THE top of the morning to one and all – even if it’s the middle of the evening where you are … at least you’ve something to look forward to.
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THE most frequently used word in PNG is the topic of the week; first contributor today is Devjani Chaudhuri, formerly a resident of PNG and now living in Canada; she’s come up with a variety of words and we’re happy to say, the first suggestion in Motu.
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DEVJANI first offered the Tok Pisin word em and the appendage pela, as in yupela, mipela or narapela. Then for Motu, she’s suggested one of the best known words in that language, dekenai. Top offerings, Devjani and our best wishes to you for the happiest of new years.
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NEXT came a reader from Gulf currently who signs herself Lalokau; she came up with the half English, half Pisin and wholly irritating werabaut. This linguistic disaster can be heard mainly on the phone, thus: Ring, ring, ring…. “Aloe, werabaut is that?” Thanks to Lalokau; in the same vein we might add that well-known conversation that plays out as follows.
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RING, ring – “Hello? (response) Yu husat? (response) Mi tasol – nau yu husat? (response, showing irritation) Mi tok pinis, em mi tasol…nau yu husat?” This exchange can be played by any number of players; do not collect K100 when you pass Go and the board price of St Pancras has risen sharply since the multi-million pound glamour renovations.
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YEHI, who is well known in journalism circles, came up with the following choice – his word is “development.” “Politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen (liklik and bikpela), normal people, abnormal people, the good, the bad and the ugly all talk and write about ‘development’ — and yet PNG is not getting any!”
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AND now for our vintage film buffs. You couldn’t say that tonight’s line-up is dazzling – but there’s one gentle comedy that seems well calculated for insomniacs. Showing just after midnight on ABCTV, it’s the 1948 Let’s Live a Little,and it tells of an advertising agent who falls for his psychiatrist. Hedy Lamarr and Robert Cummings head the cast and it bubbles along harmlessly enough. Cheers!
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- Dee Nesenolis