Comments (Pronunciation Only)
I am of Cook Island descent and our pronunciation of the name Ngaire is identical to the Te Reo version. NGAI-REH The 'ng' sounds like the end of the word 'going, plus you need to roll the 'r'.
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I had a friend that came from Africa that spoke the Khoisan or Namibia click language - apparently, the "Ng" has a click sound... it has been over 30 years and my memory is not that great - but I loved how she pronounced my name.
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As I understand, Nyree Dawn Porter was given the name Ngaire at birth but once she had moved to the UK (not much in the way of acting opportunities in NZ in those days). She changed the spelling in an effort to get the British to pronounce it somewhat correctly. It would have been difficult or impossible for her to lecture the press or public in those days on the exact pronunciation (no internet). Perhaps she could have spelt it 'Nyray' but that doesn't do it either. Nyree was probably a better shot than being called 'In-gair' or something similar. Actually the burred 'r' is probably the hardest sound for English speakers unless you're Scottish. Maori had no written language & Latin (not English) writing/speaking conventions were introduced by classically taught Anglican Clergy for Maori pronunciation (white men again!) & so the eternal confusion. I recorded an elderly first-language Maori speaking gentleman some years ago and he bemoaned the fact very few pronounce Maori properly anymore by his standards including younger people who have been through Kohanga Reo; so in the greater scheme of things, do your best but no need to start 'pointing the finger' as the saying goes. It is a lovely name.
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Pronounced Ny-ree.
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It is not pronounced NY-REE. Ny-ree is a bastardized pronunciation. Could you at least get this lovely Maori name's pronunciation correct? It would be the respectable thing to do. It is NGAI-reh!
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"Anonymous User" above has the pronunciation correct. My mother's Irish parents bestowed her with 2 Maori names... Rewa Ngaire :-)
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This is said NGAI-reh, not nye-ree as it often seems to be mangled into. The ng- sound is distinct from a n- in English and sounds rather like the ng in sing. The second syllable rhymes with the first part of men, not with sea. [noted -ed]
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Comments are left by users of this website. They are not checked for accuracy.
(source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_language#Phonology) [noted -ed]