Tok Pisin | Ethnologue

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639: tpi
Alternate Names: Melanesian English, Neomelanesian, New Guinea Pidgin English, Pidgin, Pisin
Autonym: Tok Pisin
Population: 4,122,000 in Papua New Guinea, all users. L1 users: 122,000 in Papua New Guinea (2004 SIL), increasing. L2 users: 4,000,000 (2001 UNESCO). 50,000 monolinguals (2001 UNESCO). Total users in all countries: 4,125,740 (as L1: 125,740; as L2: 4,000,000).
Location:: Widespread.
Language Status: 1 (National). De facto national language.
Classification: Creole, English based, Pacific
Dialects: Dialect differences between lowlands, highlands, and islands. Highlands lexicon has more English [eng] influence (Holm 1989).
Typology: SVO; 16 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes; non-tonal; inclusive/exclusive pronouns.
Language Use: L1 of some people in mixed urban areas. Used between speakers of different languages. Most frequently used language in Parliament and commerce. Where it is L1, it is passed on to children by parents. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 40%–45%. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Newspapers. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1989.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Tok Pisin
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Christian, traditional religion.