Pidgin is a grammatically simplified means of communication that develops between two or more groups that do not have a common language. In fact, it is an artificial language, which is a mixture of two or more dialects to achieve mutual understanding between ethnic groups.
The emergence of simplified languages
Traditionally simplified languages ​​arose in the interaction of representatives of European culture with the peoples that they colonized (the indigenous peoples of South and North America, as well as adjacent islands, for example, the islands of Jamaica). The second way of occurrence caused by the need for joint trade is through business contacts of various ethnic groups. As a rule, these pidgin languages ​​are distinguished by their simplification and are only means of interethnic interaction and communication. The vocabulary of such an adverb is usually not more than one and a half thousand words, but it is enough for the simplest communication on accessible topics.
If a primitive simplified pidgin becomes native to children of an ethnic group (as happened, for example, with the descendants of slaves on South American plantations), it can develop into a Creole language (for example, dialects of island Creoles - bislama and tok-pisin).
Origin of the term
The origin of this concept is not completely clear. It has been suggested that the word comes from the Chinese pronunciation of the English word business (“business”), but there is also a theory that the term originates from the expression pigeon English (“pigeon English”), referring to carrier pigeons, which traditionally symbolized the transfer information and mail. The Chinese word pidgin was derived from the name of the river Jīng (Jin), located along the border of land rented by the French and British in Shanghai.
The concept of pidgin English arose at the end of the 19th century. This name is given to a mixed dialect, which was used by English-speaking businessmen for trading activities in Guangzhou with the Chinese. It was a mixture of Chinese, English and Portuguese. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in China, pidgin English was the language of the lingua franca and was called "English Guangzhou".
A Brief History of Pidgin Languages
"Pidgin" is an older term than "lingua franca" or "sabir" (a dialect of sailors and merchants of the Mediterranean). Sabir originated in the fourteenth century and continued to be used until the end of the nineteenth century. Many other pidginas arose in the process of trading activities of Europeans with other ethnic groups.
Another source of origin for Pidgin languages ​​was the import and colonization of American and Caribbean slaves of African descent. As a result of the combination of various dialects spoken by the captives, a variety of pidgins were formed. Slaves who were captured by slave owners had to interact with each other. Thus, the dialects of various ethnic groups, often unknown or hostile to each other, also mixed with the languages ​​of the landowners of the colonies and natives (Indians), which gave rise to many mixtures, most of which were stabilized in various Creole dialects.
The combination of Portuguese, Spanish and Guarani languages ​​led to the appearance of such pidginas as the lingua geral or neen gatu, which were spoken in the Amazon basin (South America), as well as throughout Paraguay (called "hopara" there). The Brazilian pidgin Umbanda, used for rituals, exists to this day. On the territory of the Caribbean islands there are also a large number of Creoles who communicate in their local dialects .
The use of pidgin languages
Pidgin is most often used in cases where it is necessary to achieve mutual understanding by persons who are speakers of different languages.
For example, trade and business with foreigners or where both groups speak languages ​​different from the language of the country in which they live (but where there is no common language between the groups). It is fundamentally important to understand that pidgin is a simplified means of language communication, as it is built impromptu, or by agreement between individuals or groups of people. This language is not native to any language community; its speakers use it as a second language.
Pidgin can be formed from the words, sounds or sign language of several different cultures. These primitive dialects allow people who do not have a common language to communicate with each other for communication. Pidgin, as a rule, has a low prestige in comparison with other languages ​​due to limited use.
Each simplified language has its own standards of use, which must be learned by the carriers of this communication tool. For example, pidgin English has pretty strict rules for use.
Difference from Creole
Sometimes the definitions of "pidgin" and "Creole languages" are confused, since these are quite similar linguistic terms.
Pidgin is different from the Creole language, which is native to its native speakers. Creole languages ​​have comprehensive vocabulary and grammar. Most linguists believe that Creole dialects develop in the process of being born from Pidgin, when children of Pidgin carriers learned it and began to use it as their native language for everyday communication with each other.
Russenorsk
Russenorsk is a model of an artificial language based on Slavic. This pidgin in linguistics is a classic example of the language of commerce. It is of interest for learning by linguists. Russenorsk is an extinct simplified language that was previously used in the Arctic. It combines elements of the Russian and Norwegian languages, was created by traders and fishermen from Northern Norway and the Russian Kola Peninsula. It has been widely used in Northern Norway for about 150 years in the Pomeranian trade.
Russenorsk is an important model for studying the theory of pidginas, as it was used only in spoken language, unlike most other simplified languages ​​that left their mark on written media. The Russian-Norwegian dialect went through the traditional development of a primitive dialect for trade and interaction of peoples who do not have a common language. This is due to the need to create some kind of minimal connection for communication. Like all pidgines, Russenorsk had the beginnings of grammar and a limited vocabulary, mainly consisting of words needed in the Arctic for fishing and trade (for example, it is characterized by the terms “fish”, “weather”, “fisherman”, “payment”, "weight"). But there were other words that were not particularly related to each other and trading activities (“music”, “politics”, “history”).
Russian-Chinese Pidgin
Also one of the examples of simplified languages ​​is the Russian-Chinese pidgin. It was rather primitive and was used for communication between traders on the Sino-Russian border (the territory of the Amur region) in the 19th century. This dialect was called the Maimacha language and was even specially studied by Russian merchants. For Chinese seasonal workers, he was required to study. This pidgin lasted until the mid 30-ies of the twentieth century, when the Stalin decrees, most Chinese migrants were deported back to their homeland. Maimachi language in its heyday was mastered by about a million people, mostly Chinese.
Taimyr dialect
Another example of the Pidgin language based on Russian is the so-called Taimyr dialect.
It appeared due to the interaction of the Russian population and the indigenous Taimyr people (various Taimyr ethnic groups). In Russia, it was distributed on the territory of the Taimyr Peninsula in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. However, with the advent of Soviet power and the introduction of ubiquitous secondary education, the "Taimyr talk" gradually disappeared.
Ethnic groups in Russia The peoples of Bashkiria and Primorye also created their various pidgin for contact with the Russian-speaking population.