New Books
pp. 55-56 · Read in the full issue
Language Study For New
Guinea Students By A. Capell, Ma,
PhD. Published by the Australian National Research Council, Science House, Gloucester Street, Sydney. Price 2/6.
Dr. Capell in this short booklet, has done two things—first, he has summarised our present knowledge of New Guinea languages, and, second, he has provided a guide to the learning of those languages He is the* leading authority on the native speech of the Western Pacific—at pre sent he is engaged on the revision of the Fijian Dictionary for the local admini stration —and he wears his learning lightly, and the book will be easily read by those who have no general knowledge of linguistics. There are four parts; Pro nunciation and Spelling; the Languages of the Mainland; the Languages of the Outlying Islands; and Hints on Learn ing a Language. The first part gives an account of the various sounds which are like'y to be met with, the second and third a general description of the gram matical structure, and the fourth pro vides ample guidance as to how to set about acquiring the native speech.
Most persons working in New Guinea require some knowledge, at least, of the native languages, and for administrative officers and missionaries this is essential.
They will find in Dr. Capell’s work exactly what they need.
THE RED DEVIL, by Major George Bruce (published by Angus & Robertson, at 7/6) is a stirring story of adventure, built against a background of an un usual character —namely, the problems of the British administration in India, and the magnificent record of the British in holding at oeace the ancient, warring ele
merits of a population of no less than 400,000,000 people. The “Red Devil” is a Pathan raider, captured by the British on the North-West border, and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. But he is handled bv British officers in the same way that the chiefs of the unexplored sections of Papua used to be handled by the young men of the Murray regime— so that an appeal was made to the better
elements of their character—and so the “Red Devil”, who starts as a murderer and a convict, ends his life as a power ful friend of the British. Major Bruce is a born story-teller.
“IT’S ’ARD TO GO WRONG IN THE SUBURBS”, is a slim and decorative vol ume of exceedingly modern verses, by Kay Grant with illustrations of satisfying snappiness by Jean Cullen. It certainly will be frowned on by practising moralists and stern Presbyterians; but “the troops”, to whom it is dedicated, will get more than a kick out of it. It isn’t literature, and the rhyming mostly is terrible; but it is highly amusing, suggestively naughty, and it surely breathes the spirit of the Bright Young Things. (Angus and Robertson, 2/- per copy.)