The horror, the horror!

[John Burton]

Yes, but that's not the language Bryant can use to talk to his Sepiks and it
goes down like a lead balloon with the generation who only did mission
school in Kote, Jabem or Gedaged about 40 years ago.

I cannot (or will not) pick a single region where TP is more elegant than
elsewhere. However, I have particularly enjoyed the felicity of expression
used by particular individuals who happen to live in the highlands, in
Morobe and on the Rai Coast. What they have in common is that they trained
in communication skills before English became a widespread medium; many of
the 'best' speakers are pastors.

So you're listening in offices, eh. Exactly!

John Burton

----- Original Message -----
From: Martha MacIntyre
To: John Burton
Sent: Tuesday, 14 November 2000 5:35 PM
Subject: Re: Pasindia


As someone who keeps meaning to learn pidgin properly but never has time, I
spend a lot of time just listening - to the radio, in offices etc. Most of
the
PNG people I work with speak English to me if they think I'm not following,
or
unable to reply properly - but when they speak to each other they use many
terms
from English that do not figure in Mihalic. So do the DJs, who presumably
are
not directing their patter at poor TP speakers.
My own view is that any emphasis on ' purity' is ahistorical and fanciful -
the
lexicon has always incorporated new terms and as more people learn English,
so
it will be more noticeable in everyday speech.