Languages of New Zealand

New Zealand has been characterised as one of the most monolingual countries in the world, and there is no doubt that English will remain the dominant language of this country. However, English has assumed a particular form in this country. Distinctive features of New Zealand English are the use of Maori words, such as kia ora and tangi and several grammatical features such as at the weekend. New Zealand English is a relatively recent variety of English, but it is currently gaining in local prestige and is now something that many younger New Zealanders claim as part of their identity. Recently, with increased emphasis on immigration, a government policy that promotes the use of Maori , and a more open attitude towards linguistic diversity, a growing number of languages are now being heard in the streets of our urban centres.

Edited by Allan Bell, Professor of Language and Communications at Auckland University of Technology; Ray Harlow, Associate Professor in Linguistics at the University of Waikato and Donna Starks, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Applied Language Studies and Linguistics at the University of Auckland, Languages of New Zealand has contributions from experts in New Zealand English, Te Reo Maori, Cook Islands Maori, New Zealand Sign Language, phonetics and psycholinguistics and other related disciplines.