Do not look for an ‘F’ in Whakatipu

WAKATIPU or Whakatipu? That is not the question — the correct pronunciation is what really matters.

Matthew McKew intimated the correct ‘‘spelling’’ of Whakatipu (ODT, 28.1.21) should be pronounced in English as with “ph” at the start, or presumably as ‘‘f’’ as so many are wont to do these days. Wash their mouths.

He won’t find an ‘‘f’’ anywhere in te reo because there isn’t one. There never was.

I suggest he take a lead from Ngai Tahu kaumatua Sir Tipene O’Regan who reportedly said (16.1.21) the correct Maori pronunciation of ‘‘wh’’ was very soft and more similar to that in ‘‘whisper’’ or ‘‘wheels’’, not as in ‘‘fish’’.

Brian Taylor

Alexandra