america newzealand vocab

8/7/2019 america newzealand vocab

1/8

American Versus New Zealand VocabularyThe New Zealand variation of English is called "New Zild" which is firmly based on British English. For

that reason, there are quite a few differences compared to American English, which resulted in a few blanklooks in the first few years when I was speaking to Americans.

Unfortunately, one of the biggest mistakes you can make when learning American English is to imaginethat there is such a thing! There are many American Englishes, with regional variations in many parts ofthe country. The differences I've noted below are all from experience, but they're not necessarily trueeverywhere in the country. In the most unlikely places you'll find American's using "New Zealand"vocabulary rather than the "American" vocabulary I've listed below! I made the same mistake when I firstcame to America regarding "American" pronunciation. I knew that there was a Southern accent, and Iassumed that everyone else fitted into a pigeonhole which I labeled the Northern accent. Of course there'sno such thing, instead there's a New Jersey (perhaps I should say Noo Joisey) accent, a New England

accent, a Mid-Western accent, a Minnesota or Northern Michigan accent, and a plethora of others!Maori Words

Food and CookingAround the HouseCars and Driving

Around and AboutMiscellaneous

Spelling DifferencesMaori Words

One of the main things which separates New Zild from other types of English are the words borrowedfrom the language of the Maori, the polynesian inhabitants of New Zealand who arrived some 500 to 1000years before Europeans. The most striking evidence of these borrowed words is in the hundreds andhundreds of Maori placenames all over New Zealand, with some real tongue-twisters for the uninitiated, like

Ngaruawahia, Paraparaumu, and the ultimate example:Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, which translates into English as "theplace where Tamatea, the man with big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as'landeater,' played his flute to his loved one". It's considered by most of the people who know about suchthings to be the longest place name in the world.

Actually, Maori place names are really easier than English place names to pronounce, because they'retotally phonetic, only pure vowels are used and there are only 16 letters in the Maori alphabet!

Here's a list of ordinary Maori words which all New Zealanders know:


2/8

Aotearoa New Zealand, "land of the long white cloud"aroha lovehaka dancehangi food cooked in an earth ovenhui meetingiwi tribekai foodkumara sweet potatomarae community gathering place with several buildingspa fortresspakeha Europeanpaua abalonepoi ball with a string tied to it, swung in intricate rhythmic patterns by women

during a haka, often in pairstangi funeraltaniwha a type of water-dwelling monstertapu sacred, from the same Polynesian word that provided the English word"taboo".utu revengewaka

canoe

whanau familywhare house

But there are plenty of other differences between New Zild and American English which have nothing to dowith the Maori language:Food and CookingNEW ZEALAND AMERICAbrown bread wheat breadwhite bread white breadmincemeat ground beefbeef patty salisbury steak


3/8

blue vein cheese blue cheesebrawn head cheesebacon rasher bacon slice(hot) chips

(french) fries

hot dog corn dogAmerican hot dog hot dogfish fingers fish stickscrayfish lobstershrimpprawn shrimpfilled roll

hoagiesub (New York)poor boy (Louisiana)hero

biscuit cookieporridge oatmealicing sugar powdered sugargolden syrup molassescandy floss cotton candysoft drink

sodapop (Chicago)soda pop

sweetslollies candysmarties M and Msjelly jellojam jellycapsicum bell peppersweet pepperbeetroot red beetswede rutabagatelegraph cucumber English cucumberspring onions green onionsrock melon cantaloupekiwifruit kiwitasty cheddar cheese sharp cheddar cheeseto grill to broil


4/8

to barbecue to grillto barbecuechilly bin coolerice chestAround the HouseNEW ZEALAND AMERICAflat apartmentflatmate roommatetoiletbog (very colloquial) bathroomdunny toilettap faucettea towel dish towelcupboard cabinetbench counterpower socket electric outletelectric lead electric cableelectric cord electric cordelectric cable electric cablegarage sale yard salewriting pad writing tablet (but writing pad is used in Texas)guillotine paper cutterrubber eraserdrawing pin thumb tacktorch flashlightclothes peg clothes pinduvet comforterjersey sweaterjandals flip flopsrunning shoes sneakersgumboots galoshestogs bathing suit


5/8

Cars and DrivingNEW ZEALAND AMERICAbonnet hoodboot trunkwing fenderwindscreen windshieldwindow winder window regulatoraccelerator gas pedal (but accelerator is used in Texas)hand brake

parking brake

indicator blinkertowbar hitchtyre tirewheel nuts lug nutsspanner wrenchjumper leads booster cables (but "jumper cables" is used in some places)split pin roll pinpetrol gasto pink to lugto top up to top offto take away (food) to goinsurance excess insurance deductiblemotorway freewayroundabout traffic circlezig-zag switchbackcar park parking lotjudder bar speed bumpglove box glove compartment

Around and About


6/8

NEW ZEALAND AMERICAfootpathpavement sidewalkroad surface pavementpedestrian crossing crosswalkpower pole telegraph polelift elevatorelevator elevatorshop storeshop (Chicago)shopping trolley shopping cartdairy convenience store

7/11chemistpharmacy pharmacytoilet

bathroomwashroomrestroom

tip garbage dumpwharf dockjumbo bin dumpstertramping hiking

MiscellaneousNEW ZEALAND AMERICAbum bag fanny packhaemorrhoids hemorrhoidsnappy diaperdummy pacifierconcrete block cinder blockgib/gib board/gibraltor board sheet rockaxe ax or axe (axe is used in Texas and elsewhere)primary school elementary schoolgrade school


7/8

high schoolcollege high schooluniversity

collegeschooluniversitystaff room teachers' lounge

duster eraserwriting pad writing tabletground floor first floormum mompost, postman mail, mailmanchippie carpenter(cow) cockie farmerbirdwatcher birderbusker street musiciangirl guide girl scoutstirrer troublemakerbludger freeloaderladybird ladybugstick insect walking stickslater pill bugjellyfish jellyvacationholiday vacationstatutory holiday holidaysmoko coffee breakflypast flyby, flyovertopdresser crop dustercowpat cow chipcow piedodgy flakypissed drunkangry pissedcrooksick

sickanti-clockwise counter-clockwise


8/8

counter-clockwise counter-clockwiseousting ousterbill (in a restaurant) checkflipper (footwear for divers)

fin

out back in backspat spitdragged drug (in New Jersey and some other places)sawn-off sawed-off'.' = full stop '.' = period'#' = hash '#' = pound'!' = exclamation mark '!' = bang or exclamation mark

Spelling DifferencesNEW ZEALAND AMERICAaluminium aluminumcentre, metre... center, meter...cheque checkcolour, flavour... color, flavor...dived dovedialogue dialogfocussed, focussing focused, focusinggrey grayjudgement judgmentmaths mathmoustache mustacheplough plowprogramme programstaunch (to stop the flow of something) stanch or staunchstorey story (of a building)traveller travelerlabelled labeled

Documents

america newzealand vocab