Story: Linguistics

Richard Benton

Richard Benton

Richard Benton was a student of the linguist Bruce Biggs, and in the early 1970s undertook the first New Zealand sociolinguistic survey of knowledge and use of the Māori language. He found that only 5% of the Māori population spoke te reo Māori fluently, raising concerns about its long-term future unless efforts were made to increase its everyday use. Benton is shown here with anthropologist Judith Huntsman in 1995. 

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University of Auckland, Department of Anthropology, Anthropology Photographic Archive
Reference: 494310

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How to cite this page:

Janet Holmes, 'Linguistics - Linguistics in New Zealand', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/43840/richard-benton (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Janet Holmes, published 22 Oct 2014