Approximately 270 indigenous languages are spoken in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, and this study focused on the use of imperatives in Amele, one of the Trans-New Guinea languages (Roberts, 1987, Aikhenvald 2010), and Tok Pisin, a creole and lingua franca in the area. Most Amele speakers are bilingual in Amele and Tok Pisin, and this study paid particular attention to imperative usage and the personal pronouns and kinship terms that accompany the imperative in both languages. Amele speakers have maintained their unique language in this bilingual situation.

When giving commands or instructions to others, Amele speakers use imperative and prohibitive forms such as (1) and (2) below.

(1) Imperative in Amele:

Ina Hoga!/ Hoga!/ Boy, hoga!

you come/ come/ boy come

"Come! (to you/ to everybody/ to a boy)"

(2) Prohibitive in Amele:

Papa, ain hogon!

father, don't come!

"Don't come, father!"

The present study also conducted a sociolinguistic survey of the grammar of commands and instructions and their use (Xrakovskij 2001).

The results show that Amele language does not have polite imperative forms, but uses 2nd personal pronouns, kinship names such as "boy" and "friend", and address terms together with imperative sentences. This allows them to express politeness and intimacy.

Finally, this study argues that Amele speakers engage in a kind of code-switching in their interactions with others. They prefer to use Amele terms when they are close to others or within the community, and prefer Tok Pisin imperatives when they are not close to others or outside the community.

References:

Aikhenvald, A. Y. (2010). Imperatives and commands. Oxford University Press.

Roberts, J.R. 1987. Amele. Croom Helm.

Xrakovskij,Viktor, S. (2001) A typological questionnaire on imperative constructions. Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Linguistic Research.