Like most former British colonies, New Zealanders speak English - albeit with a uniquely kiwi twist.
New Zealand has two official languages - Maori and English - though the use of Maori as a first language is not widespread. Even so, many place names are Maori in origin (try tongue-twisters such as Paekakariki, Turangawaewae or Ngaruawahia!), and most government agencies have bilingual names.
New Zealand English is, in itself, a unique language full of many colloquialisms foreigners will find challenging at times to decipher.
So, if you don't know how to rattle your dags, no worries mate - she'll be right!
Some common Kiwi colloquialisms you may encounter:
Farming
Cockey | Farmer |
"the girls" | The cows (as in dairy cows) |
Tape | Tape for electric fence to divide an existing paddock |
"The shed" | Usually the milking shed if on a dairy farm |
Bike | Refers usually to 4 wheeler motorbike |
2 wheeler | Refers to 2 wheel motorbike |
Rotary shed | Automatic milking shed where cows stand on a rotating platform |
Herringbone shed | Automatic milking shed where cows stand in two rows on either side of a "pit" from where the milkers put on "cups" |
Cups | Suction mechanisms on milking machines |
Smoko | Break |
Hairy | Young dairy farm worker |
hard yakka | Hard work |
Post Batten | Fence made of wooden posts with smaller supporting wooden "battens" |
Silage | Decomposed maize or grass often stored in silage pits in the ground covered by plastic and fed out to stock as supplementary feed |
Wrapped bale | Large round bales of hay, wrapped in plastic to create a decomposing effect (fed as supplementary feed) |
Grass based system | Dairy farm relying largely on pastures for feed, very little supplementary feed |
High input system | Dairy farm using substantial supplementary feed in addition to the grass grown on farm |
Condition score | Condition of stock, particularly important before mating and during and after pregnancy |
Plate Meter | Device to measure grass cover on the farm |
Milk Solids | Measured in kilograms ("kgms") |
Runoff | A supporting farm used to graze non-milking stock. |
Young stock | Replacement heifers |
Cross breds | New Zealand style cross between Fresians and Jersey dairy breeds |
Composite Breeds | Usually in sheep - refers to the introduction of High fertility breeds such as East Fresian and Finns and crossing them with traditional breeds such as Romneys to push up lambing percentages |
AB | Artificial Breeding (Artificial insemination) |
Races | Fenced walkways for stock to be moved easily around the farm |
Bobby calves | Four day old calves sold for slaughter |