Understanding Māori Language Usage in New Zealand

It depends on what you mean by lsquo;speakrsquo; - a huge number can say lsquo;Hellorsquo; and lsquo;How are yoursquo;. Most of the country now knows the names of buildings, colours, and natural features in te reo Māori, and we all learn the national anthem in both Maori and English. Everyone I know can sing lsquo;Tutiri mai ngā iwirsquo; off the bat. However, many of us did not get the opportunity to learn more than that when we were young, and this is changing. It's typical for most language learners to understand much more than they can say.

Current Statistics on Māori Language Usage

According to the 2018 New Zealand Census, approximately 20% of Māori reported being able to speak te reo Māori, with around 3% indicating it as their primary language. The number of fluent speakers has been gradually increasing due to revitalization efforts, but the proportion remains relatively small compared to the total Māori population.

Language Usage Statistics in New Zealand

Language Number of Speakers Percentage of Total Population English 4,482,135 95.37% Māori 185,955 3.96% Samoan 101,937 2.17% Mandarin 95,253 2.03%

These figures illustrate the challenge faced by Māori in maintaining their language, alongside other immigrant languages like Samoan and Mandarin.

Revitalization Efforts and Language Positivity

Some might argue based on Alanrsquo;s figures showing a figure comparable to Wales (over 20% of the population) that the issue is a matter of government forcing woke and politically correct language. But this is not the case. The language usage reflects a genuine interest in preserving and revitalizing the Māori language, and not a forced political agenda.

Therersquo;s a common misconception that Māori is a patchwork of different languages, each persisting until the late 20th century when a standardized version was created. Letrsquo;s set the record straight. Back then, those languages were much more closely related than they are today. Todayrsquo;s Māori still shares many words with those ancient languages. Furthermore, Māori use the term lsquo;dialectrsquo; for regional differences in usage. We all understand each other, and lsquo;piwakawakarsquo; in one region is lsquo;tirairakarsquo; in another, but both mean lsquo;fantailrsquo;.

Herersquo;s a comparison:

Television presenters and National Party politicians speak different dialects. Yes, they choose their words differently, express themselves differently, and the rise and fall of their voices is different. However, they still understand each other perfectly! Further accentuating these differences can create an analogy to how Māori lsquo;dialectsrsquo; work.

Interestingly, Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) applied the term lsquo;dialectrsquo; to regional differences among Māori. A better description might be lsquo;usage and ; My guess is that it was indeed the Pākehā who first used the term lsquo;dialectrsquo; for Māori regional differences.

Conclusion

Māori language and culture are valued and celebrated in New Zealand. Efforts to maintain and revitalize te reo Māori are ongoing and significant. While statistics on language usage may sometimes suggest otherwise, the reality is a dynamic language that continues to evolve and thrive.