Kia ora e oha! Dozens of Maori words added to Oxford English dictionary

London: The Oxford English Dictionary has added dozens of words from the indigenous language Māori of New Zealand. The institution made the move to recognise the "profound and lasting impact" the indigenous language has had on the island nation's language.

47 new words from New Zealand were added to the dictionary and most of them are from te reo Māori, the official language of New Zealand. The language of indigenous tribes has become part of the vocabulary of Pākehā (non-Māori) English speakers of the country. Some of the popular words added to the dictionary are Kia ora e hoa! (meaning "hi mate"), koha (a gift or offering), kōrero (a conversation or chat), reported The Guardian.

Some Māori concepts do not have exact English translations but are still added to the OED due to their popularity. A Māori native person's land is called whenua and rāhui is a formal or ritualised prohibition against entering an area or doing an activity. The dictionary has not spelled the words with macrons which are common in New Zealand and signifies double vowel sounds.

Non-Māori words spoken by New Zealanders added to the dictionary are after-ball (party held after a ball), flat stick (as quickly as possible), chur (all-purpose positive acknowledgment. There are also words that are a mix of Māori and English. One of them is taihoa - a request for someone to be patient. Most people on the island pronounce it as "tie-ho" without even realising it is a Māori word which shows the blend and evolution of two cultures.