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LANGUAGE KIWI ENGLISH AND MAORI |
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English and te reo Maori, the Maori language, share joint status as
New Zealand's official languages, but on a day-to-day basis all you'll
need is English, or its colourful Kiwi variant. All Maori speak English
fluently, often slipping in numerous Maori terms which in time become
part of everyday Kiwi parlance. You may find television, radio and
newspaper articles - especially those relating to Maori affairs -
initially confusing without a basic grounding, but with the aid of our
glossary you'll soon find yourself using Maori terms all the time. A
basic knowledge of Maori pronunciation will make you more comprehensible
and some understanding of the roots of place names can be helpful.
You'll need to become something of an expert, though, to appreciate much
of the wonderful oral history, and stories told through waiata (songs),
but learning a few key terms will enhance any Maori cultural events you
may attend.
To many Brits and North Americans, Kiwi English is barely
distinguishable from its trans-Tasman cousin, "Strine", sharing much of
the same lexicon of slang terms, but with an accent marginally closer in
tone to South African English. Australians have no trouble
distinguishing the two accents, repeatedly highlighting the vowel shift
which turns "bat" into "bet", makes "yes" sound like "yis" and causes "fish"
come out as "fush". This vowel contortion is carried to new levels in
remoter country areas, but there is really very little regional
variation, only Otago and Southland - the southern quarter of the South
Island - distinguishing themselves with a rolled "r", courtesy of their
predominantly Scottish founders. Throughout the land, Kiwis add an
upward inflection to statements, making them sound like questions; most
are not, and to highlight those that are, some add the interrogative
"eh?" to the end of the sentence, a trait most evident in the North
Island, especially among Maori.
Maori
For the 50,000 native speakers and 100,000 who speak it as a second
tongue, Maori is very much a living language, gaining strength all the
time as both Maori and pakeha increasingly appreciate the cultural value
of te reo , a language central to Maoritanga and forming the basis of a
huge body of magnificent songs, chants and legends, lent a poetic
quality by its hypnotic and lilting rhythms.
Maori is a member of the Polynesian group of languages and shares both
grammar and vocabulary with those spoken throughout most of the South
Pacific. Similarities are so pronounced that Tupaia, a Tahitian crew
member on Captain Cook's first Pacific voyage in 1769, was able to
communicate freely with the Aotearoa Maori they encountered. The Treaty
of Waitangi was written in both English and Maori, but te reo soon began
to lose ground to the point where, by the late nineteenth century, its
use was proscribed in schools. Maori parents keen for their offspring to
do well in the pakeha world frequently promoted the use of English, and
Maori declined further, exacerbated by the mid-twentieth-century
migration to the cities. Though never on the brink of extinction, the
language reached its nadir in the 1970s when perhaps only ten percent of
Maori could speak their language fluently. The tide began to turn
towards the end of the decade with the inception of kohanga reo pre-schools
(literally "language nests") where Maoritanga is taught and activities
are conducted in Maori. Originally a Maori initiative, it has now
crossed over and pakeha parents are increasingly introducing their kids
to biculturalism at an early age. Fortunate kohanga reo graduates can
progress to the small number of state-funded Maori-language primary
schools known as kura kaupapa. For decades, Maori has been taught as an
option in secondary schools, and there are now two state-funded tertiary
institutions operated by Maori, offering graduate programmes in Maori
studies.
The success of these programmes has bred a young generation of Maori
speakers frequently far more fluent than their parents who, shamed by
the loss of their heritage, are beginning to attend Maori evening
classes. Legal parity means that Maori is now finding its way into
officialdom too, with government departments all adopting Maori names in
recent years and many government and council documents being printed in
both languages. The increasing knowledge and awareness has spawned Maori
TV and radio broadcasts, notably the nightly news, Te Karere.
In your day-to-day dealings you won't need to speak Maori , though both
native speakers and pakeha may well greet you with kia ora (hi, hello),
or less commonly haere mai (welcome). On ceremonial occasions, such as
marae visits, you'll hear the more formal greeting tena koe (said to one
person) or tena koutou katoa (to a group).
If you are interested in learning a little more, the best handy
reference is Patricia Tauroa's The Collins Maori Phrase Book (HarperCollins;
$15) which has helpful notes on pronunciation, handy phrases and a
useful Maori-English and English-Maori vocabulary.
Glossary of Kiwi terms, phrases and slang
ACC Accident Compensation Commission.
ANZAC Australian and New Zealand Army Corps; every town in New Zealand
has a memorial to ANZAC casualties from both world wars.
Aotearoa Maori for New Zealand, the land of the long white cloud.
Ariki Supreme chief of an iwi.
Bach (pronounced "batch") Holiday home, originally a bachelor pad at
work camps and now something of a Kiwi institution that can be anything
from shack to palatial waterside residence.
Back-blocks Remote areas.
Biddy-bid A burr-bearing bush (from Maori piripiri ).
Blat Travel at great speed.
Bludger Someone who doesn't pull their weight or pay their way, a
sponger.
Boomer Excellent.
Bro Brother, term of endearment widely used by Maori.
Captain Cooker Wild pig, probably descended from pigs released in the
Marlborough Sounds on Cook's first voyage.
Chilly bin Insulated cool box for carrying picnic supplies and beer to
the beach or cricket match.
Chook Chicken.
Choice Fantastic.
Chuddy Chewing gum, also "chutty".
Chunder Vomit.
Coaster (Ex-) resident of the West Coast of the South Island.
Cocky Farmer, comes in "Cow" and "Sheep" variants.
Crib South Island name for a bach.
Cuz or Cuzzy Short for cousin, see "bro".
Dag Wag or entertaining character.
Dairy Corner shop selling just about everything, open seven days and
sometimes 24 hours.
Dally Semi-derogatory name for descendants of Dalmatian immigrants from
the Balkans.
Dob in Reporting one's friends and neighbours to the police; there is
currently a dobber's charter encouraging drivers to report one another
for dangerous driving.
Docket Receipt.
Domain Grassy reserve, open to the public.
Fizz boat Small powerboat.
Flicks Cinema, movie theatre.
Flog Steal.
Footie Rugby, usually union rather than league, never soccer.
Freezing works Slaughter house.
Give it a burl Try it.
Godzone New Zealand, short for "God's own country".
Gorse in your pocket To be slow to pay your share.
Good as (gold) First rate, excellent.
Good on ya Expression of approbation or encouragement, frequently
appended with "mate".
Greasies Takeaway food, especially fish and chips.
Greenstone A type of nephrite jade known in Maori as pounamu.
Haka Maori dance performed in threatening fashion before All Black rugby
games.
Handle Large glass of beer.
Hangi Maori feast cooked in an earth oven .
Hapu Maori sub-tribal unit. Several make up an iwi.
Hard case See "dag".
Hard yacker Hard work.
Hollywood A faked or exaggerated sporting injury used to gain advantage.
Hongi Maori greeting, performed by pressing noses together.
Hoon Lout, yob or delinquent.
Hori Offensive word for a Maori.
Hui Maori gathering or conference.
Iwi Largest of Maori tribal groupings.
Jandals Ubiquitous Kiwi footwear, thongs or flip-flops.
Jug Litre of beer.
Kai Maori word for food, used in general parlance.
Kaimoana Seafood.
Karanga Call for visitors to come forward on a marae.
Kaumatua Maori elders, old people.
Kawa-Marae Etiquette or protocol on a marae.
Kete Traditional basket made of plaited flax that is seeing something of
a resurgence in popularity.
Kiore Polynesian rat.
Koha Donation.
Kohanga Reo Pre-school Maori language immersion (literally "language
nest").
Kumara Sweet potato.
Kuri Polynesian dog, now extinct.
Lay-by Practice of putting a deposit on goods until they can be fully
paid for.
Log of wood Slang for the Ranfurly Shield, New Zealand rugby's greatest
prize.
Mana Maori term indicating status, esteem, prestige or authority, and in
wide use among all Kiwis.
Manaia Stylized bird or lizard forms used extensively in Maori carving.
Manchester Linen section of a department store and its contents.
Manuhiri Guest or visitor, particularly to a marae.
Maoritanga Maori culture and custom, the Maori way of doing things.
Marae Literally "courtyard" but much more. Place for conducting
ceremonies in front of a meeting house. Also a general term for a
settlement centred on the meeting house.
Mauri Life force or life principle.
Mere War club, usually of greenstone.
Metalled Graded road surface of loose stones found all over rural New
Zealand.
MMP Mixed member proportional representation - New Zealand's new
electoral system.
Moko Old form of tattooing on body and face that has seen a resurgence
among Maori gang members.
Ngati Tribal prefix meaning the descendants or people of. Also Ngai and
Ati.
No fear Expression indicating refusal or disagreement.
OE Overseas experience, usually a year spent abroad by Kiwis in their
early twenties.
Pa Fortified village of yore, now usually an abandoned terraced
hillside.
Paddock Field.
Pakeha A non-Maori, usually white and not usually expressed with
derogatory intent. Literally "foreign" though it can also be translated
as "flea" or "pest". It may also be a corruption of pakepakeha, which
are mythical human-like beings with fair skins.
Pashing Kissing or snogging.
Patu Short fighting club
Paua Abalone, a type of shellfish with a wonderful iridescent shell.
Pavlova Meringue dessert with a fruit and cream topping.
Pike out To chicken out or give up.
Piss Beer.
Pissed Drunk.
Piss head Drunkard.
Plunkett rooms Childcare centre.
Poms Folk from Britain; not necessarily offensive.
Powhiri Traditional welcome onto a marae.
Puckerooed Broken. Derived from the Maori for broken, pakaru.
Puku Maori for stomach, often used as a term of endearment for someone
amply endowed.
Queen Street farmer City businessman owning rural property.
Ranch slider Sliding glass door giving onto the garden or decking.
Rangatira General term for a Maori chief.
Rapt Well-pleased.
Rattle your dags Hurry up.
Root Vulgar term for sex.
Rooted To be very tired or beyond repair, as in "she's rooted mate" -
your car is irreparable.
Rough as guts Uncouth, roughly made or operating badly, as in "she's
running rough as guts, mate".
Scroggin Trail mix, essentially nuts and raisins.
Sealed road Bitumen-surfaced road.
Section Block of land usually surrounding a house.
She'll be right Everything will work out fine.
Shoot through To leave suddenly.
Shout To buy a round of drinks or generally to treat folk.
Skull To knock back beer quickly.
Slutted Greatly annoyed.
Smoko Tea break.
Snarler , snag Sausage.
Spinner A jerk.
Squiz A look, as in "Give us a squiz".
Station wagon Estate car.
Stoked Very pleased.
Taiaha Long-handled club.
Tall poppy Someone who excels. "Cutting down tall poppies" is to bring
overachievers back to earth - every Kiwi's perceived duty.
Tane Man.
Tangata whenua The people of the land, local or original inhabitants.
Tangi Mourning or funeral.
Taniwha Fearsome water spirit of Maori legend.
Taonga Treasures, prized possessions.
Tapu Forbidden or taboo. Frequently refers to sacred land.
Te reo Maori Maori language.
Tiki Maori pendant depicting a distorted human figure.
Tiki tour Guided tour.
Togs Swimming costume.
Tohunga Maori priests, experts in Maoritanga.
Tukutuku Knotted latticework panels decorating the inside of a meeting
house.
Tupuna Ancestors; of great spiritual importance to Maori.
Ute Car-sized pick-up truck, short for "utility".
Varsity University.
Wahine Woman.
Waiata Maori action songs.
Wairau Spirit.
Waratah Stake, a term used to describe snow poles on tramps.
Waka Maori canoe.
Wero Challenge before entering a marae.
Whakapapa Family tree or genealogical relationship.
Whanau Extended family group.
Whare Maori for a house.
Whare runanga Meeting house.
Whare whakairo Carved house.
Within cooee Within reach.
Wop-wops Remote areas.
Yahoo To be or act like a lout. |
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