Unwritten Tok Pisin

Let me share some unwritten versions of Tok Pisin, they may not gladly ooze out of a writers pen but they certainly breathe life into Tok Pisin.

Highly emotional and derogatory they may seem, such expressions serve a Melanesian purpose of shaming someone into proper behavior. It's a tool for punishment and correction.

To discourage one from following a person or group, one might use 'smelim as'. These two words separately are 'smell' and 'arse', meaning to smell someone's arse. Figuratively it means to follow someone blindly even though that person or group isn't good for you.

'Kaikai pekpek' is another such expression. It literally translates as 'eat shit' and may be used to shame someone who has believed a false information. It's contexts of use have not been studied.

And the list goes on. I'm not trying to promote swear words but simply point to the fact that there are such expressions that give Tok Pisin it's emotional content.

On the brighter side of praise and appreciation, 'yu em yu lash ya!'. The latest product of sweetness is used. 'You are lush (a candy) in the flesh'. And how about 'save kilim' literally 'knowledge killed that person, figuratively 'super clever'. That's just two. An Idiom Dictionary in Tok Pisin would serve such a purpose.

Who has the time, passion and focus to do that?

There are lexicography consultants in the country to check the work and there are publishing companies to publish.

What's stopping you from taking that up?