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| Thread ID: 99137 | 2009-04-21 11:45:00 | WNorth or WSouth? | Sweep (90) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 767022 | 2009-04-21 21:55:00 | New Zealand. North Island. South Island. How totally boring are those names? Isn't it about time we embraced the fact that we are no longer an outpost of Empire, and used names that reflect our place in the world?Apart from the fact it is a complete waste of time and money debating something that doesn't need to be changed, if it is about what we identify with, I would have to say I wouldn't identify with an island with a Maori name - neither would the vast majority of the population. | maccrazy (6741) | ||
| 767023 | 2009-04-21 22:01:00 | I've always been perversely proud of the fact we have such simple names for the two islands. Only way it could have been better is if we called them Up Island and Down Island. Or maybe First Island and Second island, but then everyone would argue over who got to be First .... On a side note, who refers them as the North Island and the South Island, as opposed to simply North Island and South Island? My English mother-in-law always does the latter (as in "We are going to South Island for a holiday), and it kinda freaks me out ... |
Biggles (121) | ||
| 767024 | 2009-04-21 22:08:00 | Mother-in Law's opinions are usually dodgy, and pom ones doubly so. (But don't tell her I said that.) Also, by tradition you should encourage her to go further afield for her holidays. Much further. |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 767025 | 2009-04-21 22:11:00 | Mother-in Law's opinions are usually dodgy, and pom ones doubly so. (But don't tell her I said that.) I've found the best policy in life is restrain myself from commenting on my mother-in-law's opinions. BUt I did wonder if it this instance in dropping the "the" was a Pom thing .... |
Biggles (121) | ||
| 767026 | 2009-04-21 22:17:00 | I've found the best policy in life is restrain myself from commenting on my mother-in-law's opinions. BUt I did wonder if it this instance in dropping the "the" was a Pom thing .... Well its not usual to insert "the" into a place name, You don't go to The Taupo for the weekend. this just makes me think its even more of a poor system for naming Islands, Not really names are they, Just locations relevant to each other. |
Metla (12) | ||
| 767027 | 2009-04-21 22:39:00 | With Mother-in-laws who want to use the foreign "Back 'ome" way of naming stuff, perhaps you could suggest "When in Rome, - - - stay a while, take a few years to get a feel for the place". With place names convention rules; it is hard to think of rules to explain that you live IN Auckland, your brother lives ON the North Shore. |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 767028 | 2009-04-21 22:51:00 | Well its not usual to insert "the" into a place name, You don't go to The Taupo for the weekend. this just makes me think its even more of a poor system for naming Islands, Not really names are they, Just locations relevant to each other. Ah, but you do go to "the Naki" or "the Mount" .... |
Biggles (121) | ||
| 767029 | 2009-04-21 23:09:00 | I would have to say I wouldn't identify with an island with a Maori name - neither would the vast majority of the population.Why is it that people get so uptight when it is suggested that Maori names/custom/usage is adopted (for anything)? Using Maori names reflects that they were the original settlers of the islands, have used these names (and I do know that other Maori names have been used as well) for much longer than the European names, and to be crassly commercial about it, gives us a great point of difference when it comes to marketing us to the world. It is really time we grew up as a nation and widened our cultural horizons. I don't know who first said "the measure of a democracy is how it treats its minorities", but I think it is an aphorism we need to take note of. |
Tony (4941) | ||
| 767030 | 2009-04-21 23:29:00 | I agree with Tony. North Island "Te Ika a Maui" South Island Te Wai Pounamu" Maui's fish and Greenstone Water, Rakiura Stewart Island. Don't know what Rakiura means, so I will Google it. LL |
lakewoodlady (103) | ||
| 767031 | 2009-04-21 23:36:00 | Rakiura means "Glowing Skies". I have just found this piece in which it is called. "The original Maori name, Te Punga o Te Waka a Maui, The Anchor Stone of Maui’s Canoe, refers to the part played by this Island in the legend of Maui and his crew, who from their canoe, the South Island, caught and raised the great fish, the North Island. So the South Island was called "Waka o Maui" then LL |
lakewoodlady (103) | ||
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