[Mihalic] Additional Christian vocabulary

[Ross Clark (FOA DALSL)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies 
> [mailto:ipngs at global.net.pg] 
> Sent: Tuesday, 3 February 2004 12:01 p.m.
> To: Tok Pisin List
> Subject: Re: [Mihalic] Additional Christian vocabulary
> 
> 
> As Tom has brought to our attention, there certainly is an 
> important vocabulary of TP associated with churches. I've 
> also noted the following.
> 
> sing -- 'song, singing'; used in SDA hymnal "Ol Sing bilong 
> Lotu" (1989); used instead of more common "singsing" because 
> of the latter's association with tradtional music/dance, with 
> which SDAs do not associate. For example, "Long planti ples 
> long Baibel yumi lukim tok long musik na sing" = 'In many 
> places in the Bible we see descriptions of music and 
> singing'. Also, "buk sing" = 'hymnal, song book'. Note, 
> however, that in the same preface from which these examples 
> are taken, they also use "song": "singim song", "buk song", 
> "sampela song"

This also seems to have been introduced in Bislama, if I am correctly
remembering the name of a widely used book of Bislama hymns which appeared
20-25 years ago: "Ol Sing Blong Niu Laef". However, Crowley (latest edition,
2003) says it is still rare compared with "singsing" or "song".

> 
> haimapim -- 'to praise'; used by SDAs in hymnal "Sing wantaim 
> Amamas" ([1975?]), and subsequent TP hymnal. For example, "Mi 
> laik haimapim God" = 'I want to praise God'. Presumably 
> influenced by words such as TP haisapim, liptimpaim/litimapim, etc.
> 
> talatala --  'a Protestant  or Protestant minister' [only the 
> former meaning is in Mihalic]; wife of minister is marama
> 
> marama -- 'wife of Protestant minister (talatala)'; "Mipela i 
> amamas long lukim marama Ruth" = 'We're happy to see Ruth, 
> the wife of the pastor'

Etymological note:
As with "talatala", this is from Fijian: Fijian marama "lady". 

Ross Clark