1. Contact and Necessity:
* Groups with different languages come together: This could be for trade, work, or colonization.
* Communication is essential, but there's no shared language: This creates a need for a common ground.
2. Language Mixing and Simplification:
* Borrowing words and grammatical structures: The pidgin typically takes elements from the dominant language (often the language of the more powerful group) and mixes them with elements from other languages spoken in the community.
* Simplification of grammar: Pidgin languages often have simpler grammatical rules than the languages they're based on. They may have fewer tenses, genders, or noun cases.
3. Evolution:
* Over time, pidgins can become more complex: As people use the pidgin more frequently, it starts to develop its own unique features.
* If the pidgin is used as the main language of a community, it can evolve into a creole: This is a more fully developed language with its own complex grammar and vocabulary.
Examples of Pidgin Development:
* Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea): Developed from English and other languages, Tok Pisin is now a recognized national language.
* Sango (Central African Republic): Based on a French dialect, Sango is a national language in the Central African Republic.
* Chinook Jargon (North America): A trade language, Chinook Jargon borrowed words from various Native American languages, English, and French.
Key Points:
* No official creation: Pidgins aren't "designed" – they emerge organically from interaction.
* Limited vocabulary and grammar: They have fewer words and simpler grammatical rules than full-fledged languages.
* Borrowing and simplification: They rely heavily on borrowing from other languages.
* Potential for development: Pidgins can evolve into creoles, becoming more complex and established.
Understanding how pidgin languages are formed sheds light on how human communication adapts and evolves to meet the needs of a changing world.