* Creole (with a lowercase "c") is a general term referring to a language that has developed from a pidgin, a simplified language that arises from contact between speakers of different languages. Creoles are usually more complex and fully developed than pidgins, with their own grammar, vocabulary, and syntax.
* Creoles (with a capital "C") refers to a group of people, often of mixed ancestry, whose language is a Creole language.
Here's an example to illustrate:
* Creole languages are spoken in many parts of the world, such as Haitian Creole, Jamaican Patois, and Louisiana Creole.
* The Creoles of Louisiana are a group of people whose ancestors were of French, Spanish, and African descent. They speak Louisiana Creole, a creole language.
So, "creole" is the linguistic term, while "Creoles" refers to the people.