ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-CORE-243-031 · ATLAS 251

Pidgin

A contact language with a reduced and reorganised inventory that initially serves none of the participating groups as a first language.

Explanation

A contact language with a reduced and reorganised inventory that initially serves none of the participating groups as a first language. It arises from asymmetrical contact and practical communication yet develops rules of its own rather than being merely defective individual speech.

Example

Traders from different language groups develop a regularly used shared contact variety.

Counterexample

Merely mentioning “Pidgin” without the described function is not a sufficient example.

Distinction

A creole develops when a contact variety becomes a community's first language and expands functionally.

Effect on thought and perception

It arises from asymmetrical contact and practical communication yet develops rules of its own rather than being merely defective individual speech.

Resonance

In the atlas, Pidgin closes 1 previously unresolved reference line(s) and opens controlled paths of thought.

Etymology

Technical core term; individual etymological review pending

Provenance

ATLAS 241 residual-case triage → profile candidate 241-B → source and neighbourhood cross-check → ATLAS 243

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Pidgin“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-CORE-243-031. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-CORE-243-031

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-CORE-243-031

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