This term paper primarily raises the question in what way the German language took influence on Tok Pisin. For this purpose, it is necessary to take a closer look at individual words of Tok Pisin, which is along with English and Hiri Motu one of the three official languages of Papua New Guinea. After giving a definition of the object of investigation, the essay also seeks to provide an insight into the external history of Tok Pisin.
Tok Pisin (“talk pidgin”) is widely spoken across Papua New Guinea, whose population, according to the 2015 Census, was 7.5 million. English, the “language of the urban elite”, is only used by a small population group. It is a controversial issue, whether Tok Pisin and the other Melanesian Pidigins can be called creole or not. Primarily the fact that Tok Pisin is spoken by thousands of native speakers and has “functions and grammatical features found in typical creoles” makes people categorizing it as a creole. People saying it is still a pidgin stress that more than 90% of its speakers have a different native language background.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definition of Tok Pisin
3. External History of Tok Pisin
4. German influence and German Tok Pisin Vocabulary
5. Closing words
Research Objectives and Focus
This academic essay examines the linguistic development of Tok Pisin, specifically investigating the nature and extent of the influence exerted by the German language on its vocabulary and historical progression within Papua New Guinea.
- Historical evolution of Tok Pisin from the 19th century to the present.
- Sociolinguistic definition and status of Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea.
- Mechanisms of language contact during the German colonial period.
- Analysis of German loanwords and syncretisms in Tok Pisin.
- Impact of plantation environments on language standardization.
Excerpt from the Book
4. German influence and German Tok Pisin Vocabulary
From 1884 to 1899, German New Guinea was led by the New Guinea Company of Berlin. After 1899 it was a so called “imperial colony”, ruled by the “German Reich”. Mühlhäusler underlines that in this time “no efforts were made to spread the German language in the first years of German control”. Between 1900 and 1914 the colonial administration and especially the governor Dr. Hahl tried to replace Pidgin English with German by building up several “mission schools”. It is impressive to see that Tok Pisin texts indeed contain a lot of lexical items, which have a German origin. Mühlhäusler explains that even after 1919, when the administration was in the hands of English speaking people, “influence of German remained strong on the mission stations and in outlying areas.” A recorded example provides an insight into these lexical items:
Bipo mi stap long ‘snaidajunge’. Mi stap long Siaman long Sek long Alexishafen. Orait, mi wok long ‘snaider’ wantaim wantok ya. Mi ‘schule’ long Alexishafen long tri ‘yar’.
The items “snaidajunge”, “snaider”, “schule” and “yar”, highlighted with quotation marks, clearly reflect the Germanic influence. Moreover, the term “Snaidajunge” (tailor) maybe indicates that Tok Pisin played an important role for the communication between employees and workers. The correlating German noun is called “Schneiderjunge”. Without a doubt, the expressions “Schule” and “snaider” are also adapted from German language. The term “yar” is similar to both: German “Jahr” and English “year”. Without any explanation it is unclear why Mühlhäusler marks it as a German adapted word.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the study regarding the German linguistic influence on Tok Pisin within the context of Papua New Guinea's official languages.
2. Definition of Tok Pisin: Explores the linguistic classification of Tok Pisin as a pidgin or creole, its speakers, and its role as a lingua franca.
3. External History of Tok Pisin: Details the historical roots of the language, particularly the impact of 19th-century plantation labor recruitment in the Bismarck Archipelago and Samoa.
4. German influence and German Tok Pisin Vocabulary: Analyzes the lexical legacy of German colonial administration and missions, identifying specific loanwords and linguistic syncretisms.
5. Closing words: Reflects on the lasting cultural and topographical remnants of the German era and the contemporary linguistic landscape.
Keywords
Tok Pisin, Papua New Guinea, Pidgin, Creole, German influence, Lingua franca, Linguistic development, Loanwords, Colonial history, Plantation, Syncretism, Sociolinguistics, Lexifier, Bismarck Archipelago, Language contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this essay?
The essay explores the history and linguistic development of the language Tok Pisin, with a specific focus on the influence of the German language on its vocabulary and formation.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include the definition and status of Tok Pisin, its historical evolution on plantations, the nature of its contact with German and English, and the classification of the language.
What is the main research question of this study?
The study seeks to answer how and to what extent the German language influenced the development and vocabulary of Tok Pisin during and after the period of German colonial presence in the Pacific.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a historical-linguistic approach, relying on secondary literature and expert analysis (notably that of Peter Mühlhäusler) to examine etymological origins and socio-historical context.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the definition of the language, the external history linked to 19th-century labor migration, and a detailed lexical analysis of German-origin words in Tok Pisin.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Tok Pisin, Pidgin, Creole, German influence, Lingua franca, and Language contact.
How did plantation labor affect the language?
Plantations acted as a catalyst for language contact, where workers from different backgrounds needed a standardized communication tool, leading to the stabilization of jargon into a lingua franca.
Why are there debates about the official status of Tok Pisin?
While Tok Pisin is an official language of Papua New Guinea, some linguists argue it lacks the full practical status of English, which remains the primary language for many official government functions.
What role did German mission schools play?
Mission schools played a significant role in spreading German linguistic elements, as colonial authorities initially attempted to promote German as a replacement for Pidgin English.
What is meant by the term "syncretism" in this context?
Syncretism refers to lexical units in Tok Pisin that can be derived from multiple sources (such as both German and English) due to the language's specific phonological structure.
- Quote paper
- Dominik Keßel (Author), 2017, Tok Pisin. History, linguistic development and German influence, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/353245
