By Noah Sheidlower – Borgen Magazine TACOMA, Washington — Papua New Guinea is considered the most linguistically diverse place on the planet with around 850 different languages spoken throughout the country. While English is understood by most of the population, the country has two other official languages. One language is Tok Pisin, a Creole language based on English, theContinue reading “Preserving Papua New Guinea’s 850 Languages”
Category Archives: Language & linguistics
PNG languages dying with each generation
By AAP and AG staff Indigenous PNG languages are dying with each generation, and may only survive in ceremonies, experts say. WHO WILL SPEAK INIAI in 2050? Or Faiwol? Moskona? Wahgi? Probably no one, as the languages of New Guinea – the world’s greatest linguistic reservoir – are disappearing in a tide of indifference. Yoseph Wally,Continue reading “PNG languages dying with each generation”
Tok Pisin first for Commonwealth story prize
By EMMA D’COSTA – posted on PNG Attitude blog| Commonwealth Foundation LONDON, UK – Guyanese writer Fred D’Aguiar will chair an international panel of judges for the 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, which is now open to 1 November 2021. And for the first time the prize – offering a first prize of K24,000 –Continue reading “Tok Pisin first for Commonwealth story prize”
Long wanem as tru na yumi itambuim tokples long skul?
BY MICHAEL DOM Authors note: This is an unedited essay which is being posted now because of the current feature on language loss in our country. While the text could certainly benefit from a good editor, those folks are hard to come by, harder to convince, and probably demand hard currency. What’s more, since IContinue reading “Long wanem as tru na yumi itambuim tokples long skul?”
Linguistic Diversity Declines in Papua New Guinea
By Andrew Warner – language Magazine Papua New Guinea—frequently heralded as the most linguistically diverse place in the entire world—is in the middle of a language crisis. According to a new report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, the youngest generations in the nation are using IndigenousContinue reading “Linguistic Diversity Declines in Papua New Guinea”
Academic Says Hawaiian Language Originated from Outer Islands of PNG
Posted on Solomon Time New research on the origins of the Hawaiian language is stirring debate over the long-held theory in Polynesian migration that the islands were settled from Samoa. New linguistics research by UH Hilo Hawaiian Language Professor William “Pila” Wilson suggests the original settlers of the Hawaiian Islands came not from Samoa butContinue reading “Academic Says Hawaiian Language Originated from Outer Islands of PNG”
53rd Conference of the Linguistic Society of Papua New Guinea from September 21-22, 2021, at the SIL headquarters in Ukarumpa EHP
“A a hybrid conference, with virtual and in-person attendance and presentations. Joining us virtually as the plenary speaker will be Lise Dobrin, professor at the University of Virginia, USA. Dr Dobrin is a professor of Anthropological Linguistics and inspires us to examine the sociolinguistic and anthropological contexts of languages and their speakers. LSPNG 2021 aimsContinue reading “53rd Conference of the Linguistic Society of Papua New Guinea from September 21-22, 2021, at the SIL headquarters in Ukarumpa EHP”
Tok Pisin, Tok Motu na Tok Ples
BY MICHAEL DOM If “Tok Pisin is the language expression of our lifestyle and our intermingled cultures”[i] then what does this language say about us as a people? As first language English speaking Papua Niuginians my siblings and I were introduced to Tok Pisin during our late primary and secondary school years. Our parents hadContinue reading “Tok Pisin, Tok Motu na Tok Ples”
To preserve our languages & culture we must be bold
BY CORNEY KOROKAN ALONE Keith Jackson & Friends: PNG Attitude 12 January 2015 THE threat of the world’s languages fading away and dying is an age-old reality. It is not unique to the 21st century. This fate will befall hundreds of Papua New Guinea’s languages. History tells us of the deliberate methods crafted to destroyContinue reading “To preserve our languages & culture we must be bold”
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