Place names are probably the most commonly mispronounced Māori words. Whether people are talking about Tower Poe (Taupō), Parra Pram (Paraparaumu), Wonger Ray (Whangarei) or the Wire Wrapper (Wairarapa), if they're not pronouncing it correctly they're stripping that place name's mana and the story behind it.
Commonly mispronounced place names across New Zealand include Waikato (wai-kat-oh), Taupō (tauh-poh) and Hokitika (hoeka-tika), and, in the wider Manawatū you may hear "man-a-watu" (Manawatū), "oh-taki" (Ōtaki) or "tehr-rua" (Tararua).
Mispronunciation is something people need to actively fix themselves – go out and learn, look online, or ask any Māori how to say things so that it stops happening.” Natalia Wirangatakina, a te reo Māori teacher at Newlands College, says it comes down to laziness when people mispronounce names.
The 'wh' digraph originally sounded like the 'wh' in 'whisper', but in most dialects has evolved to be more like the English 'f' sound. followed by an 'a', 'e' or 'o', pronounce it with as little sibilant sound as possible (almost like a 'd').
Some of the most frequent words in Māori, as in other languages, are function or grammar words; these include words like: te, i, ki, a, mā, ō. Rather than necessarily carrying a specific meaning, they may indicate the relationships between the phrases and clauses in sentences.
The Oxford general English language dictionary defines Pākehā as 'a white New Zealander', The Oxford Dictionary of New Zealandisms (2010) defines Pākehā as a noun 'a light-skinned non-Polynesian New Zealander, especially one of British birth or ancestry as distinct from a Māori; a European or white person'; and as an ...
Oi /ɔɪ/ is an interjection used in various varieties of the English language, particularly Australian English, British English, Indian English, Irish English, New Zealand English, and South African English, as well as non-English languages such as Chinese, Tagalog, Tamil, Hindi/Urdu, Japanese, and Portuguese to get the ...
Other Useful Te Reo Māori Words You Might Encounter
Āe – Yes. Kāo – No.
Sites or objects that Māori regard as tapu (sacred) are not to be touched or interacted with. The head is considered to be the most sacred part of the body and should not come into contact with other body parts. It is a cultural taboo to touch someone else's head without permission.
The Native Schools Act 1867 required instruction in English where practicable, and while there was no official policy banning children from speaking Māori, many, were physically punished. It was a policy of assimilation, and while phased out in the 20th century, the ramifications have been felt for generations.
Urban migration, social pressure, physical and verbal punishment of children, and 'pepper potting' policies (where individual Māori families were scattered throughout Pākeha communities to encourage assimilation) all contributed to an intergenerational suppression of the language.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is a hill near Porangahau, south of Waipukurau in southern Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
The town's name comes from the Māori language, and should be pronounced "teh-pook-ee", not "te-pyook".
The Education Ordnance Act 1847 set English as the predominant, normal language of schools. While it wasn't made explicit in legislation, schools started to ban te reo Māori, punishing children who were caught speaking it.
/ (təˈnɑː ˈkwɔɪ) / interjection. NZ a Māori greeting to one person.
As well as being used as a greeting, kia ora is also a general expression of appreciation. Tēnā koe (to one person), tēnā kōrua (to two people), or tēnā koutou (to three or more people) also means thank you in Māori.
The most commonly used meaning of 'aho' is rope or line, but the more traditional meaning is about genealogy – connecting back to history, our ancestors.
Chur. The meaning of chur is essentially thank you. You can use this classic Kiwi slang to show gratitude or appreciation. As explained above, it can also mean "sweet as" or "that's awesome". As in: "I'll help you change your flat tyre." "Chur, bro."
Ta: Thank you shortened. Yeah…nah: Technically means no, but can also mean maybe. Go figure! Dunny: A toilet.
Q: And do you know why some mothers in the English-speaking world are called “mom”, while others are called “mum”? A: Well, sort of. Certainly if you're in the US, your mother is your “mom” – short for “mommy” and in the UK, Australia and New Zealand it's “mum” – shortened from “mummy”.
Ka Kite Ano (See you tomorrow)
Although this is generally remarked as incorrect usage, 'ka kite ano' is commonly said by local TV presenters and newscasters when bidding goodbye to their viewers.
Tai-ho or tie-ho = Wait, hang on a minute (from Maori taihoa)
Congratulations, Regards, Thank You. 'Ngā mihi' is a very versatile phrase that can be used for a variety of occasions. A few examples of appropriate situations for gifting this card include: corporate gift / thank you, graduation, and thanking someone. English translation provided on the reverse.