“Buk Baibel tokim yumi olsem yumi olgeta save mekim olsnti ol asua – tasol ol pasta em nogat wanpela as bilong ol long mekim. Ol asua em ol gat wei bilong ol yet long mekim yu go bek gen na i no long gohet. Asua ken stopim yu long gohet. Wanem kain ol asua em ol pasta ken mekim? Wanem samting bai inap long mekim 10pela bikpela asua bilong pasta? Yu ken ritim dispela gutpela buk na yu yet ken painim aut long 10pela bikpela asua we yu stap long mak bilomng mekim nah au long abrusim bikpela asua we pasta bai klostu mekim long en. Dispela bikpela buk bai wanpela blesing long yu na long ministri bilong yu.”

Tok Pisin is the Pidgin English language that was introduced to Papua New Guinea in the late 19th century as a way for this linguistically complex society to communicate with a common language. This book provides the historical background for this language and a detailed account of the changes that are taking place in its pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar as it is increasingly adopted as the first language of young people throughout the country.

Reite Plants is a documentation and discussion of the uses of plants by speakers of the Nekgini language, a people who reside in the hinterland of the Rai Coast in northern Papua New Guinea. High quality images and detailed information about traditional customary practices using plants provide a unique entry into understanding Nekgini social and cultural life. The book contains a discussion of the ownership of plant knowledge in the context of both local and contemporary global trends. As a dual language, co-authored text, the book is a unique contribution to the ethnobotany and anthropology of Melanesia. Reite Plants represents the product of a long term collaborative work between the authors.

Tok Pisin is one of the most important languages of Melanesia and is used in a wide range of public and private functions in Papua New Guinea. The language has featured prominently in Pidgin and Creole linguistics and has featured in a number of debates in theoretical linguistics. With their extensive fieldwork experience and vast knowledge of the archives relating to Papua New Guinea, Peter Mühlhäusler, Thomas E. Dutton and Suzanne Romaine compiled this Tok Pisin text collection. It brings together representative samples of the largest Pidgin language of the Pacific area. These texts represent about 150 years of development of this language and will be an invaluable resource for researchers, language policy makers and individuals interested in the history of Papua New Guinea.

TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks as well as studies that provide new insights by building bridges to neighbouring fields such as neuroscience and cognitive science. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing.

"The perfect dictionary for speakers of Tok Pisin who want to improve their English, and speakers of English who want to learn Tok Pisin."--Book jacket.