Maori
A language of New Zealand
| Population | 60,000 in New Zealand (Fishman 1991). 100,000 understand it but do not speak it (1995 Maori Language Commission). Population total all countries: 60,260. Ethnic population: 530,000 (2002 Honolulu Advertiser). |
| Region | Far north, North Island, east coast. Also in United States. |
| Language map |
New Zealand |
| Alternate names | New Zealand Maori |
| Dialects | North Auckland, South Island, Taranaki, Wanganui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua-Taupo, Moriori. Formerly fragmented into regional dialects, some of which diverged quite radically from what became the standard dialect. Lexical similarity: 71% with Hawaiian [haw], 57% with Samoan [smo]. |
| Classification | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic |
| Language use | Used officially for legal needs. Until the 20th century spoken throughout New Zealand. Moriori dialect in Chatham Islands is extinct. Mainly adult speakers. Also use English. |
| Language development | 322 government-funded Maori language schools, including preschool. Grammar. Bible: 1858–1952. |
| Writing system | Latin script. |
| Comments | VSO. Christian. |
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