SPELLING OF WHANGAREI
Sir-The documents which Mr. Alex Main quotes, and those in my possession, appear to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the "h" in the spelling was inserted in the late 1860s, most probably for the reason given by Mr. W. W. Bird, who points out that there is "no word in the Maori beginning with Wanga. Naturally everyone did not fall into line and adopt the change at once. Even as late as 1906 the local Post Office was using a brass cancelling stamp without the "h." It would be interesting to know if and when the New Zealand Geographical Board confirmed the "change over," but I have known it not to confirm a change for at least 25 years. Mr. Bird’s pronunciation, Whanga-ah-ray (if the "ay" is pronounced as in "day") corresponds exactly with my father’s instruction 70 years ago. I agree with Mr. A. Szigetvary that we neéd not keep to the "phonetic" spelling of the early missionaries, It is well known that many place names have changed both in spelling and pronunciation since the missionaries first interpreted them. We do not adhere to the missionary spelling in such words as "Keddy Keddy" or "Kiddee Kiddes"’ for Keri Keri, nor "Wyeroa" for Wairoa, "Kepero" for Kaipara, ‘"Kottamatta" for Otamatea, etc. With regard to Mr. Main’s claim that the pronunciation is Fong-ah-ray, it is relevant to state that during the last 50 years the matter of the "F" sound has been well thrashed out for and against, in letters appearing in the press. However, I think it would be correct to say that all the old-time Maori scholars, and people born and bred in New Zealand who had long association with the Maori, deprecated the use of the "F" sound. Many people
found difficulty in pronouncing the "wh," especially when joined to the "nga," and therefore adopted the "F" sound, that being the nearest to the correct one. Sir Apirana Ngata in his book of Maori Grammar, writes, "Avoid giving the ‘wh’ the sound of ‘f.’"
GILBERT H.
MAIR
‘Brown’s Bay).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 780, 2 July 1954, Page 5
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344SPELLING OF WHANGAREI New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 780, 2 July 1954, Page 5
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