Palawa Kani

Roger Mills wrote:

>Isaac Penzev wrote:
>
>
>>A funny thing Janko mentioned:
>>
>>
>>>  J. CONLANG  BASED AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES:
>>>Palawa Kani.
>>>
>>>
>>Actually, it's not a conlang but rather a 'reconlang': a reconstruction of
>>
>>
>a
>
>
>>language that died. But the funnier thing is that this language is taught
>>
>>
>and
>
>
>>spoken by a small but distinctive and growing community!
>>
>>Read about it here:
>>http://www.fatsil.org/LOTM/dec99.htm
>>http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,6728620,00.html
>>http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/deepend/stories/s899296.htm
>>
>>
>>
>Iinteresting.  One has to wonder how much original vocabulary and grammar
>they have to work with.... or are they (gasp)...inventing ...new words?
>
>The word _palawa_ struck me, ASSUMING it means 'language'-- looks and could
>sound a lot like old US slang _palaver_ 'talk, discuss; confer etc.', <
>Span. palabra.  But it could just be coincidental, as I doubt "palaver" ever
>made its way into Brit. slang/ S.Pacific pidgin English.
>
>
Palaver is heard in British English.
from my Longman's:

Palaver: 1 (informal) unnecessary trouble and anxiety over small matters
(bother; fuss) 2 (informal) a lot of silly and meaningless talk. 3 (old
use) a long talk about something important

Some British people here may remember the 80's or 90's TV advert  of  a
brand of  tea  in which  Julie Walters goes "Ooo what a palaver"

and the etymology is Portuguese not Spanish

palaver - 1735, sailors' slang, from Port. palavra "word, speech, talk,"
traders' term for "negotiating with the natives" in W.Africa, metathesis
of L.L. parabola "speech, discourse," from L. parabola "comparison."
Meaning "idle talk" first recorded 1748.

And it could quite easily have reached the South Pacific with sailors
from Britain and other countries  who went that way.

David Barrow

Reply