Pidgin is a simplified language used for basic communication between cultures, often arising from colonialism. It has evolved rules and can serve as a lingua franca, facilitating rapid communication. Its use can encourage learning of additional languages.
Pidgin is a very simple language that is used to communicate between cultures. It is never a speaker’s first language and usually involves a blend of words and concepts from at least two, and sometimes more, cultures. Pidgin is characterized by being simple and easy to understand, although it can be surprisingly challenging at times to learn how to communicate clearly in language since it is so simple. Numerous forms are used daily around the world, and many people speak it in some form, especially in ethnically diverse areas of the world.
The word itself is a pidgin word, derived from the Chinese pronunciation of the English word “business.” Originally, it referred to “pidgin English,” a slang term used to refer to the unique kind of English that was spoken by the Chinese when dealing with English business customers. Over time, “English” was dropped and the word was used loosely to refer to any kind of simplified and mixed language.
Some people think of pidgin as a colonial language, as this form of communication often arose so that settlers could communicate with native communities. However, native peoples also developed variations for communicating with each other, a vital skill when people spoke vastly different languages or dialects. Generally, pidgin is treated as a contact language, which means that it facilitates basic communication and commerce, but it may not be a long-term solution to the communication problem because it leaves no room for complex concepts.
Many people think of pidgin as a broken or erratic form of speech. This is not, in fact, the case. These languages have highly evolved rules so that they are easy to understand and learn, even if they may seem strange. For example, most sentences take the form of subject, verb, object, such as “go memorize.” Additional words may be used to convey the tense, so you might hear “your water garden tomorrow.” Basic vowels and sounds are used, and the language is usually not tonal.
A pidgin language can serve as a form of lingua franca, or common language, among a disparate group of people. Its use eliminates the need for translators and ensures rapid communication, as it is assumed that everyone in a region can quickly pick up the language for basic communication. This can be extremely important in tense situations, when people may be confused or upset without being able to seek out a translator to explain the situation. In some cases, learning pidgin encourages someone to learn an additional native language to improve communication skills.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
