[Mihalic] apo

[C A Volker]

>From what Vince says, Tok Pisin apo seems to be a naturalised loan of Gahuku
ampo. Although it may not have been a Tok Pisin word in his time in Goroka, it
certainly is today.
Craig Volker


Zitat von Vince

> In my day in Goroka in the late 70's and early 80's apo (I prefer ampo)
> was used only by tok ples speakers as a greeting and for that reason I
> would not consider it a Tok Pisin word.
>
> Ampo was also used by catholic priests at communion time. If the
> communion receiver did not open his/her mouth, the priest would say:
> ampo to tell the person to open his/her mouth.
>
> Vince
>
> Thomas Strong wrote:
>
> > Hi there.
> >
> > "Apo" I believe is a form of "ambo," which in Gahuku (Goroka tok ples)
> > and Dano (upper Asaro tok ples) means both "namesake" and (in the past)
> > "co-initiate."  It is often used as a term of address, and generally
> > indicates a warm and egalitarian relationship, as Volker indicates.
> > Today people might well translate the term as "friend"/"pren".  When
> > used in the more restricted sense of "namesake" it may also be used as a
> > term of reference, so that Tom Kiripo (a clan brother of mine) I might
> > refer to as "ambo bilong mi" (my name is Tom!).
> >
> > Craig Volker is also right that outside Goroka (viz. outside the Asaro
> > valley), people know that the term is a Gorokan (Asaro valley) trait,
> > and if they know you are Gorokan, they may well grease you with it.  It
> > was made quite famous relatively recently in Kenangi's hit song "Wari
> > Ambo," which ruled the airwaves (both CHM Supersound and Yumi FM) in
> > 2000:  the song is in Gahuku (its video is a hilarious send up of karim
> > lek and tainim het).
> >
> > Hope that helps!
> >
> > Tom Strong
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Apr 16, 2004, at 1:49 AM, C A Volker wrote:
> >
> >> Re the query about "apo"--
> >>
> >> An Eastern Highlander should check me on this, but I remember from
> >> when I lived
> >> there that apo was used in Tok Pisin and English as a term of address
> >> (Apo, yu
> >> go we nau?). It can refer to men or women and is a strong marker of
> >> friendship
> >> and solidarity.
> >>
> >> I don't remember it being used as an ordinary noun, e.g., *Em apo
> >> bilong mi or
> >> *Mi no gat apo nau.
> >>
> >> Since it is used much more in the Goroka area than in Kainantu, I
> >> suspect its
> >> origin is in Gahuku or another language near Goroka.
> >>
> >> In Goroka, it is used to address people of any ethnic group, but
> >> outside the
> >> EHP, I've only heard it used to address Eastern Highlanders or by Eastern
> >> Highlanders to address their close friends.
> >>
> >> Craig Volker
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> Mihalic at anu.edu.au
> >> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/mihalic
> >
> >
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> >
>
>
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C A Volker
volker at nalik.org
TEL: JAPAN (0)90-1721-1226
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