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6/26/1969 - New Guinea English: “Yielding to the Studical Means” by Edward P. Wolfers

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS P O Box New Guinea English Port Moresby Yielding Studical Means Papua Territory Papua New Guinea June Mr Richard H Nolte Eecutive Director Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York United States America Dear Mr Nolte Language expression ideas people country cannot preserve identity ideas abstract ideas those concerned physical cultural environment cannot retain identity language people another country Thus seemed quite clear Noah Webster people United States America begun think sufficiently differently their British forefathers sometimes create words deserIbe vastly different physical cultural environment British Isles finally deserved their erican Dictio nary__ of___the_ Englis Language In following Edward GibbOnWakefield gloomily predicted Letter From Sy Bearing lowest class convicts3brought peculiar languageto Australia constantly supplied fresh corruption understand English likely become language colony And nearly years later authoritative dictionary Australian English process compilation University Sydney replace series amateurish attempts published intervening period Unfortunately however dictionary published President Nixon decode recent promise vindication dictionary Australian Prime Minister Mr Gorton waltzing matilda Papua small permanent English speaing population nearly century New Guinea fifty years It would surprising distinctive vocabulary New Guinea English begun emerge handle expatriate population ideas about plans change alien physical cultural environment Papua New Guinea Given comparatively socially quite marginal development educational facilities absence indigenous recorded literature indigenous impact English rather slight New Guinea English distinct Pidgin which although often derided New Guinea English language right still largely expatriate creation although situation respect changing quickly indeed I Newsletter ThC hanging V Terr itory Exatriate population New Guinea English spoken expatriate Australians different Australian English The Territ expatriate population tended homogeneous linguistically nationally least since Germans New Guinea Papua New Guinea become linguistic melting In addition movement between Territory Australia three months south least every years Territory permanent residents Papua New Guinea expatriate society never spring Australia Great Britain It quite p6ssible paraphrase George Bermard Shaw Australian Papua New Guinea mouth without making other Australian despise Indeed there probably discernible difference between pronunciation If Dr Halliday Sutherland wrote colonial accent Australia effects inflammation complaint which Australians suffer pollen produced thousands grasses Australia learned doctor attributed national pattern pronunciation surely grows rofusion throughout Papua New Guinea Despite versatility growing through range climates heights types physical terrain however articular types grasses responsible great Australian twang selective their impact affected pronunciation minority otherwise immune Papuans New Guineans The English vocabulary employed Australians Papua New Guinea however contains quite unique elements Relatively direct borrowings indigenous vernaculars interesting reflection perhaps infrequency unidirectional quality issuing orders English Pidgin rarely Police Motu rather conversing interracial interactions PapUa New Guinea Very Australians usually missionaries anthropologists bothered learn words greeting indigenous language Just thirds Territory expatriate population years claimed speak Pidgin Police Motu figures given circumstance quite likely exaggerations Probably third expatriate population Papua New Guinea could therefore converse indigenous Papuans New Guineans claimed equally uncertain grounds expatriate Pidgin Police Motu speakers speak Eglish Small wonder New Guinea English still borrowed about words Territory languages Australian English acquired Australia Aborigines Most borrowings local vernaculars New Guinea English tended thelanguages people contact Europeans longest Kuanua language Tolai Rabaul Motu which spoken around Por Moresby Most borrowings probably indirectly hrouh Pidgin rather frequently Police Motu The Tolai provided lUusi _ultml titles certain government appointed village officials alth0 original meanings terms quite drastically altered process More conventionally originally mussel shell generally Pidgin English goldlip shell which shaped crescent around Highlanders wooden taken unchanged Tolai describe facts which there ready English terms Motu ether provided uripuri sorcery carved ceremonial purposes hulled sailing squall storm wallaby often jocular New Guinea English Otherwise Motu provided those terms required bolster social statuses divisions colonial society taubada literally sinabada woman which origiaiy terms respect deScribing addressing great traditional leaders subsqumntly expropriated insisted English conversation appropriate terms before Papuas describing Europeans The Motu language source derogatory title often applied Territory expatriates anxious emphasise allegedly timeless quality Papua becomes Land Dohor_e while The Pidgin component vocabulary New Guinea English higher New Guinea Papua towns The terms provided definitive contains words shown brackets where known originally other languages entered English Pidgin The first version English underlined where spelling precise formulation coincides Pidgin The represents something compromise contains words thought definitely known Pidgin English while actual items listed represent something middlepoint between basically urban Australian vocabulary Port Moresby expatriate population New Guinea outstation The compiled primarily firsthand observation little published Papua New Guinea appearance print criterion inclusio glish tioAary Some relatively straightforward borrowings Pi baret Malay ditch drain furrow trench bighead Pidgin bighet proud proud overweening upstart bigheaded usually abuse bigheadedness hilum suspended women throughout Papua New Guinea Kuanua betel Arec____a catechu Kuanua native market assemble gather together gather round court Pidgin someone court I court means I court occasionally embarrassing ambiguity doubt romantically inclined didiman agricultural officer German rubber Pidgin English inner Kuanua earthquake tremor Pidgin kalka___ expression New Guinea English kaukau sweet potato species I A Pidgin expression patrol officer probably originally English captain hence number Pidgin nambawanki senior Administration field officer District Sub District kunai Kuanua grass grassland tomtom kusku_ New Ireland clerk waistcloth loincloth Pidgin English slang villager lucky Pidgin I sometimes involving gambling English lucky played Papuans New Guineans domestic personal servant mer___i English words Pidgin woman generally New Mary marry Guinea English derogatory slang describe indigenous women cooked method cooking steaming heated stones ground originally English derogatory expatriates refer clearly regard great amorphous Papuans New Guineans there Pidgin wantok speaker language generally friend usually expatriate New Guinea English describe indigenous friend another indigene German throw dismiss sarif pronounced there grass knife usually sharpened spelt sarip length Pidgin singsi indigenous festival ceremony usually accompanied singing dancing feasting _t_ambu Kuanua forbidden specifically forbidden Papuans New Guineans often accompanied public notices picture policeman stopping trafflm originally however English Some Pidgin terms undergone change meaning process entering New Guinea English Many changes associate racial assumptions social structure colonial society example tambu above Other expressions changed rather socially invidious Pidgin letter indicates New Guinea English letter given Papuan New Guinean explaining about recommending employment while going finish Pidgin means In New Guinea English going finish means going Australia intention returning Other Pidgin expressions New Guinea English cannot there rabis rubbish ofnoaccount havebeenabsorbedintotslngofNewGuineaEnglish local colour conversation They carry derogatory overtones New Guinea English their direct meanings imply Finally quite conventional English words phrases infrequently Australian English acquired rather greater currency New Guinea English conversation probably because their similarity certain Pidgin terms renders dialogue somewhat easier between atriates whose mother tongue English New Guineans prefer speak Pidgin Thus bugger buggered swearwords New Guinea English although quite neutral meaning Pid bagerap which means damaged ruined wrecked spoilt badly inured order tired The New Guinea English meaning Pidgin still quite polite conventional alternatives Words benzine petrol Pidgin bensi cargo baggage humbug calaboose forai kalabu_s k_anaka derogatory Polynesian origin indigen lollywater drink oliwara piccanlnny indigenous children i_nini savvy possible melding English savvy Pidgin knowledge standard English terms infrequently nAustralia In Papua New Guinea replace their alternatives because their simultaneous Pidgin cases Police Motu because their identity meaning spelling their Pidgin counterparts One teresting gauges changing structure Territory society relations would glossary terms expatriates describe Papuans New Guineans terms respect apparently acknowledged racial supremacy required return At present glossary would probably mease second aspect broad subject geographical dimensions social change another between change native indigene between Port Moresby other Territory cemtres Broadly study would increasing between between various urban mainland centres moves westwards Port Moresby secondly fantastic between public official terminology private conversational usages among expatriates Thus terms missus masta expatriate females males respectively addressed Papuans New Guineans respectfully New Guinea English sometimes offensively spelt although still applied indiscriminately adults indigenes generally expatriate employees underlings bushkanaka derogatory description villager For worth master missus sometimes replaced t_aub Papuans still quite frequently insisted appropriate terms Papuans New Guineans addressing Europeans Port Moresby which liberal freely intermixing Papua New Guinea Papuans New Guineans lucky called nothing worse variants cookboy Pidgin kukboi bossboy bosboi indigenous foreman supervisor expatriates Before leaving rather tawdry narrow minded provincialism New Guinea English expatriates ought perhaps point emergence quite inter esting neologisms Time example measured company government fortnights stemming general practice whereby employees government private enterprise alternate Fridays presumably prevent banks every weeks lighten olice hotel patrols 0tnait incidentally become alternative Pidgin In addition general stores Chinese indigenous owned habituated stores still called trade stores memory copra exchanged trade goods stores rather bought Papuans New Guineans Compound special sense Papua New Guinea designates special housing indigenes formerly separate Territory towns generally place where company government provides accommodation employees On relatively occasions iscuss structure customs indigenous society expatriates special terms Big important traditional leader payback describe tendency reciprocity transactions among indigenes revenge killings fulfilment debtor obligations creditors In general however locally derived slang colour New Guinea English ought probably still regarded within broad framework Australian English rather major deviant right Standard Southern English Only English becomes language Papuans New Guineans learn New Guinea English begin acquire local flavour deriving close identity environment characterises standard vocabularies American Australian English H gwPaD_u ansand New G uinea AreBeKiing English Only forty years after arrival first fleet New South Wales observer local scene pleased report All natives round Sydney understand English speak understood residents Europeans The Billingsgate slang acquired perfection white would think competing abuse swearing constant torrent which flows their mouths their antagonist remains before The structure Papuan NeW Guinean urban plantation society still Papuans New Guineans cannot otherwise speak English quite acquainted Australian vocabulary swearing abuse general racially pointed variety I Highlanders normally converse Pidgin their employers learnt swear quite extended periods Italian without being provide translation learnt their supervisors English always eminently colonial language Papua New Guinea medium instruction rather conversation It surprising therefore first Papuans New Guineans appear print should Ulli Beier written Papua first English language whose characterlsed intentions imagination For sources literary inspiration available Papuans New Guineans religious tracts reforming pamphlets injunctions carefully selected novels bucolic poetry probably first English essay published New Guinean Manus sSudying Rabaul government school early bears witness inappropriateness inspiration expatriate educationalits provided young He asked describe picture This large The black white There sheep picture They stand grass The I think running sheep They picture The grass green There flowers In report League Nations administration New Guinea during Australian government predicted confidentl above evidence produc years schooling there fortunatel little doubt disinclination New Guineans speak grammatical English disappear In Ligeremaluoga Osea New Irelander authored first length New Guinean writing story vernacular translation English female expat missionary The character indeed entire assumptions surrounding young New Guinean admission literary world gauged translator descri hough savage instincts gentlema brain power scholar It until Papuan New Guinean again attempted publish length other small booklets legends religious moralisinEs which widely appropriate forms expression Although press point country which minority people understood English certainly aeeess printing press recently indeed Papuans New Guineans encouraged outsiders express themselves freely withou rather dubious benefits expatriate editorship Given oppressive paternalism however benevolent media expression available Papuans New Guineans required encouragement raher permission least stimulation literature which could identify A vernacular literature never really possible among people small language groups whose languages still gained alphabet The medium expression available Papua before F E Williams The Ppua government sponsored monthly publication designed educate provide avenue literary output indigenous inhabitants Papua Its benevolently paternalistic always correct moralistic Victorian In issue editor significantly government anthropologist explained policy followin terms The paper written English because Government learn language There languages Papua Kiwai Namau Motu Suau Binandele others hundred The white cannot learn It better Papuans learn white language Then understand understand An thing teach If learn English someday white books But paper Many understand If friend teacher taubada sinabada still school learn English Within rather narrow framework moral linguistic It assiduously terms reference The Pa V illageF tried sought indigenous article writers their writings classified articles inverted commasa start We Papuans write paper We write articles An article stories about village fashions about something village Government station Mission plantation The article should In general indigenous article writers asked confine themselves about column newspaper eight three column pages promised shillings article appear month shilling others The first issue paper contained article entitled How Catch Dugongs Village Suau Papuan clerk Nansen K employed Magistrate Office Rigo Port Moresby By Thel _Papuan aKerj third issue Williams office seems inundated manuscripts budding authors Plenty Boys articles month Many welcome There enough paper print sending One central problems development indigenous literature hence emergence vital locally relevant vocab ulary items expressions shackles expatriate correction editing indigenous attempts writing Eventually F E Williams himself seemed Papuan authors ought allowed English language chose mistakes expatriate authors English should become their language Thus introduction The Reminiscences Ahuia Ova prominent Motuan leader which published Journal Royal Anthropologlca Institute apologised forhis failuret correCt thenglisRJf igoEua anotherPapuan translation After described troublesome experience emendation native MSS while editor _papu Vi lagleF Williams admitted being still humOur expressions native scholars others induced leave close their original A example prose should leave doubt there humour their style In quite expressively stilted prose reminiscences published poignant picture which Papuans still concerned their slowly forward What editor could corrected following description Ahuia behaviour after conversion Christianity without depriving impact An I lived church strong I preached village tooooo shades years sermonising London Missionary Society Again after ceasing attend church regularly European missionaries great trouble cajole Ahuia Ova their flock They feared might defected Catholics whereas reminiscences faithfully record problem really rather different Ahuia Ova subordinated himself completely required precepts preached white But persuading And I I going church waking continually sleeping Of course dancing making feast village After years persistent moralising Papuans New Guineans quite assiduous correction their grammar vocabulary their ideas exparlaes should surprise still quite exceptional young New Guinean doctor venting angerinhesor ofEnglishhaonlyrearevealsen upfrustration For Dr florae Barton careful conrolled academic discourse Meanwhile personal struggle expression ifically author chosen cause rename New Guinea Paradesia whatever rules political debate esminster So names Papua New Guinea truths imposters having coined mixtures qualities human degradations about pushed heads withou concerns People first thought malaria stricken peoples provided dumping ground their filthy wastes their contempts other human beings Accordin national census indigenous population Papua New Guinea years speaks English enough interviewer English there picture shown A higher percentage Papuans New Guineans English probably because administration relatively official English never Pidgi Papua because relatively greater number village level schools there Further territories roughly twice women speak English While those speak Poli Motu orWare literate those Papuans New Guineans speak English literate interesting reflection probably tendency English still language learnt formally school rather autonomously spreading franca As fifth those Papuans New Guineans speak EngliSh speak Pidgin Police Motu seems reasonable assume nglish generally second third fr_aC after local vernacular perhaps Kte another regional franc_ andPidgin Police Motu Nonetheless increasing numbers Papuans New Guineans becoming fluent English cannot speak another franc_ao A indigenous children relatively educated townsmen adopted children expatriates cannot speak another language Unfortunately however children Eo school years without completin their education still probably majority those learnin English almost pathetically pointless When return village there often converse English little reado Within years their knowledge English forgotten expatriates contact easier converse Pidgin struggle Englisho The colonial heritage English somewhat ambiguous reputation indigenous In remoe backward parts Papua New Guinea knowledge English prestigious obvious indication access modern world In places knowledge English regarded possible social acceptance expatriates status perhaps secret sources expatriate wealth power Inded prestige English probably highest among those least access while conversely coastal New Gulneans coming regard Pidgin language opposed English which theirs official purposes A number educated young Tola relatively intense unhappy contact taken particular thinking further ostentatiously speak Kuanua A young Tolai announcer local radio station recently criticised beginning regular Kuanua night programme English speakers So everyone One detect signs range attitudes towards English found among Papuans New Guineans persistent requests members House Assembly English schools their electorates while another extreme Papuan candidate New Guinea coastal electorate elections ruefully reported having difficulty living reputation educated English speaker among seemed agree deprecating verdict The great majority natives boastful creatures especially lucky speak English On other young New Guinean university student recently revealed expatriates least share assessment voters whose verdict appears above Late refused vacation employment clerk expatriate official explained New Gulneans speak English bigheaded Has wheel turned circle New Guineans refused employment because could speak English Many Papuans New Guineans nonetheless quite rationally unemotionally aware longterm personal value derived English education country economically least cannot afford another language except perhaps Malay educational official A young Papuan third school recently rather quaint express widespread feeling fellow pupils English ought insisted classroom0 playround In letter editor school newspaper wrote Dear Editor I unsatisfactory condition students because using English school As I concerned prefects doing ought Sometimes I prefect shouting students right things using English Motu This because I think prefects leading students problem something quickly Even foreefully editor classmate original correspondent replied You right If I think happen again Headmaster pleased about I think prefects stupids Editor One should enjoy finding United Nations Trusteeship Council rs_ke support English should taught medium instruction Territory schools If nothing Papuans New Guineans beginning English their after twenty years government adherence U N views Although Papua New Guinea still lacks vital exuberant literature Nigeria Onitsha market buoyant confidence style subject matter Ulli Beier vividly described B Orh No beginnings alive original literature which Papuans New Guineans English their purposes sight A creative writing course being taught University Papua New Guinea literary journal students staff members university Kovave named after first Orokolo initiation ceremony appeared mercifully cloying sentimentality moralism provincialism Port Moresby spectable cultural establishment Papuan Albert Maori Kiki published first length indigene first Papuan Kiki Th0 usand _Years_ In A Lifetime thirty years His which dictated recorder transcribed Ulli Beier first published number books Papuans New Guineans which still presently process preparation It represents departure sermons legends which Papuans New Gulneans customarily restricted Papuan New Guinean writers beginning express themselves constraints their grammatical vocabulary English imposed expatriate editors above those constraints their ideas expatriate editorship almost definition implied Papuan New Guinean writers longer simple grateful Even school freedom fascinating freshness revealed The several generations schoolboy versification subjects roses still publishe school magazines The roses Michael garden Are pretty beautiful In early morning happy As happy dancing Meanwhile wings increasing number young Papuans New Guineans beginning fascinating questions In called My Island Yuo Sepik provided barest insight European discovery unknown New Guinea looked Other I island Yuo island explored unknown Spanish explorer Retez As Papua New Guinea lacks Highlife literature Nigeria Papuans New Guineans generally uncertain their rights public expression rather exuberance print They share suspicion expressed uninvited contribution school newspaper typis whose letter appears exactly original NOTICE TO ALL DISTRIBUTORS Dear Distributors As I chair looking suspiciously distributions I always angry because following reason Poor writing Poor expressions Poor seech accuracy To explainations Rep eared Matters All because Editor newspaper interest looking through inward articles It usually takes hours hours correct errrors Sometimes I interest correction I written I therefore please careful article Make article aloud yourself yourself makes sense lease again before finally published matters Are happy I question because I haven legends myths stories Try ounewspaper interesting because sending other schools I havent typed other inward artic because reasons I mentioned above Thank Headmaster Secretary It enough persuade teachers language enthusiasm Highlife writer voice order added magazine without editor knowledge order stifled denied indigenous attempts expression reduced expatriate writing about Papua New Guinea suitable external consumption Relatively books circulate Papua New Guinea token appearance African titles school reading lists presumably because black I I recently expatriate support trend scarcely altered picture The novels written about Papua New Guinea expatriates largely jaundiced unimaginative accounts cargo cults which unpleasant unofficially banned poetry better often worse simple ballads reprinted EPW Otherwise Papua New Guinea anthropologists travel writers grapple authors outside world The frequency cannibal dohore savage unknown their titles tells story rather exceptionally prejudiced honest writer Helen McLeod Cannibals Are Human A District Officer New Ginea which ished Aus ralia though I friendly feelings boongs times I enough about dedicate whole boyhood their emancipation superstitions ignorance blood laziness their ingrained characteristics thousands years wrote husband years Territory quite unable master understand fierce variety complexity Papua New Guinea culture areas peoples beauty landscapes Most literature dealing Papua New Guinea written outsiders reality countryo It instead appealed noble interests instincts outside readers One eventually these outside voices replaced authentic voices people themselves analyses descriptions outside world willern their appropriately minor education creation indigenous image Papua New Guinea image abroad In conclusion seems appropriate point original stimulus Newsletter source title comes fascinating pieces indigenous witing I After years expatriate theorising about spying rarely accompanied participation indigenous society young educated New Guinean decided several years anthropological analysis submittederesulting Journal which realistic appraisal situation could published His first sentence however seems worthy remembrance stimulus future indigenous writers Papua New Guinea The arrived Ideological Cultural things yield studical means After years expatriate writing Papua New Guimea should Papuans New Guineams Yours sincerely Received New York July