"PIGEON ENGLISH."

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 257, 6 February 1874, Page 4

"PIGEON ENGLISH."

An article in ' Macmillan,' entitled " China's .future place in Philology," gives an account of the spread of a new language in China named '•'Vigenn English" —a most alarming caricature of English, which, first adopted as a lingua-franca by business people in Chinese ports, is now, it is' said, rapidly extending over the whole Empire aR genuine Angloi-Saxon. According to this distasteful jargon, " pigeon " means " business ;" and " pigeon English" is, therefore, "business English " If an English traveller wishes to tell his servant that he wishes breakfast quickly, he is obliged to Bay,, if he expects his wants to be attended to, " Uatchey some chow-chow, chop chop " —"chow-chow" meaning something to eat, and " chop chop" being equivalent to " quick quick." If he wishes .to assert his claim to the possession of any article, he requires to say, " That belongey me," and " That no belongey my pigeon," if he wishes to disclaim connection with anything. "My name is Norval," ,&c, translated into pigeon English, reads thus :

" My name belongey Norval, top- ~ Side galow that Grampian hill My Father catohey chow-chow for him piecy Sheep," &c. Longfellow's beautiful poem " Exc'eU sior" adopts the wonderful title, ,'|TopaHe- Galow." and runs in the'se melodious lines:— TOPSIDR-0A.1.0W! KXOKLSIOR! That nightey time be- The 'shades of night gin chop chop, ' were falling fast, Cue young man walk- As through an Alpine ey- no can stop. villago passed Maskeysuowlmaskey A youth who bore, ice! 'mid snow and ice, He carry flag wid chop A banner with the so nice— , ' strange device, "Topside-galow!" ' "Excelsior!" Him muchey sorry, His brow was sad; his one piecey eye eye beneath Looksee sharp-—so - Flashed like afalchion all same my, from its sheath, Him talkey largey, And like a silver clatalkey strong, Hon rung Too muchey curio— The accents of that all same gong— uuknowu tongue, "Topside-galowl" "Excelsior!" ' Inside house him can In happy homes' he see light, saw the light And everv room got Of household fires tire all right, . gleam warm and He lookey plenty ice bright; more high. Above, the spectral Inside'aim mouth ho glaciers shone, plenty crv— And from his lips es- " Topside-galow!" caped a groan, «•' Excelsior!" Ole man talkey,''• No "Try not the Pass!" C»tl%alk! ' ' the old man said, By'in by tain come—• "Dark lowers the werry <lark; tempest overhead, Hav* got water, wor- The ro\ring torrent is ry wide." deep and wide!" "Maskoy! my must And loud that clarion go topside " voice replied, "Topside-galow!" " Excelsior!" "Man - man!" one "0 stay." themaiden girley talkey he, said, " and rest I "What for you go Thy .woary head upon topside looksee i" this breast!" ' I And one time more ho A'tear stood in 'his'! plenty hright blue eye, But all time walkey But still he answered, plenty high- - with a sigh, "Tbpside'g<tlow!" "Excelsior!" ' "Take cars! that spoil " Beware > the pine'urn tree, young man. tree's withered Take enro that ice! branch! He want man-man!" Beware the awful, That'coolie ohin-uhin avalanche!" ho tjood night, This was the peasant's He talkey "My can last good night! ' go all right." A voice replied, far, '' Topside galow!" up the height, " Excelsior!" Joj»pigec>n man ha At/ break of d.vy, as won begin, heavenward .Morning • time that The pious monks of &•» chin-chin, St. Bernard * H® no man see-r-him Uttered the oft-re-' plenty fear, peated prayer, > Cos some man talkey A voice cried through —• h* can heat! the startled air,, "Topside-galowl" " Excelsior I" , That young man die, A traveller, by the i fme large do<£ see, faithful hound, Too muchey bobbery . Half - buried in the findey he; snow was found, He hand belong colo Still grasping in his —all same ice, hand of ice Have got flag, with That banner, with the '• chop so nice. strange device, "Topside-galow!" " Excelsior!"