interesting?

[Suzanne Grismeri]

Gentle people...

I receive the "PNG Gossip" e-newsletter periodically, and the most recent 
edition had this section:

"** Tok Pisin **
Here is an article on Tok Pisin: "The National Language of Papua
New Guinea" located at
http://www.siu.edu/departments/cola/ling/reports/Etepa/ --
Prepared and written by Edward Etepa. Here is a paragraph from
the article.

"The historical beginning of Tok Pisin can be traced in the early
18th century; however, it does not appear fully formed until mid
1885. Its genesis was the result of a gradually stabilizing and
expanding contact language which went through the following
stages of development: jargon stage, to stable pidgin, expanded
pidgin, followed by creolization on the notion of the
pidgin/creole life cycle. The history of Tok Pisin is complex,
recent research by numerous pidgin/creole linguists have shown
that it would be an oversimplification of the situation to
suggest that Tok Pisin represents a direct linear descendant of
Pacific Jargon English which developed in several varieties in
various parts of the South Pacific before the middle of the 19th
century as a result of contacts between Europeans and South Sea
islanders.

"Jimmy Harlindong, who looks after various websites about Papua
New Guinea, has announced that he has readied his Pidgin /
English / Motu dictionary website located at
http://www.pngbd.com/dictionary.php to a stage where it can be
used. It allows the user to lookup the meaning of words in all
directions. Of course, like any web site, it will never be
finished so if you have some words to add or alterations that
need to be done then let me know and I will pass them on to
Jimmy."

Suzanne Earley.

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To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the 
affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure 
the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in 
others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a 
garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has 
breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)

A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.
- John le Carre

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