New Zilland English
T was a lively Question Mark discussion between: Pamela Barnard and Harry Orsman, "Do New. Zealanders Speak Badly?" but if it had been better prepared the speakers might not have thrown away their points so recklessly. There was a red herring in the title to begin with, since the real subject was whether the speech to be aimed at in New Zealand should be received standard English or some form of received New Zealand English. I would have found it easier to support Mr Orsman’s argument for the second alternative if he had managed to define educated New Zealand speech and how it differed from our educated speech. Must we take him at his word and speak New Zilland English? But Mrs Barnard twice sabotaged her whole argument in favour of standard English-#inadvert-ently, one supposes. She strongly maintained that speech reflects character, and that New Zealand speech is slovenly because New Zealanders are smug; which makes it unlikely that we can be taught to speak better unless our whole (alleged) national character is made over. And she said there was no New Zealand standard to base New Zealand speech on, though there will be in a hundred years, thus disposing of her contention that an English standard can be substituted in the meantime.
R.D.
McE.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19570426.2.49.5
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 924, 26 April 1957, Page 31
Word count
Tapeke kupu
218New Zilland English New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 924, 26 April 1957, Page 31
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in