PRONUNCIATION OF MAORI.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 127, 1 June 1931, Page 6

PRONUNCIATION OF MAORI.

The Ministers of Education have been approached often and on with regard to introducing the teaching of the Maori language in the schools. If such a policy was adopted it would do a great deal to improve the pronunciation of Maori names that are everywhere being orally distorted, apart from other benefits that might be derived by helping to perpetuate the language. Sir E. O. Gibbes, formerly for many years Secretary of Education, who has a wide knowledge of Maori, says that a large proportion of the population does not know that the native language has a different linguistic value to English when written in the latter form. But it is not only ignorance that is degrading our Maori language, which, when pronounced correctly, is beautiful and musical, but, the ever-pervading carelessness and almost total indifference to literary exactness. Sir !•]. O. Gibbes suggests the insertion of a clause in the standard regulations that will describe exactly, concisely, without entering into detail, the linguistic values laid on the vowels and double vowels, advising at the same time that the teachers be enjoined to make themselves reasonably efficient in pronunciation. This appeals to me as an excellent method of obviating the difficulty —perhaps even better than teaching 0 the language in full, as others are taught in the schools. Sir E. O. Gibbes rightly lays' more stress on instruction in pronunciation than on the actual teaching of the language fully. Al.Tway, the mere instruction in pronunciation would, in all pro ibility. lead interested students to a more intimate and thorough study of the language. He also offers another suggestion, quite apart from academic training, whereby the correct pronunciation of Maori may be preserved to a considerable extent—the official notices and lists of post offices and posters on railway stations could be printed with accent marks or syllabic divisions. In the course of time two such policies as outlined could not help but have a marvellouslybeneficial effect on the pronunciation of Maori names. It would also be of great value to tourists and such folk passing through the country, who, being always interested in our Maori folk, are, as a°pretty general rule, in difficulties for some time over the pronunciation of our Maori names. Sir E. O. Gibbes says that our railwaymen provide, perhaps, an insurmountable source of error when calling out at stations the name of the locality at which the train draws a halt. But we suggest that there is practically no difficulty at all in that direction, for, would not the railwaymen have the notices for their guide as well as'for that of the ordinary traveller? Instances of some Maori names carelessly pronounced may be had in "Teamutn" for Te Awamutu, "Wanganui" for Whanganui, "Onggerruey" for Ongarue, "Motatap" (hideous) for Motutapu, and "Otahu" for Otahuhu. Many others could, of course, be cited as examples, but in those given can be gleaned to what extent the Maori pronunciation is and can be distorted, and the beauty and rhrthm of the words utterly ruined. —R.M.C.