Too much reo

I do have concerns regarding the increasing prominence of te reo Ma¯ori in New Zealand’s public discourse, particularly in the media.

While I fully support the recognition of te reo as an official language and believe in the importance of preserving and celebrating indigenous languages, I am worried about the unintended consequences of its growing influence, particularly on the status of English in our society.

It seems that in the push to embrace te reo, some English words and phrases are being sidelined or even replaced entirely.

Everyday greetings and expressions that have been a part of our English-speaking culture for generations are disappearing from our vocabulary, replaced by their te reo equivalents. While this may seem like a small change to some, it has significant implications for those who are not fluent in te reo, including many senior citizens.

As a result, I am concerned that a significant portion of the population, particularly older individuals who may not have had the opportunity to learn te reo earlier in life, are being left behind.

Many of these individuals rely on English as their primary language for communication and may struggle to understand news reports and other forms of media that incorporate a significant amount of te reo content.

While it is important to celebrate and preserve te reo as an integral part of our cultural heritage, we must also ensure that all members of our society, regardless of age or linguistic background, feel included and able to participate fully in our community. Alan Walker, St Heliers.