The quest is on for the best New Zealand quotes of 2020, and Massey University is calling on the public to help find them. From elections to lockdowns, there have been plenty of life-altering events to give rise to memorable one-liners.
“If there’s a phrase or sentence that stayed in your mind throughout the year, we’d love to hear from you,” competition organiser, Dr Heather Kavan says.
The competition is now in its tenth year. Throughout this time, the public have drawn on diverse sources to find the quotes. “We’ve received quotes from speeches, news interviews, social media, stand-up comedy, advertisements, television, and movies.”
We’re calling on the public for nominations and then the university’s judging panel select the top ten, which then go to the public vote. Dr Kavan says that the public often prefer different quotes to the ones experts choose. “We tend to look for variety because some voters like deep and meaningful quotes, while others scan the list for the funniest quote.
“A really good quote is usually one that people like irrespective of whether they agree with the speaker’s viewpoint.
“Unscripted quotes usually do well, especially blunders. Speakers can spend years honing their command of language only to find that people prefer their mistakes to their eloquence,” she says.
All types of quotes are welcome. “The words can be rousing, tragic, beautiful, controversial, hilarious, unexpected, or even embarrassing.”
First, check that the quote was said or written by a New Zealander or a person living in New Zealand this year.
Nominate the quote here. Nominations close at midnight on November 30. We will publicise the top ten in early December and you can vote for your favourite. The winner will be announced during the week of 21 December.
Massey University Quote of the Year is back for 2020 and we're calling on the public to nominate this year's best.
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