Navigation for The Macmillan Brown Lectures
2005 - Finding Our Own Voice
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Macmillan Brown lecture 1, 2005
The New Zealand accent was first noticed around 1900 when it was called a 'colonial twang'. Recordings of old New Zealanders collected in the 1940's by the New Zealand National Broadcasting Service… Read more Audio
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Macmillan Brown lecture 2, 2005
'Afghans' and 'cheerios', 'kiwi' and 'iwi': the words we use. The beginnings of New Zealand English go back to the time when Captain Cook borrowed Maori words into English. In this lecture Elizabeth… Read more Audio
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Macmillan Brown lecture 3, 2005
'A whirlpool of impure vocalisation': attitudes to New Zealand English. When the New Zealand accent was first noticed it was roundly condemned. Critics said it was the product of poor homes and… Read more Audio