New Zealand English

English is the predominant language and a de

facto official language of New Zealand. Almost the entire
population speak it either as native speakers or
proficiently as a second language. The New Zealand
English dialect is most similar to Australian English in
pronunciation, with some key differences. 
 New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) has been an official language since 2006. 

New Zealand Sign

Language has its roots
in British Sign Language
(BSL), and may be technically
considered a dialect of British,
Australian and New Zealand
Sign Language (BANZSL).
There are 62.5% similarities
found in British Sign
Language and NZSL,
compared with 33% of NZSL
signs found in American Sign
Language.
 English is spoken by
95.4 percent of the population. It has
long been the predominant language
and the de facto official language. It
is the primary language used in
parliament, government, the courts,
and the education system. Its official
status has been presumed and is not
codified in statute.
 The way we speak English sounds very different to the way it's spoken in the USA or the United
Kingdom.  Sometimes referred to as a ‘colonial twang’, the New Zealand accent really is special. Some people
mistake it for the Australian accent but it's not quite the same – it's a little softer sounding and is said to be
based on the accent of south-east England, where a lot of the first European settlers to New Zealand came
from. We've also got a lot of words in English that are our very own that even our Australian neighbours don't
recognise! 
 Here are some things you might notice about the
way Kiwis speak English: 

Kiwis speak fast! 

Vowels (the sounds the letters A, E, I, O, and U make) can sound very different in New
Zealand English compared to American English or standard English spoken in the United
Kingdom. For example the word 'kit' in New Zealand English sounds more like 'cut'. 

The 'r' sound is often very soft when Kiwis speak and sometimes it's hard to hear it at all! For
example, the word 'farm' sounds more like 'faahm'. This can be confusing for anyone who has
learnt American English where the 'r' sound is very obvious.

Kiwis often speak with a rising tone at the end of a sentence making it sound like they are
asking a question. 

An ‘l’ after a vowel can sometimes sound like a vowel sound – so ‘feel’ is pronounced ‘fee-u’.
 Common New Zealand words

A bit: A little (for example if someone says, "I only want a bit" it means 'I only want a little' or if someone says
"I feel a bit sad" it means they feel 'a little sad'). Kiwis use this often 
All good: That’s ok, never mind
Bro: Friend ('bro' is short for 'brother' but is usually used in the context of calling someone your friend)
Jandals: Flip flops, also known as thongs
Jumper: Sweater, also known as a pull over
Kiwi: New Zealanders, also a native bird
Mate: Friend
Yeah nah: Yes, but… (sometimes Kiwis use this phrase during a conversation to fill space or give them some
thinking time, a bit like 'um'. Occasionally you'll hear someone say "Nah, yeah", which means 'no, but...'
You right?: Are you ok? Is everything ok?
Everything is good as gold: Everything is great (if someone asks you "how is everything?" you
can also just reply "Good as gold.")
He is packing a sad: He is upset, for example 'Mark is packing a sad' means 'Mark is upset'
I had a mare last night / I'm having a mare: I had a bad time last night / I'm having a hard
time ('mare' comes from 'nightmare')
I’m chokka: I’m full (I've eaten enough). 'Chokka' comes from an older slang term 'chokka-
block', which means to be full up
I’m feeling crook: I’m feeling ill
I’m gutted: I’m disappointed
I'm keen: I'm interested, I want to (for example,  you might say "I'm keen to go to the beach
today.")
It’s a cracker of a day: It’s a beautiful day (the weather is lovely)
Let’s hit up Maccas: Go to (for example, you might say to your friends "Let’s go to
McDonald’s")
Looks a bit sus: It looks a bit suspicious
She's a hard case: She's funny
Thank you for your
attention!