“My life has transformed since I began learning Mori at Te Wnanga o Aotearoa 15 years ago. I immediately developed a passion for this lovely language thanks to the professors and classmates I met there who gave me the confidence to think that the Mori language is for me too, despite the fact that I am not a Mori. Today, only 15 years later, I teach te reo pronunciation and have developed a number of te reo books and sing-along tools.
“I discovered about halfway through my journey that many of my teaching colleagues also struggled with pronouncing te reo with confidence. They informed me that the tools at their disposal were challenging to utilize and that they lacked the self-assurance necessary to move past greetings, orders, colors, and numbers. Te Reo Singalong books were inspired by the repeated text patterns I was seeing being sung to a catchy song.
“These novels received overwhelmingly positive reviews, which were followed by calls for pronunciation workshops. I explain that the key to pronouncing Mori words correctly is to break them at each vowel. However, applying this understanding to every Mori word and phrase we useincluding our location namesis the most crucial thing we can do.
“Although bad role models and years of habit are the main causes of improper pronunciation rather than deliberate action, I think teachers have a specific duty to try their best. Teachers might be the only people students look up to for advice on how to pronounce te reo Mori properly. They mimic the speech of others around them as they learn to speak. They will follow if we do it well.
“I think there’s a lot we can learn from how kids pick up language. Infants and young children don’t begin using complete phrases. They begin by practicing sounds before progressing to words and finally phrases. Before young toddlers learn to speak in complete sentences, it takes some time. It stands to reason that acquiring a second language like Mori should go in a similar manner. We should begin by perfecting the language’s sounds. Then, before going on to simple phrases, we should use those sounds to pronounce single words clearly.
“I advise teachers to start with the basics and master the vowel sounds when I work with them in pronunciation workshops. Why say anything at all “kia ora if we don’t know how to pronounce the term properly? You might be surprised to learn that a lot of people mispronounce the simple greeting.
Most people substitute “Ki ora” for “Hi there. We are unable to omit the “a at the end of “kia because there are no silent letters in the Mori alphabet. Most Mori speakers claim that “Ki / ao / ra is the right way to pronounce it.
“You can view some of the little films on my Facebook page, Pronunciation Signposts in Te Reo Mori, to learn more about te reo pronunciation.
In This Article...
Who is able to say kia ora?
Kia ora can be used to greet someone, show appreciation, offer love, and establish a connection.
The native Mori language is the source of the friendly and welcoming greeting known as “kia ora,” which is used often throughout New Zealand.
What does kia ora mean?
Kia ora, in its most basic form, says greeting. But because it makes a reference to life and health, “kia ora” is more than just a simple greeting.
More than merely a passing greeting, these two words have deeper meanings. The word “ora” literally means “to live” or “to be alive.” By adding “kia,” it is transformed from a noun to a verb, becoming “living” instead of “alive”. As a result, when you say “kia ora” to someone, you are wishing them life itself.
When should you say kia ora?
In New Zealand, the informal greeting kia ora is used. Everyone uses it in everyday discourse, from the prime minister to the neighborhood shopkeeper.
Use kia ora as a greeting or farewell, to express gratitude, to express support, or to convey a warm “cheers.” Kia ora can be used to start an email or answer the phone.
It’s crucial to express gratitude to others. By saying “Kia Ora,” we acknowledge not only them but also everything about them, including who and from where they are.
Kia ora: Is it offensive?
Many individuals outside of New Zealand are familiar with the salutation “Kia Ora.” It also has a wide range of meanings! Kiwis use it to greet one another, wish one luck, and convey other sentiments. In essence, it’s a comprehensive way to convey well wishes. Our pals at Massey say that one misconception about New Zealanders that is really accurate is that they are highly amiable people. People will frequently welcome you with “Kia Ora!” as you start your day when you study abroad in New Zealand.
Do you mean Kiaora or Kia Ora?
A greeting from the Mori language that has made its way into New Zealand English is kia ora (Mori: [kiaa], roughly translated as KYOH-r or ki-AW-r in English). Literally, it means “enjoy life” or “be healthy,”[1] wishing them the essence of life. [2] It can be used as a casual way of saying “hey,” “hello,” or “goodbye,” as well as to express gratitude in a manner similar to “cheers.” It is similar to the expression “g’day” as a greeting (used in Australian and New Zealand English). [3]
Do all New Zealanders speak Mori?
The Khanga Reo movement, which began in 1982 and immersed infants in Mori from infancy until school age, is one example of a mori-language revitalization program that was started by leaders of the tribe who had begun to see the dangers of losing their language by the 1980s. The first Kura Kaupapa Mori (Years 1 through 8 Mori-medium education program) and later the first Wharekura were established in 1985. (Years 9 to 13 Mori-medium education programme). Te Reo experienced a genuine rebirth in the 1980s and early to mid-1990s, which was sparked by the realization of how few speakers remained and the relative quantity of older fluent speakers in both urban and rural populations, but it has since fallen out of use. [4] It is thought that there are “several underlying explanations” for the fall. [28] These consist of:
- the continuous loss of older native speakers who have led the drive to revive the Mori language
- apathy caused by the institutions’ continued existence, which fueled the resurgence
- worries about quality, as the demand for good teachers is never met by the supply (even while that demand has been shrinking)
- excessive restriction and centralized control have alienated some movement participants.
- a persistent shortage of instructional materials required to teach the entire curriculum in te reo Mori[28]
- loss of natural language due to the massive rise in spoken English.
The Waitangi Tribunal has suggested “four basic adjustments” based on the tenets of cooperation, Mori-speaking governance, general revitalization and dialectal protection policy, and enough resources: [29]
- The Mori Language Commission ought to take the reins as the principal organization serving the Mori language community. This will deal with the issues that the Office of the Auditor-General highlighted as being brought on by a lack of ownership and leadership. [30]
- Through the equal nomination of Crown and Mori appointees to its board, Te Taura Whiri should operate as a CrownMori partnership. This underscores [the Tribunal’s] worry that te reo resurrection won’t succeed if Mori isn’t given ownership of deciding the course.
- Te Taura Whiri will also require more powerful abilities. This would guarantee that government organizations are required to support the resuscitation of Te Reo and that important organizations are held properly accountable for the policies they enact. For instance, it is necessary to meet goals for the development of te reo instructors, adopt te reo-based educational curriculum, and submit Mori language plans for approval to public bodies in districts with a specified percentage of Mori pupils and a suitable number of te reo speakers.
- When creating their strategies, these regional public organizations and educational institutions are required to consult with iwi (Mori tribes or tribal confederations). Iwi will eventually play a key part in the revitalization of te reo in their local communities as a result. This ought to stimulate grassroots initiatives to spread the language. [31]
The Tribunal’s suggested reforms are only recommendations; the government is not required to implement them. [32]
Is learning Mori simple?
Japanese is said to be the toughest language to learn, whereas Maori is one of the easiest.
According to Chris Krageloh, a psychology and linguistics researcher at Auckland University of Technology, Maori is one of the easiest languages to learn since the sounds typically remain the same regardless of how the letters are arranged. However, learning to spell in English is more challenging because several words that seem to have a similar pronunciation are actually completely different, such as cough and dough.
The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the US State Department, however, lists Japanese as one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn. The FSI bases its ranking on the number of weeks it would take a pupil to learn a language well. The most challenging languages would require more than 88 weeks to learn. By FSI standards, learning Finnish is a fairly challenging language that takes over 44 weeks to master. Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Korean are other languages on the list of “exceptionally difficult to master for native English speakers. Naturally, they all employ alphabets that are distinct from the English alphabet.
Maori is not included in the FSI’s analysis, although it does say that the simplest languages for English speakers to learn are Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, and Swedish. You’ll be relieved to find that, for any of these languages, good acquisition should only require 24 weeks of consistent study. (Obviously based on the amount of work you put in!)
Of course, any approximation depends on the language or languages you already know. See the complete rating of difficulties here.
In Mori, how do you sign off a letter?
endings
- Sincerely, Nku Noa (one signatory)
- my heartfelt thanks (two signatories) Noa mua, noa (very formal)
- Sincerely, N mtou noa, n (three signatures)
Describe Ka kite.
Ano Ka Kite (See you tomorrow) Although this is typically noted as inappropriate language, local TV presenters and newscasters frequently say “ka kite ano” when wishing their viewers farewell. Keep this one in the back of your mind for future use because it might come up in regular interactions with Kiwis.