comments

[John Wagner]

In the village of Lababia (Morobe coast south of Lae)
I particularly remember one man using "fit" and "fit
stret" - a former policeman who had lived in the
Highlands and also in New Ireland before returning to
his home village (he was married to a N.I. woman).
Although young people who had spent time in Lae
occasionally used the expression also, it was still a
"new" word in the village in 98/99.

John Wagner 


--- Jerry Jacka <jacka at OREGON.UOREGON.EDU> wrote:
> Ditto to both of you regarding the use of "fit" in
> Enga Province, 
> particularly among the educated youth. Cool and/or
> attractive men and women 
> were referred to as "em i wanpela fit man/meri
> stret". Most things worthy 
> of admiration received the adjective "fit", such as
> new cars and houses.
> 
> I never heard saise or saiso, but people do say
> "aiyooo" as an exclamation, 
> which they don't in the vernacular.
> 
> At 10:03 AM 1/18/2002 +1100, Stephanie Garling
> wrote:
> >"Fit" is also used by young (more so) and old in
> Tanga and Anir in New
> >Ireland Province, but is used to describe a range
> of good looking or
> >attractive things e.g. a nicely decorated bit of
> pottery or a picture of my
> >friend's baby were both described as "fit". You
> often hear "fit stret" (fit
> >steret...)
> >
> >
> > >X-Originating-IP: [217.36.71.77]
> > >Reply-To: ukarumpa at earthling.net
> > >From: "Suzanne Grismeri" <ukarumpa at hotmail.com>
> > >To: Multiple recipients of list
> <MIHALIC at anu.edu.au>
> > >Subject: Re: Fwd: RE: comments
> > >Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 22:29:40 +0000
> > >X-OriginalArrivalTime: 17 Jan 2002 22:29:41.0250
> (UTC)
> >FILETIME=[74969E20:01C19FA6]
> > >Sender: owner-MIHALIC at anu.edu.au
> > >
> > >"saise, man!" was a common expression in EHP,
> near Kainantu, when I was
> > >living in PNG, up until 1988.  I'm not sure if it
> still is - I'll be 
> > back in
> > >June, so can possibly tell you then!  It's funny
> that it's almost exactly
> > >the same as Afrikaans (my current new language)
> which uses "ses" 
> > (pronounced
> > >CEASE) in the same way as an exclamation of
> disbelief or astonishment.
> > >
> > >Also "fit", pronounced FEET, to describe a "cool"
> or athletic person - you
> > >understand, this is slang used by my
> contemporaries (I was in high 
> > school at
> > >the time) and I don't know whether it was common
> usage outside that age
> > >group.
> > >
> > >don't know if these contributions will help, but
> I will respond as and when
> > >anything I know appears relevant.  I am also
> trying to persuade my parents
> > >(who worked as anthropologists among other
> things) to participate in this
> > >forum, I'm not sure what experience you are
> looking for beyond native 
> > Pidgin
> > >speakers... I learned it in a village at age 11,
> so that's as close as I'm
> > >going to get!
> > >
> > >Glad to be involved.
> > >
> > >Suzanne Earley.
> > >
> >
>
>_________________________________________________________________
> > >MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print
> your photos:
> > >http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
> > >
> 


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