Creole linguistics

Pieter Muysken
Table of contents

Creole languages are languages of which we know more or less precisely when they emerged. Contrary to other languages, which tend to arise through a very gradual process of dialect differentiation in an uninterrupted linguistic tradition, creoles result from interruptions in the ordinary transmission of language from generation to generation. When we say that the moment of emergence is known, we are talking about a fifty year period. Sranan, for instance, the creole of coastal Surinam, emerged between 1650 and 1700.

Full-text access is restricted to subscribers. Log in to obtain additional credentials. For subscription information see Subscription & Price.

References

Arends, J
1989 Syntactic developments in Sranan. PhD. dissertation, University of Nijmegen.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Bickerton, D
1981 The roots of language. Karoma.Google Scholar
1986 Beyond roots. Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages 1: 225–232. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
1991 On the supposed ‘gradualness’ of creole development. Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages 6: 25–58. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Carden, G. & W.A. Stewart
1988 Binding theory, binding program, and creolization. Journal of Pidgin and Creole Studies 3: 1–67. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Givón, T
1979 Prolegomena to any sane creology. In I. Hanckock et al. (eds.) Readings in Creole studies: 3–36. Story-Scientia. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Holm, J
1988 Pidgins and creoles (2 vols.). Cambridge University Press.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Labov, W
1971 On the adequacy of natural languages, 1: The development of tense. In J.V. Singler (ed.) 1990.: Pidgin and creole tense-mood-aspect systems: 1–58. John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mühlhäusler, P
1986 Pidgin and creole linguistics. Blackwell.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Naro, A.J
1973 The origin of West African pidgin. Papers from the 9th regional meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society: 442–449.Google Scholar
Romaine, S
1988 Pidgin and creole languages. Longman.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Sankoff, G
1980a The social life of language. University of Pennsylvania Press.  BoP DOI logoGoogle Scholar
1980b Variability and explanation in language and culture. In G. Sankoff 1980a.: 257–270.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Sankoff, G. & S. Laberge
1980 On the acquisition of native speakers by a language. In G. Sankoff 1980a.: 195–210.  BoP DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Seuren, P.M
. & H. Wekker 1986 Semantic transparency as a factor in creole genesis. In P. Muysken & N. Smith (eds.) Substrata versus universals in creole genesis: 57–70. John Benjamins.[See also: Contact linguistics; Historical linguistics; Sociolinguistics] DOI logoGoogle Scholar