I'm pretty sure that the Rotokas word "wiliwili" means
"fake"... it is a borrowing from English, being a
Rotokaization of "Mili Vanili", LOL
                                    Travis
--- "Mark P. Line" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Racsko Tamas said:
> > On 18 Jun 2004 "Mark P. Line"
> <[log in to unmask]> 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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