New Zealand legislation making English an official language ridiculed as ‘pathetic’

New Zealand's parliament has passed legislation giving English official status as a language of the country—the same formal recognition already held by te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. Per The Guardian, the move has drawn sharp criticism from linguists, legal experts, and a Māori MP, who called the bill pathetic, and the derision has gone viral. The criticism reflects an obvious tension: English is already spoken by ninety-five percent of New Zealanders, making the official designation essentially ceremonial.

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