# The New Zealand Accent **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2013, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449 "2013-12-16T09:52:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/181 "2013-12-19T16:07:54Z")
> [@Ben-wynyard](#): > > We are taught that it was Richard Pearce, a New Zealander that created the first plane, we were so far south, the word couldnt get out fast enough. Well why didn’t your boy Pear[s]e \*fly \*the word out in his aeroplane? Riddle me that one, kiwi crew. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/182 "2013-12-19T17:41:15Z")
Huh, I didn’t get a chance to ask the OP if the Maori word for “hello” is the same as “goodbye”. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/183 "2013-12-19T17:47:29Z")
He’ll be back. Or so he threatens. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/184 "2013-12-19T18:08:28Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Of course, “toilet” itself was originally a euphemism, meaning something like “dressing room”. Ichabod Crane (according to Fox TV) “died” in 1781 & rose again in modern [Sleepy Hollow](http://www.douxreviews.com/2013/12/sleepy-hollow-golem.html), New York. When not fighting unspeakable evil, he has been adapting to the 21st century… > [@](#): > > Ichabod: “I’m still reconciling today’s language and its advancements. For example, in my era, a ‘toilet’ was a vanity cabinet. ‘Intercourse’ was simply social conversation, ‘awful’ meant awe inspiring…” > > Abbie: “So if I went out with a guy and we had awful intercourse, we’d be going on a second date?” > > Ichabod: “Disconcerting, yet accurate.” ---
**Author:** ![Jaguars](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaguars/32/5879_2.png) [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/185 "2013-12-19T19:46:29Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Well why didn’t your boy Pear[s]e \*fly \*the word out in his aeroplane? Riddle me that one, kiwi crew. 😛 If I remember correctly, because he crashed into a hedge. 😃 and possibly also because the locals kept calling him ‘Mad Dick’. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Huh, I didn’t get a chance to ask the OP if the Maori word for “hello” is the same as “goodbye”. No. here are [some common Maori salutations](http://www.korero.maori.nz/forlearners/protocols/geetings.html) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/186 "2013-12-19T19:58:03Z")
Beside, Whitehead has an even earlier claim that is also general not considered more worthy than the Wight Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/187 "2013-12-19T22:17:13Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > We have a number of Kiwis where I work. I might use that expression and see if I get a bite 😃 I take no responsibility for your medical expenses.😃 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/188 "2013-12-19T22:38:30Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Beside, Whitehead has an even earlier claim that is also general not considered more worthy than the Wight (sic) Brothers. Or the Isley Brothers. Fight! Fight the Power! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/189 "2013-12-20T00:13:37Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Or the Isley Brothers. > > Fight! Fight the Power! [The Isley Brothers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEjLFpU2pJ4)? I don’t think they were even born yet. [Gustave Whitehead](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Whitehead), \*first in flight? \* ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/190 "2013-12-20T01:37:12Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > I take no responsibility for your medical expenses.😃 I work in a hospital. They might treat me for free. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/191 "2013-12-20T01:47:05Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > It’s also worth noting both countries have at least two sub-accents, a “Received Pronunciation” one (the one that sounds fairly Queen’s English), and a broader one (“Strine” in Australia, the “Fush und Chups” one in New Zealand). That makes sense, and may explain why I’ve been mistaken (by other Kiwis at least) for having an English accent. 🙂 I tend to think of the “Fush und Chups” accent as rural NZ, but I’m not sure that’s quite right and may be more North Island regional – my South Island aunt had almost a Scottich burr. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/192 "2013-12-20T08:08:19Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > That makes sense, and may explain why I’ve been mistaken (by other Kiwis at least) for having an English accent. 🙂 > > I tend to think of the “Fush und Chups” accent as rural NZ, but I’m not sure that’s quite right and may be more North Island regional – my South Island aunt had almost a Scottich burr. Don’t worry, you’re in good company. I’ve been mistaken for British so often (even at my current job, people ring up asking for “The English guy”) it’s become a running joke at work. In my experience the “Fush and Chups” accent is definitely a North Island thing, though. New Zealand’s South Island has a strong Scottish heritage (Dunedin literally took Edinburgh’s street plan and did a Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V with it. Even the name means “Edinburgh on the Hill”) and to my ears there’s still a (very) faint Scottish burr in places like the Mackenzie Country and down Gore way. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/193 "2013-12-20T13:59:47Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Ha! Indeed you are correct. > > I don’t see what’s wrong with ‘the bogs’. If I were from Boston - the real Boston, not the insignificant hamlet in Limeyland\* - I would call it “the shittah”. \*Blows a kiss at **Claverhouse** , then ducks and runs… ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/194 "2013-12-20T18:19:53Z")
> [@Ben-wynyard](#): > > LOL at the SHOE POLISH, I don’t even think most kiws use that brand. Well we have done alot of achievements for a small nation. we have contributed to the world as well and we told you Yankies to get your nukes and ships out of our waters. YOu didn’t like us telling you that, but our mother is England and she is your grandmother so you couldnt do anything Ya know, **Ben-wynyard** , it’s certainly your prerogative to post about how much you despise Americans, in this thread you started that is addressed to Americans, on a board owned by an American newspaper and administered by Americans in an American city, on which half the posters are Americans; but when you are pouring your magnificent Antipodean scorn on our fat, provincial, drone-bombin’ asses, would you at least spell your insults correctly? It’s “Yankee”. Based on my visit to New Zealand, I _had_ formed the impression that you would pretty much have to slap his momma to get a Kiwi to be rude; thanks for shattering that stereotype. Ignorance fought! ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/195 "2013-12-20T19:07:59Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Ya know, **Ben-wynyard** , it’s certainly your prerogative to post about how much you despise Americans, in this thread you started that is addressed to Americans, on a board owned by an American newspaper and administered by Americans in an American city, on which half the posters are Americans; but when you are pouring your magnificent Antipodean scorn on our fat, provincial, drone-bombin’ asses, would you at least spell your insults correctly? It’s “Yankee”. > > Based on my visit to New Zealand, I _had_ formed the impression that you would pretty much have to slap his momma to get a Kiwi to be rude; thanks for shattering that stereotype. Ignorance fought! He’s gone, but I blame his anger at Americans on the Queen for not making him a prince. Or something. I’ve been to NZ and found everybody I interacted with to be very pleasant. We were driving to the hotel from the airport after landing and a guy at a stoplight noticed us looking at a map, rolled down his window, and asked if he could give us directions. Actually very helpful since he pointed out we’d have to drive past it first and then make a U-turn to get to the entrance. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/196 "2013-12-21T00:21:51Z")
I go by six is sex and sex is six. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/197 "2013-12-21T00:25:02Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > He’s gone, but I blame his anger at Americans on the Queen for not making him a prince. Or something. > > I’ve been to NZ and found everybody I interacted with to be very pleasant. We were driving to the hotel from the airport after landing and a guy at a stoplight noticed us looking at a map, rolled down his window, and asked if he could give us directions. Actually very helpful since he pointed out we’d have to drive past it first and then make a U-turn to get to the entrance. Me too. I was hiking on Waiheke Island when I strayed off the trail and onto a guy’s private land. Instead of barreling out to ask me what the hell I was doing in his back yard, he walked out to politely ask me what the hell I was doing in his back yard. We actually had a very nice chat for about a half-hour, and then he put me right. Just about typical of my experiences with Kiwis. On the other hand, there’s a certain degree of irony about the OP: his “my-country-and-fuck-you” jingoism sounded very…dare I say it?.. American. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/198 "2013-12-21T08:47:16Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Not quite true. We do know. [Tenzing Norgay finally did say it was Hillary who was first](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Hillary#1953_Everest_expedition): **“Tenzing Norgay stated in his narration ‘The Dream Comes True’ that Hillary had indeed taken the first step atop Mount Everest, despite Hillary quoting that both had reached the summit at the same time.”** > > I suppose he could have been lying, but to what purpose? Thanks for that. I didn’t know that was out there. I had thought they had a pact to never tell. Frankly I’m surprised, as I thought better of Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/199 "2013-12-21T08:50:40Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Huh, I didn’t get a chance to ask the OP if the Maori word for “hello” is the same as “goodbye”. To the best of my knowledge “haere mai” is hello and “haere ra” is goodbye. At least that is what they put on boards entering and exiting towns. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449/200 "2013-12-21T08:52:59Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Well why didn’t your boy Pear[s]e \*fly \*the word out in his aeroplane? Riddle me that one, kiwi crew. 😛 Unfortunately his plane crashed, into a hedge I believe. However he did get off the ground. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-accent/676449.md?page=11)