MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE LING 115 EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What are some differences in pidgins and creoles? How does the difference in usage
relate to the difference in linguistic content? - Correct Answers -Creoles are use in more
situations than pidgins and have native speakers
Pidgins have less developed grammar /smaller vocabulary while creoles have specific
word order
Superstrate languages - Correct Answers -Language of the dominant group
(Prestigious)
Substrate languages - Correct Answers -languages that have a subordinate position in
a contact situation (language of subordinate or local population)
T/F Superstate/lexified languages provide base vocabulary and much of the grammar of
a pidgin/creole? - Correct Answers -T
Subtstrate languages don't have much influence over the grammar of an early pidgin,
but they tend to be the source of grammatical innovation as a pidgin becomes more
complex - Correct Answers -T
What are the contact situations that often result in the formation of pidgins? - Correct
Answers -Workplace, trading, maritime, and wartime.
What are the stages of Pidgin to Creole? - Correct Answers -1. Early pidgin/jargon
300 word vocab
no word order
2. Stable pidgin
more vocabulary
regular grammar
3. Expanded pidgin
used in more than just work
4. Creole
Native speakers
Pidgins can become creoles
, What are some forms of linguistic evidence that a pidgin is a becoming more complex
(going from pidgin/jardon state to stable pidgin stage) AKA 4 ways of vocabulary
expansion - Correct Answers -Word order stabilized
Vocabulary growth through:
Polysemy - word can have more than one meaning
Multi-functionality - word used with different functions
Further reanalysis of superstrate words
Compound words creates new meaning
Creolization - Correct Answers -When a pidgin becomes the L1 of mother tongue of
speakers, it is called creole . Word order stabalization, vocabulary growth
What is the monogenetic/single origin hypothesis? What are its pros and cons - Correct
Answers -All pidgins lexified by European languages relate to one early source called
Sabir (a maritime languages spoken in Mediterranean in Middle ages)
Relexification is key - words from language A gradually replace words from language B,
but the grammar of B is unaffected
Sabir was relexified with Portuguese words, then this Portuguese pidgin spread all
around via trading and stuff.
Advantages = explains similarities between different pidgins
Problems = recent pidgins are not related to Sabir but they still are similar.
Suggests that there is a non-historical explanation for the structure of pidgins and
creoles
What is the language acquisition /Universal Grammar hypothesis - Correct Answers -
Noam Chomsky says all humans are born with part of their brain dedicated and
producing language --> Universal Grammar (UG)
Adults use UG to create pidgins
Children use UG to develop pidgins, as it is more accessible to them
De-Creolization - Correct Answers -Creole and its superstrate language are both
spoken by members of a single population
More contact → Creole words and grammar gradually get replaced with words and
grammar from the standard form of the superstrate language.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What are some differences in pidgins and creoles? How does the difference in usage
relate to the difference in linguistic content? - Correct Answers -Creoles are use in more
situations than pidgins and have native speakers
Pidgins have less developed grammar /smaller vocabulary while creoles have specific
word order
Superstrate languages - Correct Answers -Language of the dominant group
(Prestigious)
Substrate languages - Correct Answers -languages that have a subordinate position in
a contact situation (language of subordinate or local population)
T/F Superstate/lexified languages provide base vocabulary and much of the grammar of
a pidgin/creole? - Correct Answers -T
Subtstrate languages don't have much influence over the grammar of an early pidgin,
but they tend to be the source of grammatical innovation as a pidgin becomes more
complex - Correct Answers -T
What are the contact situations that often result in the formation of pidgins? - Correct
Answers -Workplace, trading, maritime, and wartime.
What are the stages of Pidgin to Creole? - Correct Answers -1. Early pidgin/jargon
300 word vocab
no word order
2. Stable pidgin
more vocabulary
regular grammar
3. Expanded pidgin
used in more than just work
4. Creole
Native speakers
Pidgins can become creoles
, What are some forms of linguistic evidence that a pidgin is a becoming more complex
(going from pidgin/jardon state to stable pidgin stage) AKA 4 ways of vocabulary
expansion - Correct Answers -Word order stabilized
Vocabulary growth through:
Polysemy - word can have more than one meaning
Multi-functionality - word used with different functions
Further reanalysis of superstrate words
Compound words creates new meaning
Creolization - Correct Answers -When a pidgin becomes the L1 of mother tongue of
speakers, it is called creole . Word order stabalization, vocabulary growth
What is the monogenetic/single origin hypothesis? What are its pros and cons - Correct
Answers -All pidgins lexified by European languages relate to one early source called
Sabir (a maritime languages spoken in Mediterranean in Middle ages)
Relexification is key - words from language A gradually replace words from language B,
but the grammar of B is unaffected
Sabir was relexified with Portuguese words, then this Portuguese pidgin spread all
around via trading and stuff.
Advantages = explains similarities between different pidgins
Problems = recent pidgins are not related to Sabir but they still are similar.
Suggests that there is a non-historical explanation for the structure of pidgins and
creoles
What is the language acquisition /Universal Grammar hypothesis - Correct Answers -
Noam Chomsky says all humans are born with part of their brain dedicated and
producing language --> Universal Grammar (UG)
Adults use UG to create pidgins
Children use UG to develop pidgins, as it is more accessible to them
De-Creolization - Correct Answers -Creole and its superstrate language are both
spoken by members of a single population
More contact → Creole words and grammar gradually get replaced with words and
grammar from the standard form of the superstrate language.
