Pidgins and Creoles

pidgin

conventionalised language formed from close and repeated contact between groups with no language in common

creole

the result of a pidgin becoming the native langiage of a community or subset of community

lingua franca

a bridge language that is a second language of two or more communities

typical context of a pidgin/creole

intense pressure to communicate, often related to labour, forced movement or separation of speech communities

most common places where creoles and pidgins exist

largely coastal areas, or along borders, predominantly along the equator

features of a pidgin

limited to use for which it developed: small vocabulary and few grammatical distinctions, often trade specific vocab and greetings only

pidgin phonology or sound system

simple phonology with few sounds used: often based on a five vowel system, simplified consonant clusters, simplified syllable structure

pidgin morphology

morphologically isolating: lacking grammatical markings for gender, number case, aspect, tense etc. each word has one or minimal number of meaningful units, simple but still rule governed for example through word order

lexifier/superstrate

major language which contributed to a creole, providing the basis for most of the vocabulary and sometimes grammar. typically the European language

substrate

the one or more typically native languages which contribute to a creole

sociohistorical nature of creoles

intense, often force language contact with no common language, reliance on one readily accessible language, usually no formal learning of target language

substrate theory

suggests the structures of a substrate are added to a European language

superstrate theory

suggests European structures are maintained, and substrate contributions are marginal

universal theory

universal grammar known by children is applied to the vocab of a pidgin

orthography

writing system

uses of creoles

every day communication as well as contextual connotations such as: identity marking a group, exaggeration or seriousness

basilect

a form of creole on a continuum that is the furthest from standard/lexifier language. often viewed as less ‘prestigious’

mesolect

an intermediary form of creole on a continuum

arolect

a form of creole on a continuum that is the closest to the lexifier language

decreolisation

a suggested evolution of a creole where it becomes progressively more like the lexifier language

factors influencing ‘decreolisation’

urban/rural fivide, education level, socioeconomic language, parents’/guardians’ language

is english a creole?

no