[Mihalic] Asidua

[Ross Clark (FOA DALSL)]

I should have mentioned that the writer I originally quoted has been doing
research on HIV and other STD's in Lae, so he seems to be saying only that
the word is current there. Where he got the idea about the etymology I don't
know.

Ross Clark

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vince [mailto:vinosvd at yahoo.com] 
> Sent: Monday, 13 September 2004 1:53 a.m.
> To: MIHALIC at anu.edu.au
> Subject: Re: [Mihalic] Asidua
> 
> 
> The ending of the word makes me think it is a Sepik word. 
> During my time 
> in Madang, there was a PMV running the street that had a name 
> that ended 
> in duo. I do not remember the name but it was owned by people 
> from the 
> Sepik, don't remember which part. Then the students at DWU 
> were using a 
> Sepik word something like mainenduo. I think it meant man and 
> the female 
> was mainendua. So my guess is that asidua could be a sepik 
> word that is 
> being taken into Tok Pisin. You will need some Sepiks to 
> check this one out. Vince
> 
> Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies wrote:
> 
> > I no longer have the post where this is mentioned. I haven't heard
> > "asidua", although that doesn't mean that it is not used. 
> Is there any 
> > possibility that this could actually be a variation of "pasinda"?
> > 
> > Don
> > 
> > At 15:21 11/9/04 +1200, Ross Clark (FOA DALSL) wrote:
> > 
> >> A recent post to the ASAO list mentions the Tok Pisin word:
> >>
> >> "asidua" ("sex workers," in public health parlance, but "street
> >> friends" and "sisters" in local parlance, from the Portuguese for 
> >> "plenty," originally)
> >>
> >> The last part does not sound right. For a start my Portuguese
> >> dictionary gives assidua (feminine) as "assiduous, unremitting, 
> >> sedulous" rather than "plenty". Also it seems rather a 
> bookish word to 
> >> have found its way into pidgin, and I have not heard of it 
> turning up 
> >> in pidgins elsewhere. As for an alternative etymology, one would 
> >> immediately think that "as" might play a role here. But I'm sure 
> >> others on this list will know more about this word's meaning, 
> >> currency, variant forms and possible etymology.
> >>
> >> Ross Clark
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Mihalic mailing list
> >> Mihalic at anu.edu.au 
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/mih> alic
> > 
> > 
> > 
> Don Niles
> > Head & Senior Ethnomusicologist
> > 
> Music Department
> > Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies
> > P.O. Box 1432
> > Boroko 111
> > PAPUA NEW GUINEA
> > 
> > tel.:   [675] 325-4644
> > fax:    [675] 325-0531
> > email:  ipngs at global.net.pg
> > 
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> 
> 
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