[Mihalic] Asidua

[Vince]

The ending of the word makes me think it is a Sepik word. During my time 
in Madang, there was a PMV running the street that had a name that ended 
in duo. I do not remember the name but it was owned by people from the 
Sepik, don't remember which part. Then the students at DWU were using a 
Sepik word something like mainenduo. I think it meant man and the female 
was mainendua. So my guess is that asidua could be a sepik word that is 
being taken into Tok Pisin. You will need some Sepiks to check this one out.
Vince

Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies wrote:

> I no longer have the post where this is mentioned. I haven't heard 
> "asidua", although that doesn't mean that it is not used. Is there any 
> possibility that this could actually be a variation of "pasinda"?
> 
> Don
> 
> At 15:21 11/9/04 +1200, Ross Clark (FOA DALSL) wrote:
> 
>> A recent post to the ASAO list mentions the Tok Pisin word:
>>
>> "asidua" ("sex workers," in public health parlance, but "street 
>> friends" and "sisters" in local parlance, from the Portuguese for 
>> "plenty," originally)
>>
>> The last part does not sound right. For a start my Portuguese 
>> dictionary gives assidua (feminine) as "assiduous, unremitting, 
>> sedulous" rather than "plenty". Also it seems rather a bookish word to 
>> have found its way into pidgin, and I have not heard of it turning up 
>> in pidgins elsewhere. As for an alternative etymology, one would 
>> immediately think that "as" might play a role here. But I'm sure 
>> others on this list will know more about this word's meaning, 
>> currency, variant forms and possible etymology.
>>
>> Ross Clark
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> 
> 
> 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
> 
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