In the past, this language has been called by different names, such as 'Melanesian Pidgin', 'Neo-Melanesian', 'Pidgin English' and 'Tok Boi', but today 'Tok Pisin' is the universally accepted term for the language. In tertiary education, for example, even though a lecture may be conducted in English, when the teacher and students discuss issuestogether, the language used is often Tok Pisin or in a problem-solving or counselling situation, Tok Pisin is invariably the preferrecl language of communication. For young and old, when dealing with village, family or daily life matters, Tok Pisin is the language of choice. But English is not the most comfortable for the people-it can be strange and academic.
English is the principal language of education, administration and commerce. It is a language that the people have developed naturalÌy over the last 150 years, as a means of communicating among themselves, irrespective of particular language groups.
In a population of welÌ over five million people, more than half are conversantwith Tok Pisin which, togetherwith Hiri Motu and English, is one ofthe three official languages Ìisted in the Constitution ofthe Independent State ofPapua New Guinea. Tok Pisin is the official linguistic name for rhe largesr lingua franca of Papua New Guinea, a country in which more than 800 local languages are spoken. Pìease email your comments and suggestions to or maiÌ to: OUP Dikseneri, PO Box 642, Kavieng, NIP, Papua New Guinea or I\-antok Niuspepa PO Box 1982, Boroko, NCD, Papua Nerq Guinea, tel (67b) :l?5 2500, fax3252579, or email Feedback on this first edition is welcomed, so that the content can be revised and improved in future editions. \ll responsibility for the content resrs with the publisher. Tawampe Josie Tosin Note: the acknowledgment of those who have helped in the compilation of this dictionary does not imply an endorsement of this book by any of them. RusseÌlJackson Consultants Wantok Niuspepa Fr Nick de Groot Elizabeth Konga Neville Choi Editorial reviewersĪlphonse Aime Pauline Aime Bernadette Aihi Stephen Busin Isaac Geno Grace Heaoa Michael Kawagle Miriam Mantu Lilian Matbob Peter Matbob PauÌ Pasingan Jov Sahumlal Anna Solomon Nanc,v M. Writers Susan Baing Brian Deutrom RussellJackson C A Volker General editor
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