MAORI PLACE NAMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 37, 13 February 1937, Page 8

MAORI PLACE NAMES.

In his last letter "Korero-Maori," while not admitting that I display any knowledge of the language, at least credits' me with a measure of modesty. Mnny thanks. "Koreroilaori." I never used the word "phi": that was a printer's error. The word should hare been "pin." • Xot'that it matters much. I Mil quite of "Korero-JlaoriV , opinion tint very few pakeha parents who name a child Xgaeri know how to pronounce the word. Also that one must be in constant contact with the Maori people to get pronunciation and accent One cannot learn to speak the langunge from a dictionary, any more than one can become a sailor liy reading and studying Nome's "Epitome"' ashore.' Another point in which "Korero-iraori' , may possibly agree is that all the recent correspondence on the subject of Maori place names must be very confusing to anyone trying to gain some insight in pronouncing Maori names. It really all'seems, when boiled down, a matter of controversy of opinions. I imagine that "J.C." in his highly interesting article in the "Star" perhaps gives a simpler example of pronunciation and spelling than any other I have seen so far. The natives at the Paeroa pa told me the name meant a long mud bank. A.II.MJ.