Pidgins Flashcards
What is a pidgin a combination of?
Two or more languages
Why do Pidgins exist?
To fulfil restricted communication needs
What sort of circumstances do Pidgins develop in?
Situations such as trade and slavery which force people from different backgrounds together who don’t share a common language.
Which language is usually the more “dominant” one?
Usually it’s the language used by the people with the greatest social and economic power
What is the “main” language used called?
The lexifier
When are Pidgins used?
Only for means of communication with people who don’t share a same language as you. Because of this there are NO NATIVE SPEAKERS of Pidgin languages.
What are the main features of language that Pidgins take from their lexifier?
Mainly vocabulary and some grammar but it is very limited
Are people who speak the languages which a Pidgin has evolved from able to understand?
Not usually, as they would need to have experienced it a bit first
What are the basic features of Pidgin languages?
Limited vocabulary (few function words) Simplified grammar (only one verb form)
Who is a theorist of Pidgins and Creoles?
Loretta Todd
Examples of simplified grammar
- reduced inflections (e.g. go but no goes, going etc)
- verb forms and nouns don’t change
- regularising ~ no irregular verbs etc
- drop of inessential features (articles)
What can happen to some Pidgin languages?
They die out, due to the communication need no longer needed
Why might these communication needs die out?
When two countries stop trading with one another
What happens the more the Pidgin language is needed?
The more it will grow and therefore the more complex it will become
What could be argued about the English language?
It was originally a Pidgin as the language has had many influences such as the Vikings and the Anglo Saxons which resulted in simplified inflections.
Although some Pidgins may “die out” what can happen in other circumstances?
They expand and become more complex and become “proper” languages in themselves
Where are Pidgin languages popular?
In multicultural communities
What is the most studied example of Pidgin?
Tok Pisin
What does “Tok Pisin” mean?
Talk Pidgin
Where is Tok Pisin spoken and where did it derive from?
Papua New Guinea from varieties of English spoken in the Pacific region (19th century)
What has happened to Tok Pisin overtime?
Children started to acquire it as their first language
What is the name when new generations start to use the Pidgin as their first language?
Creolization
What is Creolization?
When a Pidgin is used more extensively and it becomes the first language of new generations, the Pidgin becomes a Creole
Examples of Tok Pisin vocabulary:
mi = i, me askim = to ask antap = ontop dok = dog col = cold het = head
