society islands, largely driven by grammar, phonology (e.g. placement of certain stressors, or "glottal stops"), and typography (e.g. the location of 'eta, tārava/tāumi, etc). 

This is a field of study unto itself, but we feel this might be important to briefly be mindful of for communication/publication: 

(1) The Te fare vanā'a  system:  Formal polynesian institution (1972) to safeguard Reo Māʼohi as a language  (e.g. Mā'ohi, 'āmui,  Mo'orea)

(2) the Raapoto system:  Samuel and Duro Raapoto father/son pair formalized an alternate transcription system (e.g. Māòhi, âmui, Moorea)

French influence place/common names most closely conform to Raapoto system, lacking 'eta, tārava/tāumi

So what do visiting scientists do? 

Dr. Jean Wencelius/Pr. Jacques Vernaudon's advice (2023, AIM) is the (abbreviated)  following: 

• don't mix transcription systems

• stick to the phonetically closest transcription

• add a footnote (if you can) to your publication, specifying what transcription system or rules you intend to use 

• note that it is not up to a visiting researcher to decide which transcription rule to use, but the residents of a given location - if possible, ask residents to proofread the documents (e.g. Te fare vanā'a  system often taught in school, but 2/3 of surveyed public used Raapoto system)

  • ask who is the "public," or "readership," as this is typically not neutral  

• if possible, determine if the organization you are associated with (e.g. Gump, MCR, UCSB, University, etc already has a stance on the transcription system used by all members)

Notes on Reo Māʼohi transcription systems are from Dr. J. Wencelius (AIM, 2023)

Tahitian Pronunciation:

The Tahitian language has 5 vowels and 8 consonants. Every letter is pronounced when speaking.

• vowels: a e i o u

• consonants: f h m n p r t v

A glottol stop is represented by an apostrophe (') and is pronounced by emphasizing the following syllable.

An accent mark (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) indicates that the vowel is long.

The Fare Vāna'a  dictionary (https://www.farevanaa.pf/dictionnaire.php) provides an extensive audio dictionary to assist in pronunciation. 

Common Tahitian words and phrases that you may find useful:

ENGLISH TAHITIAN

Hello 'Ia ora na

Goodbye/Until we meet again Nānā

Thank you Māuruuru

Thank you very much Māuruuru roa

No thank you 'Aita māuruuru

How are you? E aha tō 'oe huru?

Things couldn’t be better Aita pe'ape'a

Good Maita'i

Very good Maita’i roa

Yes 'E

Indefinite yes 'A

No (strong) E'ita

No (normal) 'Aita

Do you speak Tahitian? Parau Tahiti 'oe?

Foreigner Popa'a

Welcome Maeva; Manava

Cheers! Manuia!

Man Tane

Woman Vahine

Beautiful Nehenehe

Big Nui

Island Motu

Ocean Moana

Mountain Mou'a

Outrigger canoe Va'a

Trade winds (from southeast) Mara'amu

You can learn and practice french for free using online tools/apps such as Duo Lingo.

Many of the official documents and permits to conduct science in French Polynesia are in French. The Gump station staff see to the majority of this translation for visiting English-speaking scientists. However, if you find that you need to translate documents, emails, or anything else, a good option is to use a deep learning (AI) translator like DeepL. It’s not perfect, but it is better than the standard google translate option!

Common French words and phrases that you may find useful: 

ENGLISH FRENCH

Hello Bonjour; Salut

Goodbye Au revoir

Thank you Merci

Thank you very much Merci beaucoup

How are you? Comment ça va? ; Ça va?

Good Bien; Ça va.

Bad Mal

So-so Comme ci comme ça

Do you speak english? Parlez-vous anglais?

Yes Oui

No Non

What time is it? A quelle heure?

How much? Combien?

Coral Reefs Les recifs coralliens

Mountains Les montagnes

Ocean L’Océan; La mer

In this living document, we have selected to use the Raapoto transcription system for Moorea and other place/common names to the best of our ability (see note on transcription systems in Reo Mā'hoi above). The majority of the working group at the inception of the document were not native speakers of Reo Ma'ohi (this may change - visit Working Group to see current working group). At the development of this document, the Station, MCR, and most common university users of the station do not have a uniform policy on which transcription is preferred for publications/public-facing documents/etc. We have consulted several community members who interface with the station currently or have in the past and welcome further discussion on the topic!