[Mihalic] skwad, point faiv

[Fr Patrick Gesch]

I was sitting with some Divine Word University students the other night, and 
found them (male and female) using a couple of expressions which they assured 
me "everyone" knows and uses. Although obviously neologisms for Tok Pisin, I 
guess that is the nature of the beast and it remains to be seen whether these 
things last.

skwad: friend, or group of friends. 

A girl says, "Mi go painim skwad bilong mi na mitupela bai sindaun long 
nambis." Or "Mi go painim skwad bilong mi na mipela bai go daun long mess." 

A use of the English, "squad".


point faiv: boy friend or girl friend. 

"Point faiv bilong yu i stap we? Mi go painim point faiv bilong mi."

A reference to "half" as in English, "my better half".


In this connection I asked the students (aged 20 samting) if they knew the 
expression, "Yu marit, o nogat?" To which the reply is, "No, mi stap ten toea 
yet. Mi no twenti toea." The students said they had not heard that. That was 
at least a local expression here in Madang ten years ago. Perhaps it has not 
been passed on to the young people today: an expression born, used and died.

     Pat Gesch.

--
Divine Word University (http://www.dwu.ac.pg/)