If an agency (or their website) uses both English and te reo, which should be the primary language? Well, let’s look at the census data:
- 95.7% of NZers speak English, but not te reo
- 4.1% of NZers speak English and te reo
- 0.2% of NZers speak te reo but not English
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
5 comments:
Except in the case of a few maltreated children, and maybe a few retarded 95 year olds deep in the Ureweras, the 0.2% would be by choice not limited ability.
What benefit has come from having our present "three" official languages?
Increased wasteful bureaucracy?
The world has become smaller and kiwis who venture overseas for opportunity don't care about official languages.
They focus instead on being understood by others in their new environment.
Talking about taniwhas, moon ceremonies and forest gods will just get you odd looks.
Judging by your 0.2% stat,
Te Reo shouldn't be used at all.
Frankly, I don't believe the 0.2% te reo only speakers - those that claim they don't understand English are taking the mickey.
Those sorts of numbers are statistical nonsense and can be simply dismissed.
I'm NOT a "fan" of Maori and English names for New Zealand government agencies. What is the practical point? None. In fact it only breeds confusion. It's only a woke symbolic bone thrown to Maori activists and their deluded non-Maori fellow travellers. I've trained my eyes and brain to not see Maori words. They just get in the way of comprehension.
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