THE MAORI LANGUAGE
TO TOT. EDITOE Of TBS PBESB. Sir,—l cannot agree with Mr Peter Trolove when he asks the Maoris to drop their own language. I would rather say that, if possible, the simple rules of Maori pronunciation should be taught in all our schools. New Zealand retains many of its Maori place names, and It would be a pity to try to Angli-, cise them, as was done in the early days with Taitapu and many other words. Mr Trolove mentions our gift of the potato to the Maoris, but unfortunately that is riot the only thing we have given them, so that there is -a feeling to-day that somehow' we should ‘ make ' it up to them. Why not start by pronouncing their words correctly,-especi-ally when we have -.only, to apply a few simple rules of phonetics? I do not wish to put the boot into that useful. mongrel, Esperanto/ but I believe that an understanding of Maori pronunciation would give us far more, appreciation of all that Is beautiful in Maori.—'Yours, etc., T.A'S. * March 7, 1936.
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Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21727, 9 March 1936, Page 8
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179THE MAORI LANGUAGE Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21727, 9 March 1936, Page 8
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