So much for ‘fabricated’

I read R Paterson's latest ‘Government-driven compulsion' (The Weekend Sun, August 31) and met those words "their modern fabricated language (bearing little resemblance to original Maori)" and thought, at the very least, he should attempt to substantiate his claims.

As it happens, I have a fair grasp of how official languages come to be. Generally, official languages take their form and vocabulary from two sources – the most prestigious place, and the most prestigious written texts. With English, London was the most prestigious place, and the most prestigious texts were the English Bible and Shakespeare.

The official Maori language is based, as I understand it (I am open to correction by knowledgeable members of the public), on the Maori translation of the Bible, and the Waikato dialect. Tainui and the Kingitanga won great mana, great prestige following the Land Wars for not giving up, so it stands to reason that if you learn modern Maori, you can follow discussion on Turangawaewae Marae without difficulty. So much for "fabricated".

Freedom of speech does give you the right to make a fool of yourself when you don't have a clue. But you can't blame anybody else but yourself, or perhaps your minders.

W Parish, Bellevue (Abridged).

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3 comments

how about this?

Posted on 10-09-2018 09:42 | By Captain Sensible

How about this? If you want to learn it, then learn it. Don't expect tax payers to help. Do it after school, not during school otherwise you will miss out on real subjects that actually will help you in life. And can you just learn it quietly, and not shout it from the rooftops, because stats show, hardly anyone really cares. It would be interesting to see how many drop maori language when they find out that it's taught in their own time, not taxpayer time!!


Captain Sensible, how about you avoid irrelevant comments

Posted on 11-09-2018 09:57 | By Peter Dey

Captain Sensible, the letter points out quite clearly that the Maori language spoken now is the same as the language spoken at the time of the Treaty signing. Your comment has nothing to do with this, and is irrelevant. The moderators are not supposed to print irrelevant comments. You should stop writing irrelevant comments.


It is interesting...

Posted on 15-09-2018 22:14 | By groutby

...Mr Dey, that you state 'the moderators' are not supposed to print 'irrelevant comments'...clearly then they believe 'they' think them relevant...so are not relevant to who?..you and your beliefs only?....I hope that is some time away...perhaps 'not exactly on topic', but free speech which is as far as I know, is still allowed...


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