Our most mispronounced place names

Whether it’s ‘‘Taw-po’’ or ‘‘Kye-cora’’, so many of us mangle New Zealand’s Ma¯ori place names.

Why should we make the effort to get it correct? Te Whainoa Te Wiata, a Ma¯ori-language teacher at the University of Auckland, puts it best.

‘‘People don’t realise how important pronunciation is to meaning,’’ he says. ‘‘Every place name has a story, every place name.

‘‘If you’re not using that communication correctly, then what’s the point of opening your mouth?’’

Here’s just a handful of the most frequently mispronounced places – and how they should be said (emphasis in bold): TAUPO – TOE-PAW ROTORUA – Roh-toh-roo-ah WHANGAREI – Far-ngar-ray WHANGANUI – Far-ngar-noo-ee TIMARU – Tee-mah-ru TAURANGA - Toe-rung-a REMUERA – Reh-moo-air-uh MATAMATA – Mutter-mutter OAMARU – Aw-ah-mah-roo