the imi (Moriori equivalent for iwi) estimate the population to be as many as 3,500. In 2021 an app called Ta Re Moriori was launched in order to teach the Moriori language to as many new people as possible. Alphabet a - [a] e - [ɛ] i - [i] o - [ɔ] u - [u] ā - [aː] ē - [ɛː] ī - [iː] ō - [ɔː] ū - [uː] p - [p] t - [t] k - [k] m - [m] n - [n] ng - [ŋ] wh - [ɸ] h - [h] w - [w] r - [r] Comparison with Maori Words in Moriori often have different vowels from their Māori counterparts. The preposition a in Moriori corresponds to e in Māori, the preposition to , to (lord, chief), to (tear), to (woman), and so forth. Sometimes a vowel is dropped before a consonant such as (), () and after a consonant like (), (), (), (), and (), thus leaving a closed syllable. In this regard, it is similar to the Southern dialects of Māori, in which apocope is occasionally found. A vowel is also sometimes dropped after a vowel in the case the preceding vowel is lengthened and sometimes before a vowel, where the remaining vowel is lengthened. The consonants [k], [h], and [t] can sometimes be aspirated and palatalised, such as instead of . References Further reading Clark, R. (1994). "Moriori and Maori: The Linguistic Evidence". In Sutton, D. (ed) The origins of the First New Zealanders. Auckland: Auckland University Press. pp. 123–135. Galbraith, Sarah. A Grammar of the Moriori language. Taiuru, K.N. (2016). Word list and analysis of te reo Moriori. Moriori Extinct languages of Oceania Languages of New Zealand Tahitic languages Languages extinct in the 1890s 1898 disestablishments in Oceania