Description
Book SynopsisThis book takes a fresh approach to analysing how new languages are created, combining in-depth colonial history and empirical, usage-based linguistics. Focusing on a rarely studied language, the authors employ this dual methodology to reconstruct how multilingual individuals drew on their perception of Romance and West African languages to form French Guianese Creole. In doing so, they facilitate the application of a usage-based approach to language while simultaneously contributing significantly to the debate on creole origins. This innovative volume is sure to appeal to students and scholars of language history, creolisation and languages in contact.
Chapter 3 is published open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Trade Review“The book is well written, the argumentation is usually clear, the authors have a clear theorical framework, they present a great deal of linguistic data … . This book is probably its best test to date. … In short, this is an interesting book, more historically informed than most works of its kind.” (Peter Bakker, Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages, Vol. 36 (2), 2021)
Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction: A dual approach.- Chapter 2. History: The Creation of French Guianese Creole.- Chapter 3. Linguistics: Inheritance and Innovation in French Guianese Creole.- Chapter 4. Conclusion.
