I challenge you to help me learn Tok Pisin

October 24, 2000 1:36 PM

I challenge you to help me learn Tok Pisin
Mi laik i harim Tok Pisin. Olgeta manmeri i tokim long Tok Pisin long Papua Niugini. Mi laik i lukim na stap long PNG! That was some poor Tok Pisin. Tok Pisin is a Melanesia pidgin language extensively used in Papua New Guinea. Help me learn more! Post links for Tok Pisin language learning here!
posted by rschram (2 comments total)

wow - imagine if tok pison were added to babelfish!
posted by subpixel at 4:06 PM on October 24, 2000

From an advertisement for a department store:

kam insait long stua bilong mipela - stua bilong salim olgeta samting - mipela i-ken helpim yu long kisim wanem samting yu laikim bikpela na liklik long gutpela prais. I-gat gutpela kain kago long baiim na i-gat stap long helpim yu na lukautim yu long taim yu kam insait long dispela stua.

using english spelling:

come inside long store belong me-fellow - store belong sellim altogether something - me-fellow can helpim you long catchim whatname something you likim, big-fellow na liklik, long good-fellow price. He-got good-fellow king cargo long buyim, na he-got staff long helpim you na lookutim you long time you come inside long this-fellow store.

translation:

come into our store - a store for selling everything - we can help you get whatever you want, big and small, at a good price. There are good types of goods for sale, and staff to help you and look after you when you visit the store.

(from Jared Diamond's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee")
posted by lagado at 6:07 PM on October 24, 2000