It has been difficult to standardize Tok Pisin because of the different dialects in each province and the structure of their sentences. Usually, people speak the same thing but in different ways soften the best way to understand is the get the meaning, find out what they’re saying.
The Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin alphabet is different from the English one that we know.
All the letters may be there but some are hardly if at all pronounced when speaking or spelling pidgin words.
Some of the letters that would be missing in the regular alphabet are V, C, J, Q, U, X, Z.
English words that begin with the letter “V” in English are usually spelt with “W” or “F” in pidgin depending on their sound and use in English.
For example: Vicks will be wiks. Vaseline is Waselin.
The same applies to “C” words in English which are replaced with “S” o “K” depending on their English sounding and use. Words starting with “Ch” are also replaced with an “S.”
For example: Cut is Kat (Pronounced the same). Cheese is Sis. Celery would be seleri. (NOTE: All greens like celery are called “Kumu” [pronounced: Koo-moo] in Tok Pisin.)
“J” I changed to “S” o “Y” but in modern times, it is being used as it is.
For example: Joshua is Yesua. Jesus is Yesu.
“Q” words are spelt with “K” and “W,” “Y,” or “U,” again depending on their sounding in English.
For example: Queen is Kwin. Quick is Kwik and Queue would be Kyu.
Words beginning with “U” are usually spelt with “A” or with a “Y” infront of the “U” in pidgin.
For example: University is Yunivesiti. Up is ap.
“X” words are quite tricky but in Tok Pisin they are spelt with a group of letters that make up its sound.
For example: Saxaphone is seksafon.
Words beginning with “Z” are spelt with an “S” in Pidgin.
For example: Zen would be Sen.
There are other letters and spelling of words that may be used differently in writing then in speaking. You will pick these up as you go along.
The Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin alphabet is different from the English one that we know.
All the letters may be there but some are hardly if at all pronounced when speaking or spelling pidgin words.
Some of the letters that would be missing in the regular alphabet are V, C, J, Q, U, X, Z.
English words that begin with the letter “V” in English are usually spelt with “W” or “F” in pidgin depending on their sound and use in English.
For example: Vicks will be wiks. Vaseline is Waselin.
The same applies to “C” words in English which are replaced with “S” o “K” depending on their English sounding and use. Words starting with “Ch” are also replaced with an “S.”
For example: Cut is Kat (Pronounced the same). Cheese is Sis. Celery would be seleri. (NOTE: All greens like celery are called “Kumu” [pronounced: Koo-moo] in Tok Pisin.)
“J” I changed to “S” o “Y” but in modern times, it is being used as it is.
For example: Joshua is Yesua. Jesus is Yesu.
“Q” words are spelt with “K” and “W,” “Y,” or “U,” again depending on their sounding in English.
For example: Queen is Kwin. Quick is Kwik and Queue would be Kyu.
Words beginning with “U” are usually spelt with “A” or with a “Y” infront of the “U” in pidgin.
For example: University is Yunivesiti. Up is ap.
“X” words are quite tricky but in Tok Pisin they are spelt with a group of letters that make up its sound.
For example: Saxaphone is seksafon.
Words beginning with “Z” are spelt with an “S” in Pidgin.
For example: Zen would be Sen.
There are other letters and spelling of words that may be used differently in writing then in speaking. You will pick these up as you go along.