Maori is a beautiful language, descriptive, and pleasant to
listen to (I have several friends who speak it). It disturbs me that there seems to be a
movement afoot to dilute it by incorporating it into the English language.
It is well documented that English is a “bastard language”,
having its roots in many different languages.
The English, it seems, have been very adept at appropriating words from
other cultures and incorporating them into their own tongue.
Maori words are creeping (should I say racing?) into our
broadcasting system, and it is becoming a common joke that any ex-national
returning home won’t be able to understand the language being spoken here.
Place names are also being altered, and I can see why
some wish to change them back to their original names. What I don’t understand is the alteration of
the pronunciation of current Maori place names – one example is the changing of
Waitomo (why-tow-mow) to white-um-oh. Another
is Matamata (mat-a mat-a), that I have heard called ma-tar-ma-tar or sometimes ma-tama-tuh. It gets very confusing.
Our country has three official languages – English, Maori, and sign language – but I heard mentioned the other day that we would soon only have two, pidgin English and sign language.
I hope it never comes to that. I would like to see the Maori language kept pure and used alongside English, not sprinkled all through it.
Be happy in all you do 😊
Margaret.
What a shame it would be if the Maori language would be diluted or worse yet lost completely. I hope that doesn't happen. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, I am not familiar with this language so I thank you fro blogging about it!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard - especially for those of us (oldies) who have little or no natural, real-life contact with Maori speakers. Using Maori greetings is simply foreign to me, and I find it difficult to join in the increasing sections of Maori text at the church I attend. I'm not sure what the answer is. Nor what the future direction will encompass. One of my concerns is the decreasing literacy of the young at the moment. How they are going to cope in a sophisticated world requiring competence I don't know!
ReplyDeleteImitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
ReplyDeleteHave you thought of learning Maori yourself, you could chat to friends and help keep it alive. English language is a mash up of others languages, we have words which are really not English. The French are very good at not allowing other countries words into their official language, but the words still encroach through the internet.
ReplyDeleteLanguage sometimes evolves in way we don't like, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI have not heard the Maori language spoken, either...I Willey to.think later and look on youtube.
ReplyDeleteI’m with you. Keep the proper Maori words and pronunciation. They were there first and respect for the culture and language is important.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of the Brave New World we are being shoved into. UGHHHHHHHH....
ReplyDeleteThe NEW WORLD ORDER probably wants this, along with all its other horrible ideas. -sigh-
🌼💛🌺💛🌼
I already found kiwi talk so different back in 2006. Bro, cuz, rellies, oj. I imagine I'd need a refresher course if I ever went back. The language is no longer English. I'm glad there's more Maori. It is a lovely language to listen to. I used to watch the Maori channel on TV. Being at school in the 60s we heard very little. I'm glad it's being taught in schools now. All my nephew's and neices can at least pronounce place names with what I presume is the right accent
ReplyDeleteIt would be very, very sad if another language disappeared.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma spoke a dialect I think is forgotten mostly by now, too.
She only spoke it when being stressed like the one time she ran over my little Brother on the push bike - she exclaimed very loudly "ach choi, ach choi!!!" for "oh my God, oh, my God!" - as nothing bad has happened I still can laugh about it and that´s all old-Prussian I "speak".
Sad.
I think I've mentioned that I love a show we can see called Brokenwood Mysteries filmed in New Zealand. Often the Maori language is included...it really is lovely to hear, although I don't understand what's being said, I truly do think it's important to hold onto those traditions - including languages, that are dear and make up who we are.
ReplyDeleteI hear you Margaret - it should be taught as a language, not forced into general usage and becoming pidgin. It irks me that people think they are being 'inclusive' by using a mix of languages
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine
Thank you for writing about this and for bringing it to our attention. This is the sort of thing that I would love to read about in the news as it is culturally so important, so thank you for writing in in your space on the internet. I hope a way forward can be found for the Maori language to preserved as those that speak it want it to be preserved going forward.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Margaret. I spent a year learning te Reo Maori (Maori language for your overseas friends). It is such a beautiful, rhythmic language. It left me with a longing to be fluent in the older style. I must confess that I do enjoy listening to Simon Dallow (of Maori ancestry) on the news: his easy pronounciation is quite lovely.
ReplyDelete