Māori language experts Hona Black and Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell have long noticed a recurring issue in the courses they teach and in their everyday communications with people: common errors in te reo Māori, even among fluent speakers.

Motivated by their passion for the language and their desire to see it flourish, the duo has collaborated on a new book, Ngā Hapa Reo: Common Māori Language Errors, which aims to address these mistakes and provide guidance for speakers of all levels.

Published by Oratio Books and available in bookstores from Monday, September 2, Ngā Hapa Reo is a bilingual resource designed to help readers identify and correct common errors in Māori.

From choosing between awhi and āwhina, to understanding the importance of tohutō (macrons), the book offers clear explanations on word choice, grammar, and how English interference can affect Māori sentence structures.

With more than 150 common errors profiled, the book is divided into six comprehensive chapters, each addressing a different aspect of the language.

Murphy-Fell (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Apa), who hails from Whakatāne, explains that the book was born out of their everyday work and studies: “We started our master's together in 2021, and that got us thinking more deeply about the errors we hear regularly. Initially, we collected these errors out of personal interest, but as the list grew, we realised it could be the foundation for a resource.”

The book is not just for new learners; it also serves as a useful tool for fluent speakers. “The errors we discuss come from a wide range of speakers – from those just starting their language journey to those who have been speaking Māori all their lives,” Murphy-Fell said. “In fact, some of the errors we've included are ones that Hona and I have made ourselves, which were pointed out to us by our mentors.”

The six chapters of the book cover various topics, starting with word usage errors, where words may be used in the wrong context or over-generalised. The largest section focuses on grammar, a challenging area for many learners. "Grammar can be daunting, like a taniwha (monster), so we've tried to present it in a more digestible way,” Murphy-Fell said.

Another intriguing chapter deals with language interference, where English sentence structures influence Māori.

“Many students in kura (schools) translate English sentences directly into Māori, which doesn't always follow the grammatical norms," he explains.

The book also explores error negations, focusing on the small words at the end of sentences that can cause confusion.

Ngā Hapa Reo could also spark discussions about the evolution of the Māori language. "Language must evolve to survive, especially languages that are not widely spoken. Some errors we've included are meant to stimulate debate on whether certain usages should be accepted as part of modern Māori,” Murphy-Fell said.

Murphy-Fell is a Māori language and education consultant for Haemata Limited, focusing on initiatives that support better language and educational outcomes for Māori. He holds a Bachelor of Management Studies (1st Class Hons) from The University of Waikato and is a recent graduate of the first cohort of Te Tohu Paerua o Te Reo Kairangi | Master in Māori Language Excellence through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) lectures on teaching for Māori medium schools at Massey University, Palmerston North. This is his third book about te reo Māori; his previous titles include He Iti te Kupu: Māori Metaphors and Similes and Te Reo Kapekape: Māori Wit and Humour.

Giveaway

The Beacon is giving away a copy of Hona Black and Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell's book, Ngā Hapa Reo: Common Māori Language Errors. Email news@thebeacon with common Māori Language Errors in the message field to be in to win. Entries close Monday at noon. The winner will be contacted by email.