KEY POINTS:
A random Herald survey in the Waikato showed the Maori language is slowly ingraining itself into the everyday New Zealand vernacular, with most people knowing more than half of the basic words and phrases on the list.
Rebecca Henry, who grew up in England, knew 13 out of 20 from the list the Herald showed her - not bad for someone who's been in the country for just 18 months.
"I just thought everyone here had to learn the language so I started," said the 21-year-old receptionist, who studies from tapes and books at the library.
"Some of my mates are Maori and they laugh a bit but they're happy I'm trying to learn at least."
Dr Rapata Wiri of Waikato University said a shift towards use of te reo Maori among non-Maori had become more noticeable over the past decade.
"Words and phrases like 'mana', 'kai' and 'whanau' are commonly accepted these days among Pakeha ... You probably wouldn't have heard them in the past," he said.
Dr Wiri credited the efforts of Maori educationists in the revival of the language but also had praise for two groups often at loggerheads - Maori radicals and mainstream media.
"There has been criticism of them [radicals] in the past but their efforts have contributed a lot to that paradigm shift."
Mispronunciation remained "an issue" but it was good to hear mainstream media broadcasters bringing the language into homes each day.
Indeed, TV3's John Campbell, who greets viewers with a "haere mai" on his 7pm slot, scored a healthy 17 out of 20. Not to be outdone, his Close Up rival, Mark Sainsbury, matched that with a robust 17 also.
But both paled in comparison to Morning Report presenter Geoff Robinson, who scored a flawless 20 and correctly deduced that a "hoiho" (horse) was also a type of penguin.
"Obviously the more we can get Maori language into mainstream media the better," said Dr Wiri.
Tom Roa, a Tainui language and history expert, said it was "encouraging" to see many non-Maori giving the language a go.
"I'm hearing more Pakeha people use 'mokopuna' instead of grandchild ... It's possibly because it's such a tender-sounding word, it's wonderful."
* What the words and phrases mean
E noho ra - goodbye
Kei te pehea koe? - how are you?
Haere mai - welcome, come here
Tane - man
Wahine - woman
Kai - food
Wai - water
Whanau - family
Mokopuna - grandchild
Tamariki - children
Kia ora - hello
Puku - stomach
Whare - house
Ka pai - okay, good
Kia kaha - be strong, go hard
Whenua - land, afterbirth
Ka kite ano - catch you later
Miraka - milk
Hoiho - horse or a type of penguin
Waiata - song
* Translation
Kei te mohio koe ki te tikanga o nga kupu me nga whakapuaki e rarangi ake nei? Tera pea koe e miharo ki to mohio.
I tetahi tiro whanui matapokere, na te niupepa nei na Te Herora i kawe i roto o Waikato, he marama kua timata te reo Maori ki te pipi mai ki roto i reo korero noa o Aotearoa, ara, te reo Pakeha, ina hoki, neke atu i te haurua o te tangata kei te marama ki te nuinga o nga kupu me nga whakapuaki taketake i te rarangi nei.
I tupu ake a Rebecca Henry i Ingarangi, a, kei te mohio ano ia ki tetahi 13 o nga kupu 20 mai i te rarangi i whakaaturia ai e Te Herora ki a ia. He nanakia tonu tenei mo te tangata 18 marama i Aotearoa e noho ana.
"I penei ahau me ako nga tangata katoa i konei i te reo, koia tera, ka huri au ki te ako," te ki a te kiripaepae nei, e 21 ona tau.
"Ko etahi o aku hoa he Maori, kua kata mai ki a au i etahi wa, heoi ano, ki taku mohio, kei te hari moku e ako nei."
E ai ki a Takuta Rapata Wiri o te Whare Wananga o Waikato kua piki haere te whakamahinga i te reo Maori i waenga i te hunga ehara i te Maori, i roto i te tekau tau ka hipa ake nei.
"Kei te maringi mai nga kupu me nga whakapuaki penei i te 'mana', i te 'kai,' me te 'whanau' i waenga i te hunga Pakeha i enei ra ... i mua, kaore pea i pera rawa," e ai ki tana.
Ki a Rapata, me tapae nga whakamoemiti ki runga i nga kaiako i nga whakahaere matauranga, na ratou te whakapikinga i te reo i kawe, otira me whakamoemiti hoki etahi ropu e rua, he tautohetohe tonu te mahi a tetahi ki tetahi - ara, nga tangata wawahi taha o te ao Maori, me nga nuipepa, whare papaho auraki o te motu.
"Kaore te hunga wawahi taha nei i te tino paingia e aua niupepa, engari, me kore ake ratou i huri mai ai nga whakaaro me nga tikanga o te iwi nui tonu."
Kei te noho tonu ko te tapepe o te whakahua tetahi take nui, heoi ano, he mea tino pai kia rangona nga kaipapaho auraki e whakamahi nei i te reo ia ra, ia ra.
I eke te kaute o nga kupu i mohiotia paitia e John Campbell o TV3 ki te 17 o te 20. Ka puta tana whakamihi kia ora ki te hunga mataki ia po. Waihoki ko tona hoa i Close Up, a Mark Sainsbury, he 17 tana i mohio ai.
Engari mo ta raua, ko Geoff Robinson o Te Purongo O Te Ata ke te tangata ka 20, tika katoa, me tana whakaaro ki te hoiho ehara ko te hoiho tumomo kararehe - ko te hoiho tumomo manu rerekore, haere moana.
Ki a Rapata, "kei te nunuitanga atu o nga kupu Maori i nga papahotanga auraki, ko te painga atu mo te reo."
Ki a Tame Roa, tetahi tangata tautohito mo nga korero o Tainui me nga tikanga, he mea tino ataahua kia kite i te tini o te iwi Pakeha kua huri mai ki te hapai i te reo.
"Kei te rongo au i te tini o te Pakeha e korero ana mo a ratou 'mokopuna,' kua mahue te whakahua i te kupu grandchild ... kua timata te pera i te humarire o te kupu pea, ma wai e whakahe."
