230556 Varieties of English: English Pidgins and Creoles (S) (SoSe 2007)

The purpose of this seminar is to introduce the participants to those varieties of English-related languages known as pidgins and creoles. This will include an historical and geographical survey in which the historical conditions for the emergence of these so-called "mixed languages" will be discussed. This will take us into some of the varied theories which have been advanced to explain the origins of these languages. The discussion in this area is of special interest because of its significance for questions of language change and the role of the substratum vs. that of universals of language structure as advanced in Bickerton's concept of a "bioprogram."

A part of the work of the seminar will involve a closer examination of material from various pidgins and/or creoles in order to arrive at an understanding of their phonetics and phonology, their grammar, their word formation processes and lexis, and some of the social dimensions of their use. This includes an examination of examples which both do and do not stand in a linguistic continuum with Standard English.

Literature:

A reserved reading shelf will be provided in which a wide range of reading and material will be available. For purposes of general orientation and background reading the following introductory reading is recommended:

Gramley, S.E. / K.-M. Pätzold. ''A Survey of Modern English,''2nd ed. London;
Routledge, 2004. (chaps. 10.4.2, 11.5 ¿ 7, 14.3)
Todd, L. Modern Englishes: Pidgins and Creoles. London; Routledge & Kegan Paul,
1984.