Talking Kiwi

I am settling into New Zealand, helped by the fact that I think I have learnt to speak the lingo. There seems to be one main rule: when you’ve got a country to build then don’t waste time speaking. So everything gets shortened, vowels and words in particular. The word vegetable doesn’t exist; even the Australian ‘Veggy’ is passed over – they are considered far too loquacious. No, for New Zealanders, Vege get’s the meaning across just fine.

And so it goes on, dropping letters wherever you can; they are just soooo superfluous – as with Ute, a utility vehicle or any well used truck. A Bach is a weekend cottage – from the term batchelor pad.

If you go for a smoking break – back in the days when such things were done - then it’s a smoko. Some words don’t even have a UK link. Perhaps hiking was invented after New Zealanders decided to invent their own words, not just shorten others. So for them it’s tramping.

A final pointer, to get the accent right it pays to also shorten the vowel: a becomes e, e becomes i and o becomes u; as in weter (the stuff), witter (soaking) and, oh you get the idea.

But that said, they have very polite and waited patiently for me to finish what I wanted to say, even though I take an age to say it.

That's a Bach in the background - just the sort of place that a lady would like to be invited back to