As I am editing Tok Pisin translations today, I noticed grammatical errors in the translation of 'would have' sentences. First, we have to understand what 'would+have' means. "would have" is used to express a hypothetical or unrealized action in the past. https://langeek.co/en/grammar/course/684/would-vs-would-have Next, we have to understand how Tok Pisin expresses hypothetical actions.. Tok Pisin uses "sapos " to express hypothetical actions but we have to be mindful of how it is used in...

I just came across a word in my translation task today, It's 'accuser'. Most Tok Pisin writers would probably use a phrase 'man bilong sutim tok' meaning 'accuser'. However, my argument is that my audience, today's generation of church goers have read the Bible in English or heard preachers who are trained in English, use this word when preaching, so they are familiar with it and I would also like to represent that spoken usage in writing. A current trend in Tok Pisin writing To writers who...

SPINIM! SPINIM! OKEI, NEGEMBA! NEGEMBA! Pulling out dangerously onto the freeway, violating traffic rules at 4 Mile, Boroko, Port Moresby. It all happened in a flash, one minute, the bus crew was outside of the bus yelling directions over to the driver while peeling his eyes out for traffic police and estimating the speed of the incoming traffic. Next minute", he was hollering in Tok Pisin. " SPINIM! SPINIM!" meaning "Spin around! Spin around!" as he bolted into the bus door. Standing inside...