DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT METAPHORS

Intra-group differences in the experiences of Māori

George Ann Gregory, Ph.D.University of Maryland University CollegeCentral New Mexico Community College

Jeanette King, Ph.D.University of Canterbury

Locations where interviews were conducted

5 Metaphor Sets were analyzed

JOURNEY/PATH

SEA/WATER

BATTLE

TREASURE

MUSIC

Metaphor sets were analyzed across three comparisons.First/Second Language

North Island/South IslandMales/Females

JOURNEY/PATH

74 instances

Number of speakers using this were almost equivalent for first (as children) and second (as adults): 14 for first, 16 for second. Second lg speakers used this metaphor slightly more frequenlty

than first lg speakers.

Males and females used this in equivalent amounts: 38 instances by males, 36 instances by females.

North Islanders used these metaphors 2.5 times more frequently than South Islanders.

Examples of metaphors in this set

That’s my journeyIt’s not an easy path.On the same canoe

We paddle our waka together.

Uses of Journey/Path metaphors in Māori culture

Traditional Sources

“And do not descend too near to the common places,Project your journey to Ngapunarua”

He waiata oriori (a lullaby)

“(His spirit) strives in vain to open up the pathwayTo the tasty tiotio loosened with the māpou”

He tangi mō tāna tama (A lament for her son)

“This then was your pathway”He tangi (A Lament)

Contemporary Source

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu [Ngāi Tahu council] acted as the Kaihautū [leader]to steer his waka [canoe] through its journey to discovery.

(from Ngāi Tahu website)

Metaphors in the Journey/Path set

EXPERIENCES WITH THE LANGUAGE IS A JOURNEY

LIFE IS A JOURNEYMĀORIDOM OR MĀORITANGA IS A

JOURNEY

SEA/WATER

70 instances

Those who learned Māori as adults used these almost 2 to 1 to those who learned Māori as children.

Males used this metaphor 2.5 times more frequently than females.

South Islanders used this metaphor 1.5 more frequently than North Islanders.

Examples of metaphors from this set

Growing up in the languageYou are surrounded by it.

Dive into the deep languageIt will go in ebb and flows.

It can stagnate.[rural areas] are the spring from which the culture emanates

Sources of SEA/WATER Metaphors from Māori Culture

For your departure has caused the earth to tremble,And the tides of Waikato are on the ebb.

He tangi mō te hiakai (A lament for Te Hiakai)

Religious Ovetones to Water

“What is there to do? Nought else but to be taken to the watersTo remove the tapu, and thus set me free.”

He waiata tangi ( A lament)

“Thus bringing forth Hine-haehaemanga,Who giveth the water to sustain thee.”

He oriori mō Te Ua-o-te-rangi (A lullabuy for Te Ua-o-te-rangi)

Metaphors in the SEA/WATER set

LANGUAGE IS THE SEA (CONTAINER)

LAND IS THE SOURCE (OF CULTURE)

BATTLE

61 instances

Male and females used this metaphor in roughly equivalent amounts: 31 for males, 30 for females.

North Islanders used this metaphor 1.33 more times than South Islanders.

Those who learned Māori as adults used these 2.2 times more frequently than those who learned Māori as children.

Examples of metaphors from this set

I’ve drawn a line in the sand.It’s been a real hard battle.

They had it beaten out of them.It’s an on-going struggle.

Sources for BATTLE metaphors in Māori culture

Traditional

“Thou comest unheralded upon Ahitawa,From a battle fought and lost.”

He tangi (A lament)

“A battlefield lay across your pathway”He tangi pouraru (A widow’s lament)

Contemporary

Maori battle for equal rights BBC World News Sept. 2, 1999

“A haka [war chant] was traditionally performed before charging into battle.”

Newsfinder November 2, 2010

Metaphors in the BATTLE set

LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION IS A BATTLE

LANGUAGE LEARNING IS A BATTLE

TREASURE

17 instances

Those who learned Māori as chldren used this metaphor 2.33 more frequently than those who learned Māori as adults.

Males used this metaphor twice as frequently as females.

North Islanders used this 2.33 more frequently than South Islanders

Examples in this set

It’s such an ancient thing.You should just treasure it.

They [speakers] are treasures.Language as taonga [treasure]

Sources for TREASURE metaphors in Māori culture

The primary source is taonga, which is translated as treasure.

Treaty of Waitangi (1840) Guarantees protection of Māori taonga or cultural treasures.

The 1987 Māori language act includes the Māori language as taonga.

Contemporary

…treasure them [Kāi Tahu waiata in their dialect)From a Kāi [Ngāi] Tahu web page.

Metaphors in TREASURE set

LANGUAGE IS A TREASURE.

LANGUAGE LEARNING IS A TREASURE.

MĀORI SPEAKERS ARE A TREASURE.

MUSIC

14 instances

There was no real difference in use between those who learned Māori as adults and those who learned Māori as children (8 and 6).

North Islanders used this metaphor 6 times more frequently than South Islanders.

Females used this metaphor 1.5 times more frequently than males.

Examples in this set

It can give you noise—happy.Language is a vibration of ourselves.

It has musicality.

Sources for MUSIC metaphors from Māori culture

From Interviews

“My first introduction was from waiata or song.”

The maximum of our exposure to the language would be in the school concerts, learning the waiata or our songs

and action songs

And was when we learnt a Māori song at school taught to us by the Pakeha teachers

Metaphors in MUSIC set

MĀORI LANGUAGE IS MUSIC.

Conclusions

The metaphors analyzed in this study have their roots in Māori language and culture.

The findings are consistent with the previous work by King (2003, 2007) and Gregory (2010).

The findings also confirm that culture and individual experience play important roles in choices of metaphors (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980).

Universal metaphors, such as LIFE IS A JOURNEY, do have a cultural component (Kövecses, 2005).

Gender differences have not been previously explored.

Traditional Examples

Ngata, Sir Apirana. 2004. Ngā Mōteatea: The Songs, part 1. Auckland: Aukland University Press.

Ngata, Sir Apirana. 2005. Ngā Mōteatea: The Songs, part 2. Aukland: Aukland University Press.

Contemporary Examples

Ngāi Tahu. 2009. Waiata. Retrieved 11/1/2010 from http://www.kmk.maori.nz/downloads/waiata.php.