How common is "kia ora" in New Zealand English?
As I understand it, the Maori greeting "kia ora" is used by many New Zealanders.
How likely is this greeting to be used in New Zealand English by people who don't speak Maori?
On one end of the scale, it could be in common, everyday use. On the other end, it could be something only bilingual Maori/English speakers use while code-switching between Maori and English.
(Someone with experience conversing in New Zealand would be able to answer this question much better than someone who's never set foot in that country.)
It appears that some Maori expressions, such as "Kia ora" are common usage in New Zeland according to the following sources:
New Zealand English by Jennifer Hay,Margaret Maclagan,Elizabeth Gordon:
- In the mid-1980s a Maori telephone operator was censured for using the standard Maori greeting kia ora. Twenty years later the use of kia ora is completely unremarkable. It is regularly used.
From Wikipedia:
"Kia ora" (literally "be healthy") is a Māori term of greeting, meaning "hello" or "welcome". It can also mean "thank you", or signify agreement with a speaker at a meeting. The Māori greetings "tēnā koe" (to one person), "tēnā kōrua" (to two people) or "tēnā koutou" (to three or more people) are also widely used, as are farewells such as "haere rā".
The Māori phrase "kia kaha", "be strong", is frequently encountered as an indication of moral support for someone starting a stressful undertaking or otherwise in a difficult situation. Although previously in common usage it became an iconic
From The Godzone Dictionary: Of Favourite New Zealand Words and Phrases:
- Kia ora: (Maori) A versatile Maori term of greeting and approbation. It is often thought to mean hello, but although it is used as a greeting it is more accurately translated as a 'hope for good health'.
Ngram Kia ora
It really depends on the person, but there are definitely many people who use Maori expressions without speaking Maori. I'd bet that there are more people who don't speak Maori but use Maori expressions than there are people who speak Maori.