You may have visited Otakou, Purakaunui, Waikouaiti, Otekaieke, Whare Flat, Wakari, Hakataramea, Omakau, Wai-anakarua and Wakatipu; but can you pronounce them correctly?
Nothing annoys Jim Williams more than the mispronunciation of Maori, and one local place name in particular, ''Otakou'', the University of Otago Te Tumu school of Maori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies lecturer says.
''One of my students, who lives down there, was telling me when she was at high school she tried to correct her social studies teacher, and was told 'be quiet, you don't know what you are talking about'.''
The teacher insisted it was pronounced Oh-ta-cow because that was the name of the golf club where they played, Dr Williams said.
The theme of Maori Language Week (Te Wiki o te Reo), which runs until July 7, is Maori names.
One Dunedin place name often mistakenly given an extra ''i'' was the suburb of Wakari, which, if spelt or spoken incorrectly, could be confused with the Canterbury settlement of Waikari, Dr Williams said.
''People think they know what they call the suburb, and they just go with what they know.''
The mispronunciation of Maori words was not as bad as it was a few decades ago, but ''the rate of change is very slow''.
''There is a little bit more awareness at schools each day, and there is a small improvement for that reason.''
He cited locals cringing when they heard Australian or South African rugby commentators pronounce the Super XV rugby team as the ''High Landers''.
However, it was no different from ground announcers at Forsyth Barr Stadium not pronouncing overseas or local player names correctly, or the All Black who sang only the English version of the national anthem.
''Overall, I think it is an attitude thing.''
Maori Language Week
How to pronounce 10 Otago place names. -
Otakou (Or-taa-koh)
Purakaunui (Poo-raa-koh-nooi)
Waikouaiti (Wy-koh-eye-tee)
Otekaieke (Or-tee-ky-eccy)
Whare Flat (Local pronunciation is Wo-ree, while North Island dialect is Fo-ree)
Wakari (Wok-aa-ree)
Hakataramea (Hukka-turra-mee-a)
Omakau (Or-maa-koh)
Waianakarua (Wy-unar-kaa-rooa)
Wakatipu (Wokka-tip-ooa)
SOURCE: Jim Williams, University of Otago
