Maori language
Sir,—How refreshingly pleasant to agree with M. Creel about the beauty of Maori vowel sounds (May 24). Alas, many non Maoris pronounce their vowel sounds like “meow” as in pussycat. The bilingual fluency of older Maoris in my Poverty Bay youth, especially their pure vowel sounds, still largely maintained, was often commented on by my mother as an example of good English. Recently, on television, our schoolboy hero, a bilingual former All Black, George Nepia, doubtless prudently taught by his parents, expressed more about Maori culture and dignity, naturally, than any mostly imported radical, racial theorist ever dreamed of. Do Maori parents no longer teach their children bi-lingual-ism, like many other races and nationalities do? This is surely the best training ground. One hopes they do. — Yours, etc., JOHN. LESLIE. May 26?5986.
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Press, 31 May 1986, Page 18
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134Maori language Press, 31 May 1986, Page 18
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