Forecast: Bad pronunciation with a chance of bungles

Sunday, 10 September 2017

'But that's the way I've always said it!'

Whether it's 'Taw-po' or 'Kye-cora', so many of us mangle New Zealand's Māori place names.

As part of Te Wiki o te reo Māori, Māori Language Week, we take a look at why we get it wrong, and try to help you to try to get it right.  Our video takes a look at the forecast for some of those we bungle the most. You can read all of the series here and we'll be adding stories through the week.

It comes as Stuff adopts macrons on te reo Māori words. But it's not just us. Google Maps last week promised it will start pronouncing Māori place names correctly by the end of the year.

Why should we bother? Te Whainoa Te Wiata, a Māori language teacher at Unitec Institute of Technology, puts it best. 

'People don't realise how important pronunciation is to meaning,' he says. 'There's a reason for its Māori name.

'Every place name has a story, every place name. I can't stress that enough, every place name in New Zealand has a story.

'If you're not using that communication correctly, then what's the point of opening your mouth?'

You might not always get it right - we might not either - but when you don't try, you're always going to get it wrong. Even if that is the way you've always said it.

For more information on Māori place names, including what the names mean, visit NZ History.

Here's just a handful of frequently mispronounced places in Aotearoa (emphasis in bold):

TAUPO - Toe-paw 

ROTORUA - Roh-toh-roo-ah

WHANGAREI - Far-ngar-ray

WHANGANUI - Far-ngar-noo-ee

TIMARU - Tee-mah-ru

TAURANGA - Toe-rung-a

REMUERA - Reh-moo-air-uh

MATAMATA - Mutter-mutter

OAMARU - Aw-ah-mah-roo

MOTUEKA - Maw-too-eh-kah

WAIKATO - Why-cut-or

TE KAUWHATA - Teh-co-fuh-tuh

ŌTAKI - Or-tuck-ee

PORIRUA - Paw-ree-roo-ah

MANUREWA - Munu-reh-wah

We're sure there are plenty more. Which place names do you always hear said incorrectly? Tell us in the comments below. 

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