Why are licence tests available in Maori?

[SimJen]

Yes to your first point. All should have a basic working knowledge of the official languages of the country. We're getting there. Slowly. Very slowly. The dominant political and social hegemony of the last couple of hundred years have resulted in a massive skew in favour of English - like beatings issued in schools to children 'jabbering' in Maori. Imagine being beaten for speaking your own language! Thank fark we're moving on and are in more enlightened times. And why not have two languages in the case of any official documents? Consider my Swiss case in point. Official docs in four languages. We have it easy!
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Why should we all have a working knowledge of it????
Noone has the right to force kids to learn a language of limited use. In my English schooling (many years ago) we learnt a fair bit of french and german because it was actually useful for those who chose to go to europe.
Maori is of absolutely no use to the general NZ public, or the rest of the world for that matter. Its not going to help if you go overseas and its not going to be of much help in NZ either unless you choose to teach it and then you'd need a very good understanding of it (more than would be taught in schools).
Sure its good for the language to be spoken by the people that want to speak it and for them or whoever to teach it to their kids but why should it be compulsory? is it to help the language to grow so statistically they can get it taught and included more and more......
Its like the Jehovah's or whoever trying to force their religion on you.

[MidnightMike]

Why should we all have a working knowledge of it???? Noone has the right to teach a language of limited use. In my English schooling (many years ago) we learnt a fair bit of french and german because it was actually useful for those who chose to go to europe.
Maori is of absolutely no use to the general NZ public, or the rest of the world for that matter. Its not going to help if you go overseas and its not going to be of much help in NZ either unless you choose to teach it and then you'd need a very good understanding of it (more than would be taught in schools).
Sure its good for the language to be spoken by the people that want to speak it and for them or whoever to teach it to their kids but why should it be compulsory? is it to help the language to grow so statistically they can get it taught and included more and more......
Its like the Jehovah's or whoever trying to force their religion on you.

I second that.

[The_Dover]

are you peaple nuts!!

at least we're not in america where they struggle with basic english.

[onearmedbandit]

I third it, and fourth as well just for good measure. Someone tell us ignorant ones why learing Maori will benefit us, instead of another language?

[LXS]

or like canada, where everything is printed out in about 6 different languages.

or south auckland.....

lol, marty where in canada were you?
i was born there, AFAIK there is english and french, both are labelled on just about everything.
i.e. road signs, food packaging, etc etc etc

Wait till you hit Quebec....

anyway back on topic....

[Fatjim]

Back to the origonal question, why print road test in maori.

I'd much rather the money was spent teaching Maori at schools. I learnt a bit of sauerkraut at scholl, hardly used it, but hey, if I'd learnt more maori and a bit of the culture, I'd be much better off. Most of my rugby team are Maori, even the 1/32's are at home with the Bro's. I wish I could "relate" better.

[scumdog]

I third it, and fourth as well just for good measure. Someone tell us ignorant ones why learing Maori will benefit us, instead of another language?

Because 'somebody' decided we needed to learn it - never mind that Spanish, Japanes or Mandarin would be more useful if you plan on travel that goes to other countries.

[Mr. Peanut]

Back to the origonal question, why print road test in maori.

I guess if I was a fluent speaker of maori I'd be pretty stoked I had the choice, but I still wouldn't see the point.

[boomer]

In kawakawa today i noticed the petrol station had the pumps marked up in maori;

'Sif the cuzzies read the pumps as they're about to do a runner:slap:


on a side note, twas nice to be welcomed into the extended family up there and listen to the language being spoken; i learnt a few words today... culture is one of the reasons i love this place so much.

[Phurrball]

I second that.

All the seconders and thirders can look at this post I snuck in to an earlier spot. I can report that the drive from Dunedin to Christchurch that I undertook while you were all posting here has less corners than last time, and is particularly boring in a borrowed, automatic cage. Back to the bike on Tuesday (probably the only good thing about going back to Auckers...)

Because 'somebody' decided we needed to learn it - never mind that Spanish, Japanes or Mandarin would be more useful if you plan on travel that goes to other countries.

SD - it's an official language of this here land. 'Somebody' also decided the laws and policies that you enforce in your day job. Never mind that some alternatives might be more practical. You can't change what is official at the time - you just have to work with it regardless of the more useful alternatives. Granted, there is discretion but what is official and legal is just that...It's probably too late for you and I to do more than play around on the edges with the Maori language due to the education system of our day failing us. No one is going to force old dogs to learn new tricks as it's impractical (The discretion bit of this here storm-in-a-teacup methinks)

[Biff]

A similar argument took place in Wales during the late 70s I think. A Welsh language pressure group was formed in order to lobby the govt (and paint road signs) to bi-lingualise (hehe - Hitcher will have a shit fit when he sees that word), road signs, govt docs etc.

The Welsh language lobby won ther day, and I got sick to the back teeth of people saying to me, "That 'Gwasanaethau' city must be fkin huge. Loads of signposts all over the country point to it".

'Gwasanaethau' is Welsh for service station.

[hXc]

Call me a one-eyed racist bastard if you will but...

I don't speak Maori and I never will. I am proud of the fact that I am white and proud that I don't speak Maori. Some teachers at school like you to answer in Maori to the roll at school - I refuse to!

There is no benefit learning as it will not help us in any way. No where else in the world speaks Maori and no where else ever will. They are a minority population so I don't see the point. I learn French, I speak a little German, can greet in quite a few languages but refuse to ever speak a word of Maori unless it's a place name - Which I will pronounce how I want to. Taupo (pronounced T-our-po), Maori (M-our-ey) etc etc.

I am sick of this bullshit PC NZ we are developing into. If your child is out of line - smack them, if you think someone is racist/sexist - get over it 'cause it's their choice! I don't care about this PC crap and I refuse to be PC at all times. What ever happened to free choice and ignoring something you don't like.

Someone's signature here is "I don't like Political Correctness, can we ban it?" I'm with ya there buddy. It's sad to see kids growing up in a mamby-pamby world.

Sorry to rant but it's my views and I am sick to death of the PC bullshit that is around.
Rant over

[bondagebunny]

in the future with Maori girls being urged to get pregnent as soon as possible and give kids to grand parents to bring up - so they can breed again and all on the DPB. It is the elders way of reestblishing Maori as a viable force in this country. They are using kids to breed kids and we are paying for it.
The european demise is about 150 years away>
The Maoris will slug it out with the Chinese for control, PM will be either Te Big Kauna or No park Good

[avgas]

I feel that Te Reo has to come a long way. From being forced....to being learnt.
I did it a school for a good 10 years - and i dont remember jack shit these days, why? cos i was no benefit for me.
I think everyone in NZ should have basic reading/writing skills in english - i mean i wouldnt live in Germany without knowing basic to advanced german.
I deal with alot of people who dont speak any english, and im sick of it. If you cant fill out a NZ residency application in english....FUCK OFF and learn it.
Right now i feel maori is a novelty, i would like to see it as something more however. Mabey i requirement for certain degrees? NZ ARMY marching orders? Encryption?

[Monsterbishi]

at least we're not in america where they struggle with basic english.

Actually, I'd place the quality of American education higher than our own, the literary level of New Zealanders has plummeted over the last decade and then some, with many adults basic reading, spelling and grammar skills at a level that can only be regarded as juvenile.

And this doesn't just limit itself to lower income situations, for those of us in office/administration positions, think about how often you receive emails, etc with multiple spelling mistakes.

As for multi-lingual education in Schools, it should be the choice of the parents as to whether their Children attend language classes, on a elective basis. For those who chose not to, they can opt for another class, ie Music, History, Math, etc.