A Common Tongue

Wanted

Plea for Use of Fijian

A THOUGHTFUL article on the need for common language among the people of the South-Pacific Terri tories has been sent to us by Mr. E. N.

Raivoka, who is a Fijian student at St.

Bede’s College, Christchurch, NZ.

Mr. Raivoka emphasises a fact that has long been apparent to experienced admin istrators in the Pacific Islands—namely, that of all handicaps under which the native peoples labour in making progress towards that standard of knowledge and understanding which will enable them to govern their own countries to their best advantage, there is none greater than the lack of a common language.

While Polynesia generally has a language for each country Samoa, Tonga, Ellice Islands, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Hawaii, New Zealand and while those languages are closely related in origin and structure, over in the much more densely populated countries of Melanesia there are literally hundreds of languages, which are mostly unrelated and com pletely different. In the Solomon Islands and in New Guinea, for example, there may be half a dozen different languages within 100 miles.

As a result of this great barrier in communication, there has come into general use a bastard language called Pidgin English, which comprises English words used generally in accordance with the syntax of most native languages. It has been generally condemned by cultured and uncultured alike; yet the fact remains that it is in almost universal use, not only by traders, sailors and planters, but also by missionaries and Administrators.

Mr. Raivoka roundly condemns Pidgin, not only because it represents the debase ment and deterioration of the English language, but also because it does not provide a medium whereby cultured and thoughtful natives of the Pacific Islands can properly communicate with each other.

Mr. Raivoka pleads logically in favour of the adoption of one of the Pacific Is lands languages, as the lingua franca of the South Pacific; and he advances strong arguments in favour of the Fijian language. He points out that as Fiji is a Micronesian country (formed by Poly nesian and Melanesian influences) the Fijian language partakes somewhat of the character of the languages of both Polynesian and Melanesia; and that the Fijians numbering now over 120,000, are the largest community in the South Pacific, speaking one language.

Mr. Raivoka makes the further point that Fiji, from the points of view of Administration, geographical situation, and air and sea transportation, holds a dominating position in the South Seas, and it probably would be easier to spread Fijian language east and west, through the Pacific, from the Colony of Fiji, than any other language.

One of the chief problems before the South-West Pacific Regional Conference, to assemble in Canberra in January, will be that of finding a common tongue, to use as a medium in the suggestion and the strong arguments put forward by this Fiji student should be worthy of consideration.