Reposting ..

[BURTON John]

Jenny, Mesulam
Yours replies may not have gone through. There's something wrong with the
list I think.
J
 
> Craig,
> 
> I always understood 'lang' to mean 'fly' (the insect, as in the pests from
> the Poliamba oil palm plantations polluting villages in New Ireland), and
> among New Ireland people I have never heard 'flai' used as a substitute,
but
> I have heard this usage from some Highlands friends.
> 
> I know that in Nalik (New Ireland) clover is called "klei gras" (clay
grass)
> because it's grass that grows on clay soil.
> 
> 
> This plant 'filas': in my language 'Nalik' (New Ireland) we call it
> 'Aflaas'. In some  parts of Central and the Highlands when people get body
> aches they slap their skin with its leaves. It would be good to find out
the
> scientific name for it.  What is it called in Tok Pisin?
> 
> 
> "kumbak" as far as I know is a Kuanua word.  In simple terms it means to
> sleep away from one's house. It often has a negative implication and is
said
> to sap the energy of other people in the village.
> 
> 
> "doktapis"/"doktafis"
> 
> There are two different types of fish that people call "doktapis" in New
> Ireland.  The first kind is small and lives in fresh water. And like you
> said it is an introduced species, I believe, from somewhere in Africa, but
I
> may be wrong.  The second type (called "alanglaang" in Nalik) lives in the
> ocean as well as fresh water and is a scavenger.  I believe they are
called
> "doktapis" in New Ireland because in past years medical orderlies went
> around to the villages and informed people about the benefits of keeping
> these waste-scavenging fish alive.
> 
> 
> jenny

=======================

"lang" is a common Austronesian root, the Tolai of Rabaul call house flies,
"langa", Tigak, Kara, Nalik and Tiang languages of New Ireland, all use the
name "lang" for a house "fly". It is commonly used in Pisin in the region
too. Most recently, "flai" came into use from mid 60s upwards, when English
became the formal language for Education Instruction in schools in PNG. Even
now, there is increasing breeding of "lang" by Poliamba Ltd (from oil palm
fruits) in the Nalik/Kara language region, "lang" is the name used when
complaining in Pisin by the locals.

"Ai blong Haus" yes it is a common usage in Pisin in PNG for a space where
the entrance to the house is. 

"klei" is seldom heard of, however "klap" is known in some places for
"clover". Derived from "Play Cards Leaf" where there is a look-like "clover"
leaf in a set. "King Klap", "Qeen Klap", "Jack Klap" and so on.

"Filas" is a Nalik word (New Ireland) for "salat" known in Highlands of PNG,
although plants are very different, its effect is the same. "Filas" tree
grows up to a huge tree, 10 to 15ft high while salat is only a small plant.
In my language we drop "f" sound, just "Ilas", never used in Pisin in the
region.

"kumbak" originated from Kuanua language of the Tolai people, New Britain
and Ramoaina language of the Duke of York Islands Group, and it is also
found in the dialects or languages of the southeat and west villages of the
Namatanai region of New Ireland, it is used a lot in Pisin. It is hard to
simply explain what "kumbak" is, its interpretation is a little different
from what was earlier described as being tired after a sleepless night. 
Being tired is not "kumbak" caused by you personally. You can sleep very
early and wake up early the next day, but still the effect of "kumbak" can
cause tiredness, or force you to go back to bed during the day. You could
then ask around, "who came around yesterday?" or last "night?", someone may
inform you that visitor from the next village slept here, in our hamlet last
night. Then you could describe how his "kumbak" hit you. Was it hard to bear
or what and so on. A good person his "kumbak" is light, troublesome etc,
his/her "kumbak" can even give hard hit or cause a sick person to die. In
the village people are advised not to roam around and sleep in one village,
then to the next. If there is a sick person, warning is sent out. See or
visit your boy/girl friends and return to your home to avoid "kumbak".

mesu.