Q's about New Zealand

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So tell me mate, what are the dialects in NZ. I've often thought they were just like Austraelia. What other languages are spoken there? Or is English the requireed lingo?

This is my favorite photo of Helen and the idiot king:



I think her expression says it all.

OMG, she's scarier than Bush!! !

Bush isn't really scary per se. To use a very nerdy analogy, it's like Cheney's the emperor from star wars, and Bush is dark helmet from spaceballs.

We do say mate, but that is more Austrailan. To talk true kiwi you say 'bro' as in short for cousie bro.

Here is a fine example of maori dialect, people from the north island talk more like this.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzhp3jWnpbs&feature=related[/youtube]

The main difference in accents is NZ say everything more with a short u sound, and Australia say everything more with a short e sound.

For example "fish and chips" is pronouced "fush and chups" in NZ, and pronouced "fesh and cheps" in Australia.

the number 6 is pronouced "sex" in Australia and "sux" in NZ. That's the main difference I think.

Also people from southland role their 'R's because of a Scottish influence. So if you go to Southland you will notice everbody making good 'R' sounds.

English is the main language, the maori language is also becoming more popular, more maori are learning it now that it is receiving more support.

That concludes this lesson in talking NZ.....

Stop!! She's scaring me!!

Slightly off topic but you have made me laugh, cheers for that

Even though I don't know much about NZ, thought I'd post something pretty from it. The Te Waihou Walkway and River.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JsSF5h9gmc[/youtube]

New Zealand is great place to live. I love it here.

someone once referred to the Labour-led (left wing) government as "Helengrad"! But it's a damn sight better than the Opposition, which is the National Party (right wing). I absolutely HATE National, and as a National supporter would say, they would absolutely HATE Labour.


A quick history lession to explain this, as explained by my stepfather:

You see, up 'till the 80's, the primary sector (agriculture, dairy, sheep, etc.) was heavily subsidized, and the farmers couldn't bother doing a good job at their stuff, seeing as the government would just make up the shortfall in subsidies. This was under the Muldoon Government (National Party).

Then came the David Lange Government (Labour). He appointed a bloke called Roger Douglas as Minister of Finance, and Roger proposed a plan called "Rogernomics". Basically it stripped away the subsidies and deregulated the economy. Generally a good idea! Except it was implemented too fast - within a few years half the country was out of work (farmers couldn't rely on subsidies any more, so they fired alot of workers to keep in business).

Since then the National Party controlled the government, and depending on who you talk to... they have either been great for business, our country and our people; or, they have sold off national assets, stripped worker's rights while lining the wallets of fatcats, and generally been rather unpleasant. I think the only good thing they did was introduce the MMP voting system.

They created the Employment Contracts Act, which had the effect of busting unions and and other worker collectives, and reducing the protections a worker had against being used or treated unfairly by the employers. And then our reserve bank governor, called Don Brash, got a rush of blood to the head and became leader of the National Party. He damaged race relations with his "Owera Speech", claiming the Maori are getting a "free handout" and that this is unfair to the rest of the population, ignoring the fact that Maori suffered (and sometimes still suffer) due to racism and ignorance in past New Zealand culture, law, and policy - the "free handout" is funding for programmes and support necessary to remedy this suffering.

Finally (my speech is nearly over!) during campaigning for the election in the late '90s, an anonymous pamphlet appeared claiming that a party called the Greens (pro-environment) was very bad for New Zealand and to not vote for it. It turned out this was distributed by a small Christian Sect called the Exclusive Brethren, in support of National and Don Brash - despite Don Brash claiming to know nothing, which he and National did. Don Brash left the National Party soon after, and Labour came to power - and has remained so for more than 10 years, which is a record!

Life here has improved a great deal under Labour, and our country is better than ever. And that's the end of my semi-biased rant! (It's really no different than the Democrat-Republican rivalry)

P.S. Speaking of Scottish influences, there's a Castle in Dunedin... only one in the country!

Don Brash always gave me the creeps. Don't know much about John Key.

Poor Don was no match for Helengrad, he was chewed up and spat out by Aunty Helen.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36M6ta_Q9lo&feature=related[/youtube]

mmm, that's ashame.

Given enough time at the white house she would have done the same to bush...

It is best to stay on the good side of Aunty Helen, otherwise she will crush you. She rules with an iron fist!! !

Where is Old Zealand?