Te reo Māori and bilingual content

Bilingual content

In this section

• Translating content
• Te reo Māori translations
• Providing resources in other languages

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Translating content

Do not use Google translate to translate content, as it is not always accurate.

• Think carefully about when and how you use translations. Get advice from a cultural advisor to make sure you use them appropriately.
• Make sure you can keep your translated content up to date.
• Test your translated content with fluent speakers to make sure it meets their needs.

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Te reo Māori translations

It is important that we use te reo Māori correctly on the AT Website. If you have any questions about using te reo Māori or need a te reo Māori translation, contact the Māori Policy and Engagement team.

View an example of fully translated te reo Māori content.

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Providing resources in other languages

Resources must be translated by a professional translator.

When listing resources with translations on the website:

• put the English version of the resource first
• list the same translation of the resource's title used in the resource itself
• use a translated call to action in the same language as the resource.

View an example of translated resources on the website.

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Te reo Māori

Te Reo Māori is one of Aotearoa New Zealand's official languages. It is a fundamental part of Māori identity and wellbeing in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. AT's commitment to a Māori Language that is seen and heard will ensure this tāonga tuku iho (precious inheritance) flourishes for generations to come.

We can help meet this commitment by using and normalising te reo Māori in our digital content, as guided by the Auckland Council Māori Language Policy.

We refer to the 'Guidelines for Māori Language Orthography' by Te Taura Whiti I te Reo Māori The Māori Language Commission when writing in te reo Māori.

In this section

• In-text
• Place names
• Government entities
• Page titles
• Other titles and subheadings
• Macrons
• Plurals and possession
• Referring to te reo Māori
• AT product names

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In-Text

Always use approved words from AT's kuputaka Māori (Māori glossary), followed by an English translation in brackets.

An exception is when the words or phrases are so commonly used that a translation is unnecessary. 

Translate te reo Māori words sparingly so you don’t overwhelm the reader. Avoid translating entire sentences and phrases.

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Place names

Put the te reo Māori word first for place names. Separate the names with a forward slash.

Exception: Waitematā Station (Britomart)

Some places have 2 te reo Māori names. Include both te reo Māori names, separated by a forward slash, before the English name.

Include hyphens for proper names containing 7 or more syllables.

If hyphens are an issue, you can remove them and use a space instead.

Read more about te reo Māori place names.

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Government entities

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Page titles

L1 and L2 pages

L1 pages are the high-level pages that sit directly under the website’s home page. L2 pages sit directly under L1 pages.

L1 and L2 pages must have both a te reo Māori and an English page title. All other pages should only have an English title. English titles can include te reo words, such as Ōrākei.

You can use an ampersand with te reo Māori titles.

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Other titles and subheadings

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Macrons

Always check the correct spelling of Māori place names for “tohutō” or “macrons”. These are symbols that indicate long vowel sounds in te reo Māori.

Macrons used in te reo Māori are Āā, Ēē, Īī, Ōō, Ūū.

Macrons are important, as they guide pronunciation, which can change the meaning of a word.

Checking for macrons is especially important for road and street names, where macrons are often missing on older signage.

Useful reference points include:

• Te Aka Māori Dictionary
• Auckland streets and parks names.

To add macrons, you will need to download and install a Māori keyboard on your device.

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Plurals and possession

Be careful when using plurals in te reo Māori as the language does not follow the same rules as English.

In English, we add an 's' or 'es' at the end of a word to show that we are talking about more than one thing. 

In te reo Māori, we use a separate word altogether (ngā) placed before the noun. Never add 's' to the end of a te reo Māori word.

When using plurals or possession, change the structure of the sentence itself.

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Referring to 'te reo Māori'

When referring specifically to the Māori language, use the full term 'te reo Māori'.

Avoid using the shortened phrase 'te reo' by itself as this refers to language generally. For example, te reo Pākehā (English) or te reo Itāria (Italian).

Never say 'the te reo Māori', as 'te' is the equivalent of 'the' in English.

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AT product names

Don’t include te reo Māori translations for AT products, such as:

• AT Mobile
• Journey Planner
• AT HOP.

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