The essays in this book were written in honour of Dr Tom Dutton, who worked in the Department of Linguistics of the Research School ofPacific and Asian Studies at The Australian National University from1969 until 1997. Tom made a major contribution to our understanding of the languages of Papua New Guinea, and especially of central and south-east Papua.Included in the book are essays on Papuan languages by Bernard Comrie (Haruai), Mark Donohue (Burmeso), Cynthia Farr (Korafe), Karl Franklin (Foe, Fasu and Enga), Volker Heeschen (Eipo and Yale), FrancescaMerlan and Alan Rumsey (Ku Waru), the late Otto Nekitel (Abu'Arapesh), Meredith Osmond (Chimbu--Wahgi languages), Andrew Pawley (Proto Trans New Guinea), Malcolm Ross (east Papuan languages), EvelynTodd (Bilua), C.L. Voorhoeve (Proto Awyu-Dumut) and Apoi Yarapea (Kewa).Contributions on Oceanic Austronesian languages are by Robert Blust (reduplicated colour terms), Joel Bradshaw (Iwal), Ann Chowning (plant names), Susanne Holzknecht (Duwet), John Lynch (possession) and GunterSenft (Kilivila). There are two contributions are on Pacific pidgins, by Peter Muehlhaeusler and Darrell Tryon, and one on language endangerment by the late Stephen Wurm.