gavman

Bislama

Alternative forms

• kapman

Etymology

From English government. Cognate with Pijin and Tok Pisin gavman.

Noun

gavman

1. government (body, state)

   Gavman i putum takis i go antap moa.

   The government raised taxes again.

2. government representative or official

   Ol gavman oli stap raonem ples blong yumi.

   The government officials are touring our areas.

Derived terms

• aelan gavman (“local government”)
• gavman saplae (“unending supply”) (slang)
• lokol gavman (“local government”)

See also

• barik (“government compound”)
• eks-Britis Jel (British colonial jail)
• ji (“government car”) (from G, the first letter of gavman)

References

• Crowley, Terry (2003), “gavman”, in A New Bislama Dictionary, 2nd edition, Suva, Fiji: Institute of Pacific Studies, →ISBN, page 93

Pijin

Etymology

From English government. Cognate with Bislama and Tok Pisin gavman.

Noun

gavman

1. government (body, state)

   Waka blong gavman nao fo helpem mifala.

   It is the role of the government to help us.

2. government representative or official

   Olketa gavman kam long aelan fo tok plan.

   Government officials came to the island to talk about the project.

Derived terms

• Gavna Jenerol (“Governor-General”)
• Sentrol Gavman (“Central Government”)

See also

• provins (“province; provincial government”)
• stesin (“government administrative centre”)

References

• Jourdan, Christine with Maebiru, Ellen (2002), “gavman”, in Pijin: A trilingual cultural dictionary (Pacific Linguistics; 526), Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, →ISBN, pages 57–8

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English government. Cognate with Bislama and Pijin gavman.

Noun

gavman

1. government

References

• Volker, C. A. (general editor), et al. (2008), Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin English Dictionary, Oxford University Press in association with Wantok Niuspepa, →ISBN, page 20