> ..which reminds me of a story I read about an attempt to translate the word "piano" into a Polynesian language. The end result was something charming, like, "big-fellow-you-hit-him-in-teeth-make-him-cry"

The language you mean is Tok Pisin, which is often called "Pidgin" or "Pidgin English" outside of Vanuatu. It's a proper language, but it comes from a mixture of French, English and the local language, Ni-Van. ("Tok Pisin" itself comes from "talk Pidgin".)

When I was in Vanuatu I got told about the piano translation, and also the other famous one, the word for "helicopter" is "egbita blong God". (Eggbeater belonging to God.)

I have a photo showing two excellent signs on a public building, in French, English and Tok Pisin. "No smoking" translates into TP as "yu no makem faya", and "Public toilet" was "Ples blo pispis". If you can't figure those out, say them out loud.