[Mihalic] piano definition

[John Lynch]

Andras Balint's dictionary does not in fact include 'piano' in its
English-Tok Pisin section, and I think it more likely that the "definition'
may have originated even earlier, from some kiap or other. The phrase book
section, though, is modelled on a Hungarian-English phrase book for, I
believe, Hungarians coming to the US, and includes translations of such
classis as:

"I prefer a conservative style" - Mi laikim kainkain bilas bilong ol tubuna.

"Her feet are very sensitive. Could you please show her a pair of kid
shoes?" - Fut bilong em i save pen. Inap yu soem em long wanpela pe su
bilong ol pikinini?

"This hat needs steaming" - Dispela het i laikim simok.

"Please give me a clove of garlic" - Plis givim mi long eit paun galik.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas H. Slone [mailto:THSlone at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Friday, 3 December 2004 3:06 p.m.
To: Mihalic
Subject: Re: [Mihalic] piano definition

 

I was puzzled by these definitions for a long time. They are often quoted,
but they're so absurd that no one has ever used them in actual speech.  I've
even seen them quoted in Newsweek (US) not too many years ago!  Recently, I
was looking through a copy of Oh, What a Blow that Phantom Gave Me! by
Edmund Carpenter.  Carpenter seems to ascribe these absurdisms to English,
Pidgin and French Dictionary of Sports and Phrase Book by Andréas Bálint, a
book that I have not seen but that was roundly criticized by Mühlhäusler.

 

--Tom Slone

 

Vince Ohlinger <vinosvd at yahoo.com> wrote:

 

I take the "definition" of piano as an insult to the intelligence of the
people that use Tok Pisin on a regular basis. No Papua New Guinean would
ever have come up with such an expression.  I heard this "definition" a long
time ago and immediately realized that it was not something that I should
repeat.

Insulted,

Vince



On Dec 2, 2004, at 8:38 PM, <Lawrence.Sorbo at lihir.com.pg> wrote:



This definition is written in riddle form, but I think it is just that
musical insturment.

Cheers!
Lawrence

-----Original Message-----
From: Andy Newlin - Caliber Creations
[mailto:anewlin at calibercreations.com]
Sent: Friday, 3 December 2004 11:53 AM
To: Mihalic List
Subject: [Mihalic] piano definition


I just received a great definition of "piano" through my tok pisin
translation site.  Here it is:

"Big pela blak pela bokis, i gat wait pela na blak pela tis, ol taim yu
paitim em, em i crai aut!"

Wow!   Has anyone heard this before?  I'm curious because my sister
taught piano for a music class in ENB and never heard this definition.

Andy

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