Re: Rotokas (was: California Cheeseburger)

Racsko Tamas said:
> On 18 Jun 2004 "Mark P. Line" <mark@...> wrote:
>
>> What evidence do we have that [w] is used when pronouncing 'wiliwili'?
>>
>> I think we have to assume that it's written with 'w' in Rotokas because
>> it's written with 'w' in Tok Pisin. We can make further assumptions
>> about
>> the most likely ways it'd be pronounced, but we've already covered that.
>
>   I do not agree with you. Pro primo: it was only your supposition that
> "wiliwili" is a Tok Pisin borrowing.
Sorry, but I find that insulting, I was hoping that this thread would end
before I had to say that.

Nik Taylor surmised that I might be guessing about Rotokas phonology, and
you are similarly unwilling to believe that I might have a considered
professional opinion to share.

I know that the form "wilwil" is used in Tok Pisin for 'bicycle', that
this Tok Pisin form derives from English ("wheel-REDUP") and that
"wiliwili" is the word used in Rotokas for 'bicycle'.

That's clear enough for me.

But what do I know, right?

Clearly, this thread has gotten out of hand. What I thought was a simple
case of me reporting what I know and can find out about Rotokas (a
language I studied to the extent of the available materials in the mid
70's) has turned into a situation where I'm being grilled on even the most
miniscule of assertions.

I don't have time for that. Sorry. I'll not try to comment on the rest of
your post, since that can only expose me to further insult. (Maybe
somebody else will help you find your mistakes.)

I guess I'll not try to impart any more of my, umm, guesses or
suppositions on this list for a while. That way, I won't be diluting the
list with speculation -- and everything else we see posted here can be
taken as gospel, as we know.


-- Mark

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