Institute of Germanic Languages and Literatures

Projects

Audio files

Prof Péter Maitz during an interview with Unserdeutsch-speaker Yvonne Lündin in Brisbane 2016

These recordings were made in Papua New Guinea and Australia at two different times, 1979–1980 and 2014+. The older recordings were retrieved from copies of somewhat damaged tapes and are therefore sometimes technically poor.

The language variety spoken by individual speakers varies highly between spoken Standard German and Unserdeutsch depending on the speakers' linguistic biography, individual linguistic repertoire, and the social context of the interview.

Generally, it should be noted that the speakers recorded in 1979-1980 represent the last generation of Unserdeutsch-speakers who still had a good command of both spoken and written Standard German. In contrast, the subsequent generation, which was interviewed as from 2014, generally has at best a very limited passive knowledge of German.

The following samples from the Unserdeutsch Language Corpus are presented primarily with the Vunapope mixed-race community and the interested public in mind. The recordings are therefore not accompanied by transcripts, linguistic metadata, analyses, or any professional linguistic commentary.

The complete corpus is currently being transcribed, annotated, and analyzed and will eventually be made available for scientific and educational purposes as part of the Database of Spoken German at the Leibniz Institute for German Language in Mannheim, Germany.

Recordings 2014+


Benson, Sandra (née Reinhardt) Year of birth: 1957 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Ipswich (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: German at home and at the mission Recorded 06.03.2015 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Bond, Joseph Cecil (1930-2016) Year of birth: 1930 Place of birth: Pililo (West New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: German beer at Rakanda Plantation Recorded 25.01.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Carswell, Agnes Mary (née Gangloff) (1937-2020) Year of birth: 1937 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Cairns (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English,Kuanua, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About her parents Recorded 12.02.2016 in Cairns with Péter Maitz.
Chan, Maria (née Hoerler) Year of birth: 1947 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Pilgrimage to father's grave Recorded 17.10.2015 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Chin, Bernadette (née Chee) Year of birth: 1948 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Wynnum (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About her children and Australia Recorded 22.01.2016 in Runcorn with Péter Maitz.
Coxon, Jacinta A. (née Gangloff) Year of birth: 1950 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Goodwood Islands (New South Wales, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Playing outside as a child Recorded 18.02.2017 in Victoria Point with Péter Maitz.
Eliou, Johanna (née Griffith) Year of birth: 1933 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Caboolture (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Christmas eve at the mission Recorded 09.03.2015 in Caboolture with Péter Maitz.
Enkera, Leonard Year of birth: 1934 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: From New Ireland to the mission Recorded 19.09.2017 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Enkera, Winifred (née Laurie) (1932-2018) Year of birth: 1932 Place of birth: New Ireland (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Christmas presents in Vunapope Recorded 19.09.2017 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Foo, Evelyn (née Lücker) Year of birth: 1954 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Kokopo (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: German language in the childhood Recorded 13.02.2016 in Cairns with Péter Maitz.
Gangloff, Ernestine Year of birth: 1955 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Leaving Rabaul after World War II Recorded 01.02.2016 in Gold Coast with Craig Volker.
Gangloff, Eugene Year of birth: 1953 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Victoria Point (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Easter at the mission Recorded 18.02.2017 in Victoria Point with Péter Maitz.
Gangloff-Spaine, Brenda Year of birth: 1961 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About her grandpa Recorded 09.02.2016 in Sydney with Péter Maitz.
Green, Martha Barbara (née Enquera) Year of birth: 1937 Place of birth: Kavieng (New Ireland, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Chuwar (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About her parents and grandparents Recorded 19.01.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Hartig, David Year of birth: 1961 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Leisure activities after school Recorded 25.06. 2019 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Hartig, Eric Year of birth: 1956 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Daily routine at the mission as a child Recorded 05.03.2015 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Hassett, Alice (née Enquera) Year of birth: 1945 Place of birth: Kavieng (New Ireland, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Gordon Park (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Bathing in Vunapope Recorded 20.01.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Hitipeuw, Elisabeth Year of birth: 1941 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Runcorn (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Returning to Rabaul and Kokopo Recorded 01.02.2016 in Gold Coast with Craig Volker.
Hitipeuw, Herman Year of birth: 1943 Place of birth: Ramale (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Bankstown (New South Wales, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Awaiting Knecht Ruprecht Recorded 06.02.2016 in Sydney with Péter Maitz und Craig Volker.
Hitipeuw, John Year of birth: 1945 Place of birth: Ramale (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About his spontaneous way of life Recorded 06.02.2016 in Sydney with Péter Maitz und Craig Volker.
Hoerler, Emil Joseph Year of birth: 1949 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Gold Coast (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Holiday on the plantation Recorded 25.09.2017 in Kokopo with Péter Maitz.
Hoerler, Ernest (1941-2020) Year of birth: 1941 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: German celebrations and food in his childhood Recorded 08.02.2016 in Sydney with Péter Maitz.
Käse, Veronica (née Laimena) Year of birth: 1943 Place of birth: Namatanai (New Ireland, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Runcorn (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Death of her mother in early childhood Recorded 02.10.2017 in Runcorn with Péter Maitz.
Kearney, Dianna (née Kraus) Year of birth: 1944 Place of birth: Kerawat (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Runcorn (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About the family Recorded 22.10.2015 in Runcorn with Péter Maitz.
Kikuchi, Anne (née Schneider) (1948-2019) Year of birth: 1948 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Logan City (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Speaking Unserdeutsch in Vunapope and Australia Recorded 19.01. 2016 in Redland City with Péter Maitz.
Kikuchi, Olga Anna (née Schmidt) Year of birth: 1935 Place of birth: Gil-Gil (New Ireland, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Woodridge (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Daily routine at home Recorded 19.01.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Kikuchi, Pius Year of birth: 1933 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Woodridge (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Japanese, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Appointment to manager of the Gilgil-Plantation Recorded 02.02.2016 in Loganholme with Péter Maitz.
Kong, Mary Catherine (née Wickham) Year of birth: 1956 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: Chinese, English, Roviana (Solomon Islands), Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Of her childhood at the mission Recorded 01.02.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Kramer, Karl Year of birth: 1933 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Kewarra Beach (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About the languages of his childhood, his father and grandpa Recorded 13.02.2016 in Cairns with Craig Volker.
Layt, Judith (née Reinhardt) Year of birth: 1952 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Rothwell (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: In a swimming bath for white people Recorded 25.01.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz und Craig Volker.
Lundin, Yvonne Year of birth: 1962 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About her parents Recorded 29.01.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Morris, Roseleen Carolyn Year of birth: 1949 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Detonation of blind shell a after World War II Recorded 01.03.2018 in Cairns with Péter Maitz.
Murphy, Esther (née Hoerler) Year of birth: 1955 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Kantonese, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Speaking German and Unserdeutsch at home Recorded 09.02.2017 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Parsons, Ella (née Hoerler) Year of birth: 1949 Place of birth: Rakanda (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Redcliffe (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Daily routine in her youth Recorded 28.01.2016 in Radcliffe with Péter Maitz und Craig Volker.
Ralfe, Veronika (née Zander) Year of birth: 1945 Place of birth: Kokopo (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Kewarra Beach (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch, Spanisch Audio sample: German goods in the mission shop Recorded 12.02.2016 in Cairns with Péter Maitz.
Reinhardt, William Karl (1946-2016) Year of birth: 1946 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Bracken Ridge (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Relations with the mission Recorded 14.09.2014 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Schulz, Margaret Anna Year of birth: 1941 Place of birth: Vunapope (New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Dishes at home in Vunapope Recorded 23.01.2016 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Schulze-Hermann, Joseph (1945-2020) Year of birth: 1945 Place of birth: Gazelle Peninsula (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Kavieng (New Ireland, Papua New Guinea) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: German food in his childhood Recorded 24.09.2014 in Kavieng with Péter Maitz.
Seeto, Elisabeth Lucy (née Jacobs) Year of birth: 1938 Place of birth: Kavieng (New Ireland, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: The German and American nuns at the mission Recorded 22.02.2017 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Spanner, Edward Bernhard Year of birth: 1947 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Cairns (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Evening routine of the children at home Recorded 09.02.2017 in Brisbane with Péter Maitz.
Taplin, Henrica (née Lücker) Year of birth: 1942 Place of birth: Kerawat (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Canungra (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About the life of her parents at the mission Recorded 27.01.2016 in Nerang with Péter Maitz und Craig Volker.
Thurston, Marushka (née Hoerler) (1943-2019) Year of birth: 1943 Place of birth: St. Paul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Gold Coast (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: About her parents and her childhood Recorded 27.01.2016 in Nerang with Péter Maitz.
Whitehead, Emilia (née Ah Ming) Year of birth: 1940 Place of birth: Vunapope (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Cleveland (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: Anecdotes from the time after the war Recorded 29.01.2016 in Cleveland with Péter Maitz.
Wong, Celine Maria Year of birth: 1928 Place of birth: Rabaul (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Bentley Park (Queensland, Australia) Spoken languages: English,Kuanua, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: German doctors at the hospital of the mission Recorded 15.02.2016 in Cairns with Péter Maitz und Craig Volker.
Wong, Emeline (née Kikuchi) Year of birth: 1958 Place of birth: Buka (Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea) Residence when recorded: Vunamami (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) Spoken languages: English, Tok Pisin, Unserdeutsch Audio sample: The 1994 volcanic eruption of Rabaul Recorded 26.09.2017 in Kokopo with Péter Maitz.