Pidgins creoles - sociolinguistics

1. Pidgins and Pidgins and
creolescreoles
Presented by : Amal Presented by : Amal
Mustafa ElsinousyMustafa Elsinousy

2. The main points :The main points :
IntroductionIntroduction
Lingua francaLingua franca
PidginsPidgins
PidginizationPidginization
creolecreole
CreolizationCreolization
Decreolization Decreolization

3. Introduction:Introduction:
When two or more people When two or more people
from different languages from different languages
meet and tried to meet and tried to
communicate, what should communicate, what should
they do ?they do ?

4. Answers :Answers :
1.Use a third language (Lingua
Franca)
2.Mix the two languages (Pidgin
/Creole)

6. Lingua FrancaLingua Franca
A lingua franca is a language which A lingua franca is a language which
is used habitually by people whose is used habitually by people whose
mother tongues are different in mother tongues are different in
order to facilitate communication order to facilitate communication
between them.between them.

7. Other terms that are used to refer Other terms that are used to refer
to Lingua francas:to Lingua francas:
 a trade language e.g., Swahili in East a trade language e.g., Swahili in East
Africa.Africa.
A contact language e.g., Greek koineA contact language e.g., Greek koine
An international language e.g., EnglishAn international language e.g., English
An auxiliary language e.g., Esperanto.An auxiliary language e.g., Esperanto.
A mixed language .e.g., Mitchif in A mixed language .e.g., Mitchif in
Canada Canada

8. English – lingua franca:
Spoken in many countries as a Spoken in many countries as a
native language .native language .
Spoken as a second language Spoken as a second language
in other countries e.g., India and in other countries e.g., India and
the Philippines. the Philippines.

9. Other languages – lingua francas:Other languages – lingua francas:
• Many Languages throughout the history Many Languages throughout the history
servedserved as lingua franca:as lingua franca:
o
ChineseChinese
o
FrenchFrench
o
ArabicArabic
o
Chinook Jargon ( American Indian)Chinook Jargon ( American Indian)
•We can conclude that mainly political We can conclude that mainly political
and economical power defines the and economical power defines the
Lingua Franca.Lingua Franca.

10. pidginspidgins
Origin:Origin:
Assumed to be coming from Assumed to be coming from a a ChineseChinese
attempt to pronounce the English word attempt to pronounce the English word
businessbusiness during trades in the Far East. during trades in the Far East.
Historically, pidgins arose in colonial Historically, pidgins arose in colonial
situations where the representatives of situations where the representatives of
the particular colonial power, officials, the particular colonial power, officials,
tradesmen, sailors, etc., came in contact tradesmen, sailors, etc., came in contact
with nativeswith natives

11. Definition: Definition:
A pidgin or contact language is aA pidgin or contact language is a restricted restricted
and and extendedextended language which arises with language which arises with
an urgency of communication to serve an urgency of communication to serve
specific needs between social groups that specific needs between social groups that
are ethnically and linguistically different from are ethnically and linguistically different from
each other .each other .
One of these groups is in a more dominant One of these groups is in a more dominant
position than the other; the less dominant position than the other; the less dominant
group is the one which develops the pidgin.group is the one which develops the pidgin.

12. Pidginization:Pidginization:
Is a complex combination of different Is a complex combination of different
processes of change, including processes of change, including
reduction and simplification of input reduction and simplification of input
materials ,internal innovation, and materials ,internal innovation, and
regularization of structure, with L1 regularization of structure, with L1
influence also playing role.influence also playing role.

13. Characteristics of pidgin language:Characteristics of pidgin language:
No native speakers yet .No native speakers yet .
spoken by millions as means of communicationspoken by millions as means of communication
Not used as a means of group identification.Not used as a means of group identification.
A product of multilingual – 3 languages – one is A product of multilingual – 3 languages – one is
dominant. The dominant language dominant. The dominant language  superior superior
because of because of economical or social factoreconomical or social factor. .
Two languages involved Two languages involved  a power struggle for a power struggle for
dominance.dominance.
The dominant group –more vocabulary (lexifier –The dominant group –more vocabulary (lexifier –
superstrate) ,while the less dominant languages superstrate) ,while the less dominant languages
–grammar (substrate).–grammar (substrate).
Main function –tradingMain function –trading

14. •Reduced grammatical structure:Reduced grammatical structure:
Phonology: Phonology:
Morphology: Morphology:
Syntax: Syntax:
Lexicon: Lexicon:
Semantics: Semantics:
Pragmatics: Pragmatics:
CV syllable preferred CV syllable preferred
Poor affixation Poor affixation
-Reduplication is common -Reduplication is common
SVO pattern preferred SVO pattern preferred
-Articles usually omitted-Articles usually omitted
Limited vocabularyLimited vocabulary
Semantic extensions Semantic extensions
Narrower range of Narrower range of
functionsfunctions

15. Possible outcomes of PidginsPossible outcomes of Pidgins
Die out (when original reason for
communication diminishes or disappears)
Develop to more formal roles (lingua
franca); which is called an ‘expanded
pidgin’
Develop into a creole

16. CreolesCreoles
 Origin:Origin:
An adaptation of the Castilian Spanish An adaptation of the Castilian Spanish
criollocriollo (home, local) (home, local)
from Portuguese from Portuguese criarcriar (to rear, to bring up), (to rear, to bring up),
from Latin from Latin creocreo ("to create") ("to create")..

17. Definition:Definition:
A creole is a pidgin that has A creole is a pidgin that has
become the first language of a become the first language of a
new generation of speakers.new generation of speakers.

18. Creolization:Creolization:
Is a process where a pidgin Is a process where a pidgin
expanded in structure and expanded in structure and
vocabulary in order to express the vocabulary in order to express the
range of meanings and serve the range of meanings and serve the
range of functions required of a first range of functions required of a first
language.language.

19. characteristics of Creolescharacteristics of Creoles
o
pidgins adopted as the native language.pidgins adopted as the native language.
Nativization Nativization isis when pidgin when pidgin passed onto passed onto
new generations new generations and became and became a mother a mother
tongue tongue which is which is acquired by childrenacquired by children..
Often classified as English/French/Spanish…Often classified as English/French/Spanish…
basedbased
speech becomes faster, speech becomes faster,
Expansion of morphology and syntax.Expansion of morphology and syntax.
Expansion of phonology.Expansion of phonology.
Expansion of the lexicon.Expansion of the lexicon.

20. Decreolization
It  is a hypothetical phenomenon It  is a hypothetical phenomenon
whereby over time a whereby over time a 
creole languagecreole language reconverges with  reconverges with
one of the standard languages from one of the standard languages from
which it originally derived. the which it originally derived. the
theory of theory of creole continuacreole continua..

21. Bickerton (1975)has proposed a number Bickerton (1975)has proposed a number
of terms to refer to the creole continuum in of terms to refer to the creole continuum in
Guyanese English:Guyanese English:
Acrolect Acrolect : which refers to educated : which refers to educated
Guyanese English which has very few Guyanese English which has very few
differences from other varieties of standard differences from other varieties of standard
language.language.
Basilect:Basilect:refers to a variety that would be refers to a variety that would be
least comprehensible to a speaker of the least comprehensible to a speaker of the
standardstandard
Mesolects: Mesolects: are intermediate varieties which are intermediate varieties which
are used to fill the space between the are used to fill the space between the
Acrolect and basilect.Acrolect and basilect.

22. Life-Cycle Model of Pidgins and Life-Cycle Model of Pidgins and
CreolesCreoles
Jargon Jargon  Pidgin Pidgin  Pidgin Créole Pidgin Créole  Creole Creole
⇩ ⇩ ⇩
⇩ Post-creole continuumPost-creole continuum ⇩
Post-pidgin continuumPost-pidgin continuum ⇘ ⇙
Nativized version
of lexifier
e.g.,
- Russenorsk Solomon Islands Haitian
- Chinese PE Tok Pisin Jamaican

23. An example of a creole:An example of a creole:
•Jamaican creole is mixed with English and Jamaican creole is mixed with English and
African.African.
For example :For example :
•instead of saying instead of saying meme they say they say mimi. .
•This sentence is written in Jamaican creole:This sentence is written in Jamaican creole:

•Unu cya lissen to we mia say!Unu cya lissen to we mia say!
English English is:is:
•Cant you listen to what I'm saying!Cant you listen to what I'm saying!

24. Distributions of Ps and Cs Distributions of Ps and Cs
Pidgins are distributed mainly in places Pidgins are distributed mainly in places
with direct or easy access to the oceans. with direct or easy access to the oceans.
They are found mainly in the Caribbean They are found mainly in the Caribbean
and around the north and east coasts of and around the north and east coasts of
South America and Africa .South America and Africa .

25. Thanks for Thanks for
Listening Listening