[Mihalic] dimdim

[Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies]

Dutton (1985:17) notes that dimdim 'white man' is from the Suau language of
Milne Bay.

How extensively it may be used in TP is, of course, another question.

Dutton, Tom E.
	1985	Police Motu: Iena Sivarai (Its Story). Linguistics Series,
2. Port Moresby: University of Papua New Guinea Press.

Don

Don Niles
Head & Senior Ethnomusicologist
Music Department
Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies
P.O. Box 1432
Boroko 111
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

tel.:	[675] 325-4644
fax:	[675] 325-0531
email:	ipngs at global.net.pg

>I am not familiar with the word 'demdem' for snail so, cannot say much. In
>fact have been learning a lot from the contributions so far. But as
>mentioned by both John and Martha, dimdim is the Milne Bay word for white
>skinned people from far off lands like Europe and Asia. Its origin and
>etymology is still a mystery to most of us. I've asked around a bit (not
>much) but no one seem to know. At least the Tubetube people have some idea.
>On the other hand, Trobrianders have two other words which I believe predate
>the word dimdim: Togumanuma and Toukoukwa. But again, dimdim is the
>preferred term these days.
>
>em tasol na sori tru.
>
>linus
>
>
>JB: have not forgotten the request - just a bit disorganised of late.
>
>Martha Macintyre wrote:
>
>> Demdem is the term for snail that I have heard. Not dimdim. Dimdim, the
>> Milne Bay term for white people comes from an archaic term in some local
>> languages for 'southern horizon'. At least that is what I was told on
>> Tubetube in 1979 by several old men. It was associated particularly with
>> the labour trade, pearlers etc who came from Australia.
>> martha
>>
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