Two questions to ask yourself when you start learning te reo Māori
In our regular Your Weekend column series, Socially Awkward, our etiquette experts answer your questions on how to behave when things get awkward at home, work and elsewhere.
This week, it’s Stuff Kaihautū Reo Māori, Taurapa.
Q: I’ve been at events recently where people do mihi to open proceedings and it’s clear that they’ve got minimal command of the language. Is it better to attempt te reo Māori knowing I am mangling it, or to wait until I can pronounce it correctly?
A: There are a couple of things to consider with your question: first is the intent of the person, and second is the quality of delivery. These need to be treated separately in some cases, and this is one of those cases.
Link to article: Socially Awkward: Two questions to ask yourself when you start learning te reo Māori | Stuff.co.nz
