"Live" Pidgin

Letter to the Editor IT has been a great joy to learn through “PlM'’ that Pidgin is now becoming world-famous. Many of us will look forward to the time when we return to the Islands and hear the latest samples of Pidgin from our houseboys, etc.

But I do think that, on the principle that a live language must grow or die, we should not stop at simply Americanis ing our Pidgin, good though the phrase books are, as shown in your September article by “J.T.”

Why should we not add a little colour and pulsating life to it, by “Cockneyising” it? This, in conjunction with a few Americanisms, should produce a language which would cover the whole range of human thought and emotions, I imagine.

Take that great standby of the Papuan native, the word “Sedila” (I don’t know).

Rendered into colourful Cockney Pidgin, it would probably read: “Strike me bleedin’ ’andsome, taubada, me dunno, and me don’t care, neither, see?”

Again, that other ever-present fixture in the Papuan mind, “Lau ura!” (I want!). In Cockney Pidgin it would read thus: “Ho, gorblimey, taubada, me goin’ to bite yer lug!”

Then there is the pleasant murmur of the native cook-boy who says, just as it is time to prepare dinner, “Lau lao mavaru!” (I’m going to a dance!). This would be Cockneyised, no doubt, into the vivacious phrase: “Blast me ruddy eyes, sinabada, you cookim dinner, me go long bleedin’ good beano!”

Can it be doubted that such vivid, liv ing phrases as these, duly annotated in a well-got-up phrase-book, would add to the joy of life in the Islands?

I am, etc.,

Arthur Wyborn.

Sydney, 18/9/43.