Editing South Island (section)

==Naming and usage==
[[File:New Munster in New Zealand (1846).svg|thumb|upright|The South Island (political geography including [[Stewart Island]] and smaller surrounding islands), in relation to the [[North Island]]]]

The island has been known in English as the '''South Island''' for many years. The [[Māori language|Te Reo Māori]] name for it '''{{Lang|mi|Te Waipounamu}}''' now also has official recognition.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.linz.govt.nz/consultations/te-waipounamu |title=Place name proposal – Te Waipounamu |date=4 April 2013 |publisher=[[Toitū Te Whenua]] |access-date=13 July 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713145636/https://www.linz.govt.nz/consultations/te-waipounamu |archive-date=13 July 2024 }}</ref><ref name=officially>{{cite news |title=Two official options for NZ island names |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11138153 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=10 October 2013 |date=10 October 2013 }}</ref> The name is most often translated to mean "the water(s) of [[pounamu]]",<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/1000-maori-place-names |title=1000 Māori place names |publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage |date=6 August 2019 }}</ref> but possibly evolved from ''Te Wāhi Pounamu'' ("the place of [[pounamu]]").{{cn|date=February 2025}} It was first recorded in English by Captain [[James Cook]] on his [[First voyage of James Cook#New Zealand|voyage to New Zealand in 1769]]. North Island iwi alternatively used the name ''Te Waka-a-Māui'' ("the canoe of [[Māui]]") for the South Island.<ref name=nzgb2013>{{cite news |url=https://www.linz.govt.nz/sites/default/files/consult/nzgb_ministers-report_alternative-names-two-main-islands_20130820.pdf |title=New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa proposals to assign alternative official geographic names for New Zealand's two main islands: summary of submissions and the Board's decision |publisher=New Zealand Geographic Board |date=20 August 2013 |access-date=11 February 2025 |page=3 }}</ref>

In the 19th century, some maps identified the South Island as ''Middle Island'' or ''[[New Munster Province|New Munster]]'' (named after [[Munster]] province in Southern Ireland) with the name ''South Island'' or ''[[New Leinster]]'' was used for today's [[Stewart Island / Rakiura]].<ref name="TeAra_Provinces">{{cite journal |last1=Paterson |first1=Donald Edgar |editor1-last=McClintock |editor1-first=A. H. |title=New Leinster, New Munster, and New Ulster' |journal=An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand |date=1966 |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/provinces |access-date=5 April 2020 |location=New Zealand }}</ref> In 1907, the Minister for Lands gave instructions to the Land and Survey Department that the name Middle Island was not to be used in the future. "South Island will be adhered to in all cases".<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[Taranaki Herald]] |date=30 July 1907 |page=4 |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TH19070730.2.22 |title=The Waitara Harbour Bill }}</ref>

Although the island had been known as the South Island for many years, in 2009 the [[New Zealand Geographic Board]] found that along with the North Island, the South Island had no official name.<ref>{{cite web |title=The New Zealand Geographic Board Considers North and South Island Names |url=http://www.linz.govt.nz/placenames/about-geographic-board/nzgb-news-notices/2009/0421-alternative-maori-names |publisher=Land Information New Zealand |access-date=10 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214154742/http://www.linz.govt.nz/placenames/about-geographic-board/nzgb-news-notices/2009/0421-alternative-maori-names |archive-date=14 February 2013 }}</ref> After a public consultation, the board officially named the island ''South Island or Te Waipounamu'' in October 2013.<ref name=officially/>

In prose, the two main islands of New Zealand are called ''the North Island'' and ''the South Island'', with the [[definite article]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Williamson |first1=Maurice |title=Names of NZ's two main islands formalised |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/names-nz%E2%80%99s-two-main-islands-formalised |website=Beehive.govt.nz |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=10 April 2020 |date=11 October 2013 }}</ref> It is also normal to use the [[preposition]] ''in'' rather than ''on'', for example "Christchurch is in the South Island", "my mother lives in the South Island".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/styleguide/n ''Guardian'' and ''Observer'' style guide: N ("New Zealand")], ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 6 May 2012</ref> Maps, headings, tables, and adjectival expressions use ''South Island'' without "the".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Place name maps and publications {{!}} Toitū Te Whenua – Land Information New Zealand |url=https://www.linz.govt.nz/products-services/place-names/place-name-maps-and-publications |access-date=14 February 2023 |website=linz.govt.nz |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=24 October 2011 |title=New Zealand country profile |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15357770 |access-date=14 February 2023 }}</ref>

As it is 32% larger than the North Island but contains less than a quarter of the country's population, the South Island is sometimes humorously nicknamed the "mainland" of New Zealand by its residents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Island of New Zealand |url=http://explorenewzealand.net.nz/SouthIsland.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=explorenewzealand.net.nz }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Meier |first1=Cecile |date=10 September 2015 |title=South Island the true Mainland: Cecile Meier |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/71913355/south-island-the-true-mainland-cecile-meier |access-date=13 April 2020 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en }}</ref>