![]() “Where are you from again?” A quick wave of panic rushes over me as I hastily assess whether I should say Rowtowrooah, or the correct pronunciation of Rotorua. Is it worth it to put in the effort ‘this time’? Will they know where I mean if I pronounce it properly or if instead I will receive a baffled look and a plea for me to repeat the already difficult word. (At which point I translate what I’ve just said to Rowtowrooah and am met with an expression of understanding.) The pronunciation of Te Reo Māori has consumed my thoughts since I moved to Dunedin 7 years ago. I was not prepared for the culture shock I would encounter after growing up in Rotorua and being surrounded by the culture, language, and traditions of Māori, as I naively thought at the time, all New Zealanders were. Turns out that is not quite the case. Not only is Te Reo Māori not as prevalent in other places, it is not as valued, not as common, and more to my point, not pronounced correctly. The ‘wrong’ way to pronounce Māori has become the right way and normalised because it is more common, because it is supposedly easier, and because for some reason some people are afraid to even try to say Māori words correctly. Hopefully I haven’t lost too many readers yet, since I know this is something that is often addressed, especially for teachers. (I’m sure you all remember the Kāpiti College student whose speech about the importance of putting in effort to pronounce Māori correctly went viral. If not, check out the clip below). I respect the fact that many people may not have not grown up with an emphasis on Māori language, especially in the South Island. I also understand that some people find Māori pronunciation difficult to quite literally get their tongues around. (As I admitted above, pronouncing Rotorua correctly every time is a conscious effort for me). I also respect that change is hard when you’re used to doing things one way your whole life. I respect these points, however I also think they are no longer that valid as excuses. Not when the same argument has arisen yet little effort has been made for change. Not when we are raising new generations of young people who are growing up in a society where appreciation of other cultures is more important than ever. As for pronunciation (which we deem important when it comes to English, French, and other languages taught in schools) Māori is actually a relatively easy language to pronounce (we already use many of the vowel sounds in English). Finally, change. I’ve noticed this is not something people tend to like the thought of… But after witnessing some valiant efforts in PLG meetings, PD workshops, and lesson observations, I know we are all more than capable because we are already changing all the time. Grammar Nazis |
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June 2019
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