Thursday, September 4, 2008

Maori English - New Zealand

One of the developments that can occur when an indigenous people's language is lost over time and a foreign language is adopted by the indigenous people is that in the process of adopting the majority language the group creates its own characteristic form in the new language, that is, a new dialect influenced by their former language. See a full discussion here.

The late, great Billy T James, Maori entertainer and comedian, recalls his bro' Prince Tui Teka:

Prince Tui and the Takeaways video

And Billy T James in one of his Te News skits, delivers the news in Maori English:



And a further clip, with a weather segment bonus:

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