Respect for te reo

Taihappy does not exist. Taihape does. The difference is in the ‘‘e’’, sounded as the ‘‘e’’ in egg. Even Radio NZ, attempting to ‘‘educate and inform’’ us, mostly gets it wrong. If we are to advance as a people we should at least try to acknowledge and respect each other’s culture, starting with the language.

Don’t want to learn te reo? Your choice. But at least try to talk proper. See how it grates when I mangle English grammar? After Taihape, maybe Para para umu, and for advanced learners, O ta ki.

MICHAEL JOHN DALLY Levin