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Whenua, turangawaewae and chur are among the Maori words and New Zealand English words that have made it into the latest update of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Danica Salazar, the OED’s executive editor for World Englishes, says the Māori language has had a profound and lasting impact on English in New Zealand, and the dictionary will continue to record and add Māori contributions as it monitors the evolution of English globally.
Victoria University Professor John Macalister, who advised on the etymology of Māori words used in NZ English, says the language is a window into our changing nation.
He says it’s fascinating to see how quickly people respond to – or resist – social change through the language they use.
Other words in the update include kaitiaki, rahui, e hoa and koha, which the dictionary says was first used in English in Keri Hulmes’ 1984 novel The Bone People.
Other Kiwi expressions in the update include after-ball, chur and Kiwiness.
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