Pidgin

Purists Deplore Use of Pidgin

WHEN interviewed in Cooktown re cently, Mr. H. Fitzroy, solicitor, of Rabaul, deplored the use of Pidgin by natives of the Mandated Territory and by whites in conversing with or giving orders to them. He argued that it would be easy to teach the natives correct Eng lish.

Mr. Fitzroy recently took part in a case which was sent on to the High Court of Australia. A native servant told him that the case “He go to big fella num ber one court”.

Hon. Leonard Murray, a high official of the Papuan Administration, also in terviewed, agreed with Mr. Fitzroy. The natives of Papua did not use much Pid gin, and its use by them is discouraged.

He rarely heard whites use Pidgin un less to impress visitors. Papuan natives, he said, could not understand abstract terms or explain emotions. Pity was de scribed by them as, “Belly belong me too much sore”. This probkbly was be cause to them the whole of the internal organs were centred in the stomach.

Mr. Murray agreed that the Germans, when in possession of the Mandated Territory, found Pidgin more easily un derstood by the natives than was Ger man.

An old resident of New Guinea writes: “I never heard natives use the word ‘sore’—always ‘pain too much’. They describe that worried or frightened feel ing as ‘bell belong me hot too much’.

As for using Pidgin to impress visitors —well, well!

“But I will admit that it grows on one and here in Australia I often catch mvself using it to very young children.

Pidgin is a godsend to us whites. But. mostly, we are too careless to learn it thoroughly”.

Mr. T. P. Gough, European constable at Port Moresby, went south on the “Bulolo” on April 12 for medical treat ment, and is expected to return about the end of Mav.

Mr. W. J. Lambden, Assistant Resident Magistrate in charge of Abau, Papua, has been undergoing medical treatment at the Port Moresby hospital for malarial troubles. He has recovered and will re sume duty shortly.