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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 21. 5th September 1973

Colloquial or conversational Maori and Borrowings from English

Colloquial or conversational Maori and Borrowings from English

On the Sunday after the buffet meal in K Church of England hall, we all moved into the hall itself, the dining hall joining on to it. While we were waiting for the competition group to begin their practice and to welcome us as well, I taperecorded ordinary conversations I had with my relatives, e.g. Hemi: "Ko wai to koutou kapene o te tuma hooki?" (Who is your captain of the hockey team?" Granny "Ko Peti (Betty) Jones. " As I have previouslv staled I belong to the local hapu, and so my Maori language is the same as iheir's. I used the word "kapene" for captain, and so I borrowed from the English language, a necessary borrowing. Maori words used could have been "rangatira" or "kai-whakahaere" but they do not exactly fulfil the requirements, as hockey is a Pakeha game. Similarly the words "tilma (team) and "hooki" (hockey). Three borrowed words in my sentence. Hemi: "Ko wai te kai-tataki o te haka?" (Who is the leader of the haka?) Tangiaahua "No O. He tamaiti na Keita (Kate) raua ko Niri Kua mate hoki a Keita ma." (He is from O. One of Kate and Niri's (Kate) raua ko Niri. Kua mate hoki a Keita ma." (He is from O. One of Kate and Niri's children. They have both died.) Hemi "He nanakia ia." (He is doing well.) Granny "He is called after (his uncle) Paraire (Friday borrowed). Note Granny speaks here in English These latter words are examples of codeswhiching and Paraire is the Maoi name for Friday, borrowing from English. Even the name Granny is English for grandmother or grand-aunt. This is a nickname given to her. Her married name is Mrs R. Hemi: (diversion of the conversation)" "Granny, i pewhea to koutou tiima hooki?" (Granny, how did your hockey team get on (in the competitions) "Nga kapu". (Your cups — you won) "Kapu" is a Maori word borrowed from the English word "cup" meaning "trophy". R. J. Ryan in Orbis says "kapu" means "cup" (a trophy) and "kapu" also means "cup" as in the expression "a cup of tea".

On the Sunday alternoon when we were ready to visit the local Latter Day Saints Chapel and the Presbyterian Maori Synod Church, my brother-in-iaw said to me: "E Hemi. he mea atu tenei ki a koutou kua tae ki te wa hei haere mo koutou kia kite i te wharekarakia Momona . . . Mea atu ki a Heni (Jane) kia purei i te okena". (Hemi it is now time for you to visit the Mormon chape! . . . Ask Jane to play the organ.) Note the borrowings "purei" (play) and "okena" (organ).

On the group's last night my sister spoke in excellent Maori for the main part when she thanked her people for their wonderful help. She also expressed great pleasure in having Joan Metge, Barnie Kernot and the group. My Sister: "Na reira. Jim (Hemi — borrowed), Kia ora koutou." An action song was immediately sung, and in it, it had these words "E nine, o taera (your styles — borrowed). My Sister: "Haere mai ki te kapu (cup) ti (tea)". Even in colloquial Arabic "Eddini shyee min fudluck" (give me some tea please) "shyee" is borrowed from the English "tea". In French "une tasse de the" — "a cup of tea". Both are borrowed from Chinese.

A young Maori man in his speech about farming on the last night used the words "rui maniua" (manure — borrowed). He used "taima" for "time". The personal pronoun "awau" is usually known as "ahau" or "au".

As I said in the second paragraph of my letter I taperecorded questions that I asked the children in the K. hall on the Sunday, and the local school children the next day, and their answers. Altogether 18 children were taperecorded, So far as I was able to ascertain I think fairly accurately, all the parents of the Maori children could speak Maori, but in the home they spoke mostly in English except sometimes when they get angry with their children they spoke in Maori "te kore take nei" — "the useless child." Most of the children I interviewed could not speak Maori or spoke very little Maori. Four definitely spoke Maori. With the exception of two — on religious grounds — all including the four Pakeha children wanted to learn Maori at school.