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Pidgins and Creoles

Pidgin

Grammatically simplified mean to communicate between two people, persons or groups that do not have a language in common.

  1. Simplification - regularization →

  2. I buyed ~ I bought

  3. he come ~ he comes

  4. Mixing language

  5. Reduction - fewer words and less grammar

Useful:

  • Useful in countries with a lot of mother tongues

  • Used as a standard language - a lengua franca

  • Slaves were kept apart

  • They needed a way to communicate when kept apart

Creole

Grammar starts playing a role – they make new rules and vocabulary is extended.

When people are born into a pidgin they need to be able to say everything whereas a pidgin is only a very minimal language.

De-creolization: Creole becomes low status and then they go back to the original language to regain status

It's a cycle:

English → pidgin → creole → decreolization → English.

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