N.Z. prints Pidgin

Press, 11 April 1979, Page 31

N.Z. prints Pidgin

PA Wellington The Wellington publishing firm of Price Milburn will publish two books in New Guinea Pidgin. Both books are infant readers that are already well known in English, New Zealand and Australian schools. The books are translated into Pidgin by Walter and Ruth Sim, who are missionaries at Anguganak in Papua New Guinea. The first book is “Cats,” which in Pidgin becomes “Pusi.”

Inside, the sentence “Some cats are black” translates to “Sampela pusi ol i blak.” The sentence “Some cats look like this” will read “Sampela pusi i luk olsem dispela.” Try reading that last sentence “Spme-fella pussy he look all-same this fella” and you will get the idea. What about the English sentence, “Cats like catching things.” This comes out as “Ol pusi i laik kilim samting.” Try this one before you look at the answer: Picture of cat with jaws open. “Tang bilong pusi i luk olsem dispela.” Get it? In English “A cat’s tongue looks like.”

The books will all be printed in New Zealand and shipped to Papua New Guinea.

Mr Hugh Price, the manager of Price Milbum, said that this was his firm’s first substantial export to New Guinea. “So far as we know, this is the first time that Pidginlanguage books have been exported from New Zealand” he said. “If these two are successful, more titles will follow.” The author of both books is Beverley Randell. of Wellington, while Clive Harper, of Massey University, in Palmerston North, is co-author of one.