The indigenous languages of Taiwan are struggling in the face of Chinese dominance. The answer to language revitalisation could lie in grassroots efforts rather than government legislation.
Concern over bilingual road signs in New Zealand is as much political as it is about safety – but the international evidence suggests there’s little to worry about.
Dion Enari, Auckland University of Technology and Sierra Keung, Auckland University of Technology
More Indigenous sports stars are speaking their mother tongues in TV interviews and elsewhere. The challenge now is to develop truly bilingual commentary teams to keep the ball alive.
Accusations of being a ‘useless Māori’ or seeing life through a ‘vanilla lens’ might sound mean-spirited and hurtful. But behind the political sloganeering lie deeper questions about Māori identity.
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is a time to celebrate Aotearoa’s Indigenous language. But we also need to acknowledge the limits of literal translation and pay attention to the deeper meanings of words.
Ben Walker, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Erin Roxburgh-Makea, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Jesse Pirini, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Stephen Cummings, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Ki te tini o ngā umanga Māori, he whānui kē atu ngā hua ka whāia tēnā i ngā putanga ahumoni anake. He rautaki reanga-maha ō rātou, he whakanoho rātou i te painga mō te katoa hei ahunga mō te ihu o te waka. He akoranga i konei mō ētahi atu umanga.
Ben Walker, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Erin Roxburgh-Makea, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Jesse Pirini, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Stephen Cummings, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Māori businesses often prioritise more than financial results, have multi-generational strategies and put community at the centre of planning. Other businesses could learn from this.
A veterinary scientist by training, Massey University Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas has turned to the humanities to learn more about Māori. Here she explains why.
Usually, a minor language will adopt words from a dominant language, but NZ English bucks this trend. It has been borrowing a growing number of Māori words, not always to add meaning but to mark identity.