AOTEAROA?

Thank you!

Are-awe-tear-are-roar-are....

This pronunciation should get you pretty damn close ... try saying it fast and roll the R in roar.

The translation is ~ land of the long white cloud ...

Hi there
This is a tricky one because the correct maori way cannot really be spelt out phonetically.
But simply it's as spelt
A as in the letter - O as in the letter
TE as in teh - A as in Ah but short -
ROA as it is spelt,
hope this helps but in the Maori pronunciation the letters are not separated but run quite lyrically together.

Kathynz, I have to disagree with you on this one, the Maori pronunciation of words is quite easily broken up phonetically ... just as with any language.

The English vowels and Maori vowels have totally different sounds so instead of A-E-I-O-U we have aahh, air, eee, awe, ooo (as in boo)

Learning to pronounce the Maori vowels properly is the first step to pronouncing Maori words correctly.

Incorrect pronunciation is widely accepted in NZ and confusion reigns but if you get the vowels right, the rest should follow.

oh, dear. now i'l never get it right! thanks to both of you!

Hey there hotandsweaty ...don't throw in the towel just yet.
It's not really that hard, just practice those vowels and , as Kathynz said, run the sounds lyrically together and voila...you have done it.

A few more words to practice with ...

Rotorua =( Raw - tour -roo - aah )

Taupo = (Toe - paw )

Tauraunga = (toe - rung - aah )

Have fun ...
Christa

Heavens above Christa, don't give up your day job!!!