"You Fightim Egg”

... ——— Where "Pidgin” Has Its Social Uses ... ———

"You savvy egg? Savvy butter? Savvy corn flour? You catchim dish, catchim plenty egg; you fightim egg plenty too much."

You may imagine my bewilderment (writes a British official, newly-arrived in the New Hebrides) when I over heard two charmingly attired European ladies, seated at a tea-table on a verandah overlooking Port Vila, discoursing in this fashion. One appeared to be giving the other a recipe for making sponge cake, and they were both very serious about it.

The explanation is quite simple. This is the famous Condominium, and sometimes it happens particularly among the women—that French and English meet socially, when neither can speak the other’s language. But everyone can speak “Pidgin English” —the Lingua Franca of the Pacific— which is used by both races of whites in communicating with the natives.

Ergo, they bring it into play to communicate with each other. The effect is quaint, until one gets used to it.

Incidentally, it is worth noting that the British and French mix freely together in social affairs in the New Hebrides and seem to get along to gether very well. ===