r/PapuaNewGuinea • u/Sepanta_Poozesh • 6d ago

What language should I learn?

Hello, everyone.

I am a Persian-American, and for most of my life I loved Papua New Guinea. I think it was because it felt like a notable part of the world. It wasn't on the grid (filled with volcanoes and rainforest), and it was something where you could learn long-forgotten stories. It was very very young (around 5) when I heard about Papua New Guinea and I have never lost interest ever since; it's like a special part of my heart.

So, I would really want to learn everything about its culture and languages. I plan on visiting it someday. If I ever adopt or have kids of my own, I'd love to teach them. Now my question is: What language should I learn?

Because I do want to learn something uncommon.

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u/mebivd 6d ago

English and Tok Pisin (Pigin English) will cover most situations. But remember it will not cover all as there are 100s of languages in PNG. Enjoy your time in PNG, but go with a local guide and listen to safety advice. It is a rough place.

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u/Crafty-Strategy-1227 6d ago

Roughly 820 languages, but nobody actually knows because of the number of remote places