TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 1
2. DEFINITIONS 2
2.1 PIDGINS 2
2.2 CREOLES 3
3. THEORIES OF ORIGINS OF PIDGINS 4
3.1. BABY-TALK-THEORY 4
3.2. NAUTICAL JARGON THEORY 6
3.3. PARALLEL DEVELOPMENT THEORY 6
3.4. MONOGENETIC/RELEXIFICATION THEORY 7
4. THE DEVELOPMENT FROM PIDGIN TO CREOLE 8
4.1. JARGON STAGE 8
4.2. STABILIZATION PHASE 9
4.3. EXPANSION PHASE 9
4.4. CREOLIZATION 10
5. THE LIFE CYCLE OF CREOLES 11
5.1. DE-CREOLIZATION AND THE POST-CREOLE CONTINUUM 11
5.2. RE-CREOLIZATION 13
6. CONCLUSION 15
REFERENCES 16
PLAGIARISM DISCLAIMER 17
1. INTRODUCTION
“Chrismus time ah de time ob gladness, and de time ob goodwill, when de goodwill pirit tek hold ob we, we feget ebery libing ting bout de grudge we gat against wen ex doah neighbour; an we begins fe wish him all kinda nice something, cause we feel nice weself. [...]”
(Todd, 2006: 100)
This sequence of Jamaican Creole is only one of the diversity in the creole-speaking world. In my term paper I will examine the emergence of a Creole.
I start with an outline of the definitions of Pidgins and creoles and how they relate to each other. I continue with the most known origins of Pidgins, which is followed by the four phases of development from a Pidgin to a Creole. Finally, I will introduce the topic of De- and Re-creolization.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1. Pidgins
Defining what is a pidgin and what is not is a challenging undertaking. Generally, a Pidgin is “any combination and distortion of two languages as a means of communication.” (Sebba, 1997: 1) Pidgin English is defined as “any lingua franca consisting of English and another language.” (Sebba, 1997: 1)
It is a reduced language that arises through extensive contact between different groups of people who do not share a common language (Holm, 1988: 4). The Pidgin is strengthened because there is a need for these stated groups to communicate (for example for trade) but none of these groups learns the mother tongue of the other group (Holm, 1988: 4). Speakers of these groups can be divided into at least two groups: Speakers with less power are speakers of the substrate language. Mostly, they are accommodating by adopting words of speakers with more power, speakers of the superstrate language (Holm, 1988: 5). Furthermore, the superstrate speakers accept many of the emerging changes in order to facilitate communication and to become more comprehensible, simultaneously they do not try to speak as they do within their own group (Holm, 1988: 5).
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 Pidgins
2.2 Creoles
3. PIDGINS: THEORIES OF ORIGINS
3.1 The Baby-Talk-Theory
3.2 The independent parallel development theory
3.3 The Nautical Jargon Theory
3.4 The Monogenetic/Relexification Theory
4. THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT: FROM PIDGIN TO CREOLE
4.1 The Jargon Stage
4.2 The Stabilization Stage
4.3 The Expansion Stage
4.4 Creolization
5. THE LIFE-CYCLE OF CREOLES
5.1 De-Creolization and Post-Creole continuum
5.2 Re-Creolization
6. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the linguistic emergence of Creoles from Pidgins, tracing their developmental path from initial contact to established native languages and potential subsequent transformations. It explores the sociolinguistic processes governing these changes and the structural evolution of contact languages.
- Theoretical origins of Pidgin languages
- Developmental phases from Jargon to Creolization
- The life-cycle dynamics of De-Creolization
- The phenomenon of Re-Creolization and in-group identity
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Baby-Talk-Theory
The American folklorist Charles Leland expressed that there are similarities between the “negro minstrelsy” and baby talk. In his believe, everyone who understands baby talk is able to comprehend a Pidgin language. (Todd, 2006: 29) He and many other travellers noticed that Pidgin speakers, as well as small children, only roughly pronounce the words as expected in the standard version of the language. Common features of Pidgin language and baby-talk are a high proportion of content words, relatively few function words and less rigidly established word classes.
Later linguists, particularly Jespersen and Bloomfield, maintained that the characteristics of Pidgins result from ‘imperfect mastery of a language which in its initial stage, in the child with its first language and in the grown-up with a second language learnt by imperfect methods, leads to a superficial knowledge of the most indispensable word, with total disregard of grammar’ (Jespersen 1922: 234; quoted in Todd, 2006: 27).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Presents the topic of Pidgins and Creoles, outlining the paper's scope regarding their emergence and development.
2. DEFINITIONS: Defines Pidgins as auxiliary languages and Creoles as native languages derived from them.
3. PIDGINS: THEORIES OF ORIGINS: Evaluates four primary theories explaining why Pidgins emerge and why they share specific characteristics.
4. THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT: FROM PIDGIN TO CREOLE: Details the four evolutionary stages: Jargon, Stabilization, Expansion, and Creolization.
5. THE LIFE-CYCLE OF CREOLES: Explores post-genesis dynamics, specifically De-Creolization and Re-Creolization within linguistic spectra.
6. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings on the lifecycle of contact languages and their transformation into native languages.
Keywords
Pidgin, Creole, Creolization, De-Creolization, Re-Creolization, Lingua Franca, Jargon, Stabilization, Post-Creole continuum, Basilect, Mesolect, Acrolect, Sociolinguistics, Language Contact, Linguistic Evolution
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the formation and development of contact languages, specifically tracing the progression from initial Pidgin usage to fully developed Creole languages.
What are the central themes discussed?
The core themes include the definition of contact languages, theories regarding their origins, the multi-stage developmental process of Creolization, and the ongoing life-cycle dynamics like De-Creolization.
What is the fundamental research goal?
The goal is to analyze the mechanisms that allow a language, born from trade or social contact, to stabilize, expand, and eventually become the native language of a speech community.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work utilizes a theoretical approach, reviewing and contrasting established linguistic scholarship and theories regarding language emergence and structural change.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body systematically covers the theories of origin, the stages from Jargon to Creolization, and the post-Creole continuum involving De-Creolization and Re-Creolization.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Pidgin, Creole, Creolization, De-Creolization, Re-Creolization, Lingua Franca, and the post-Creole continuum.
How is the Post-Creole continuum structured?
It is described as a spectrum ranging from the basilect (broadest Creole) through the mesolect to the acrolect (standard language).
Why is the Stabilization stage considered critical?
Stabilization is crucial because it sets the foundation for the language to persist, preventing its death and allowing for the development of consistent grammar and lexicon.
What does the Re-Creolization process involve?
It involves a movement by speakers back toward the "creole" end of the linguistic spectrum, often driven by in-group identity rather than a lack of access to the standard language.
How does the paper illustrate the difference between a Pidgin and a Creole?
The text differentiates them primarily by the fact that Creoles are native languages acquired by children, whereas Pidgins serve as auxiliary languages for specific communication needs.
- Citation du texte
- Maria Neumann (Auteur), 2015, Pidgins and Creoles and Their Emergence, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/368194
