登陆注册
15421100000073

第73章 BECHE DE MER ENGLISH(1)

Given a number of white traders, a wide area of land, and scores of savage languages and dialects, the result will be that the traders will manufacture a totally new, unscientific, but perfectly adequate, language.This the traders did when they invented the Chinook lingo for use over British Columbia, Alaska, and the Northwest Territory.So with the lingo of the Kroo-boys of Africa, the pigeon English of the Far East, and the beche de mer of the westerly portion of the South Seas.This latter is often called pigeon English, but pigeon English it certainly is not.To show how totally different it is, mention need be made only of the fact that the classic piecee of China has no place in it.

There was once a sea captain who needed a dusky potentate down in his cabin.The potentate was on deck.The captain's command to the Chinese steward was "Hey, boy, you go top-side catchee one piecee king." Had the steward been a New Hibridean or a Solomon islander, the command would have been: "Hey, you fella boy, go look 'm eye belong you along deck, bring 'm me fella one big fella marster belong black man."It was the first white men who ventured through Melanesia after the early explorers, who developed beche de mer English--men such as the beche de mer fishermen, the sandalwood traders, the pearl hunters, and the labour recruiters.In the Solomons, for instance, scores of languages and dialects are spoken.Unhappy the trader who tried to learn them all; for in the next group to which he might wander he would find scores of additional tongues.A common language was necessary--a language so simple that a child could learn it, with a vocabulary as limited as the intelligence of the savages upon whom it was to be used.The traders did not reason this out.Beche do mer English was the product of conditions and circumstances.

Function precedes organ; and the need for a universal Melanesian lingo preceded beche de mer English.Beche de mer was purely fortuitous, but it was fortuitous in the deterministic way.Also, from the fact that out of the need the lingo arose, beche de mer English is a splendid argument for the Esperanto enthusiasts.

A limited vocabulary means that each word shall be overworked.

Thus, fella, in beche de mer, means all that piecee does and quite a bit more, and is used continually in every possible connection.

Another overworked word is belong.Nothing stands alone.

Everything is related.The thing desired is indicated by its relationship with other things.A primitive vocabulary means primitive expression, thus, the continuance of rain is expressed as rain he stop.SUN HE COME UP cannot possibly be misunderstood, while the phrase-structure itself can be used without mental exertion in ten thousand different ways, as, for instance, a native who desires to tell you that there are fish in the water and who says FISH HE STOP.It was while trading on Ysabel island that Ilearned the excellence of this usage.I wanted two or three pairs of the large clam-shells (measuring three feet across), but I did not want the meat inside.Also, I wanted the meat of some of the smaller clams to make a chowder.My instruction to the natives finally ripened into the following "You fella bring me fella big fella clam--kai-kai he no stop, he walk about.You fella bring me fella small fella clam--kai-kai he stop."Kai-kai is the Polynesian for food, meat, eating, and to eat: but it would be hard to say whether it was introduced into Melanesia by the sandalwood traders or by the Polynesian westward drift.Walk about is a quaint phrase.Thus, if one orders a Solomon sailor to put a tackle on a boom, he will suggest, "That fella boom he walk about too much." And if the said sailor asks for shore liberty, he will state that it is his desire to walk about.Or if said sailor be seasick, he will explain his condition by stating, "Belly belong me walk about too much."Too much, by the way, does not indicate anything excessive.It is merely the simple superlative.Thus, if a native is asked the distance to a certain village, his answer will be one of these four:

"Close-up"; "long way little bit"; "long way big bit"; or "long way too much." Long way too much does not mean that one cannot walk to the village; it means that he will have to walk farther than if the village were a long way big bit.

Gammon is to lie, to exaggerate, to joke.Mary is a woman.Any woman is a Mary.All women are Marys.Doubtlessly the first dim white adventurer whimsically called a native woman Mary, and of similar birth must have been many other words in beche de mer.The white men were all seamen, and so capsize and sing out were introduced into the lingo.One would not tell a Melanesian cook to empty the dish-water, but he would tell him to capsize it.To sing out is to cry loudly, to call out, or merely to speak.Sing-sing is a song.The native Christian does not think of God calling for Adam in the Garden of Eden; in the native's mind, God sings out for Adam.

Savvee or catchee are practically the only words which have been introduced straight from pigeon English.Of course, pickaninny has happened along, but some of its uses are delicious.Having bought a fowl from a native in a canoe, the native asked me if I wanted "Pickaninny stop along him fella." It was not until he showed me a handful of hen's eggs that I understood his meaning.My word, as an exclamation with a thousand significances, could have arrived from nowhere else than Old England.A paddle, a sweep, or an oar, is called washee, and washee is also the verb.

Here is a letter, dictated by one Peter, a native trader at Santa Anna, and addressed to his employer.Harry, the schooner captain, started to write the letter, but was stopped by Peter at the end of the second sentence.Thereafter the letter runs in Peter's own words, for Peter was afraid that Harry gammoned too much, and he wanted the straight story of his needs to go to headquarters.

"SANTA ANNA

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 无限之神武通天

    无限之神武通天

    因为一场失恋,意外踏上通天之路,从此彻底改变了一个普通都市小白领的一生。生命中多了鲜花,多了掌声,多了妖娆,以及一页页加诸在身的神奇。以国术为根,以内功为干,以神功为枝叶,以仙武为果实。(都市+无限流,不喜勿入)
  • 别梦依依

    别梦依依

    痴心总裁不霸道,奈何感情总有先来后到,恐情深缘浅;气质如兰外戚孤女,外柔内刚敢爱敢舍,一世安好不信轻诺;权利千金豪爽狡狯一念之间,弃执念方得人间天堂。有男女的地方就有情爱,家族利益股权争夺尽显竞争社会利益主旨
  • 眠入绊

    眠入绊

    双重身份,注定了她的一生命运多舛。儿时,她被薄家收养;孩童时,她被他所救;年少时,她成了左丞相的千金——白翾暖。危机四伏的皇宫,让原本就如履薄冰的她更加谨慎、疲惫。他无意中闯入了她的世界,被她慢慢吸引,默默保护她,殊不知这背后是一场谋策已久的阴谋。局中局,究竟谁是背后的那个人?
  • 悍庄

    悍庄

    2008年,华尔街金融才俊郑凡,在金融危机的过程中破产,遭遇谋杀身亡。车祸之后,郑凡带着比别人多出十二年的经验回档1996年,面对上一世种种遗憾,恰逢这自家境况转折点,他下定决心要改变上一世的种种郁闷与悔恨,重新让家族振作,享受不一样的人生。华夏改革开放大潮波澜壮阔,伴随着市场经济的发展,作为有着丰富金融领域知识的郑凡,毅然选择在资本市场发展,从此以后,郑凡开始了走上了资本大鳄的财权之路。
  • 南国之境

    南国之境

    是上天让我们重逢,而不是互道珍重。书友们书友们,经广大书友建议,《南国之境》的女主更名了更名了。原名林俞卿,现名林小俞,希望大家多多原谅多多包涵多多支持啦。
  • 绝色毒妃:邪帝狠宠妻

    绝色毒妃:邪帝狠宠妻

    什么?堂堂金牌特工居然穿越了,还穿越成任人碾压的渣渣,且看废材如何逆转成命运。月色盎然,窗前一绝色女子冷笑道“今日辱我者,他日肯定百倍奉还”“今日欺我者,他日我让他生不如死!"倾心阁中'’娘子,快告诉我,今天送你回来那货是谁"一个无良的妖孽眨着闪烁的眼睛逼问着,语气带着丝丝危险气息。"和你有关吗?"某女子答到"既然,娘子说和我无关,那好吧。。。""辰风,去把那人给我杀了"某风傻眼,浓浓的一股醋意,在眼前飘过。且看男主如何俘获女主心。【男强+女强+腹黑+宠文】
  • 花季少女不好惹

    花季少女不好惹

    颜锦娜和颜锦溪是同父异母的姐妹,颜锦溪很讨厌颜锦娜,原因一半是嫉妒一半的恨。嫉妒颜锦娜是嫡女,她不是;恨她喜欢的人,喜欢她不喜欢自己。因为八大家的一个小小考验,说是考验其实只是为了撮合他们几对,颜锦娜带着离蕊、沐曦、云颖三位好姐妹一起大闹史蒂商学院!颜锦溪因为恨……
  • 你有一心时光伤

    你有一心时光伤

    记得那天我的脚步越来越远,一直想走到的地方始终没走到终点,时间像是一道砖头砌成的厚厚的墙,记忆透过点点的光,每个瞬间都是戳中泪点的伤,多么平凡却一直没有再遇见。
  • 开创事业(影响你一生的成功励志书)

    开创事业(影响你一生的成功励志书)

    心态决定一切!智慧创造一切!这是一个人人追求成功的时代,心智的力量具有创造成功态势的无穷魔力!即具有成功暗示的随着灵感牵引的成功力。
  • “娇”手遮天:邪王追逆天冷妻

    “娇”手遮天:邪王追逆天冷妻

    千染花容月貌腹黑毒舌坑起人来绝不含糊,莫子冥绝代风华冷酷无情却宠她宠到天上地下仅此一个。他身边冒出了一朵白莲花?那就掐一朵!又冒出了两朵白莲花?那便掐一双!她身边冒出了一朵美男花?那就掐一朵!又冒出了两朵美男花?那边掐一双!一三五七归千染调戏莫子冥,二四六归莫子冥调戏千染。莫子冥不服:“凭什么为夫少一天?”“不服?”“不服!”“不服就别再上本姑娘的床!”“娘子为夫错了……”开玩笑,他才不要因为这个而长期禁欲!“莫子冥!”“什么事娘子~”“我怀孕了。”“哦,那生下来吧,给为夫生个小小染。”结果……小小染没有造出来,倒是造出来了一个跟他抢娘子/娘亲的小小冥!从此父子大战悄然拉开了帷幕……