L636: Pidgins and Creoles (3 cr)
Instructor: Dr. J. Clancy Clements
Section: 3085
M 4:00-7:00P -- SE 009

This course will focus on the structure of pidgins and creoles.  We will begin by
examining the different theories of pidgin and creole genesis (monogenesis,
polygenesis, bioprogram, substrate, mutual linguistic accommodation), and follow this
up with an examination of pidgin and creole development, focusing on the stages of
development and the linguistic and extralinguistic factors that influence it. Moreover,
the issues related to language planning in pidgins and creoles will be discussed,
including topics such as the elaboration of spelling systems vocabulary expansion. The
remainder of the course will be dedicated to looking at key structures in pidgins and
creoles of different geographical areas (Atlantic and Indian Ocean, Asia, the Pacific
islands, South America) and to the study of the origins and development of such
structures.  Finally, we will study some mixed languages, i.e. languages that have been
consciously created to serve a certain sociological function.
Course requirements include various assignments and in-class presentations, and a
final paper project.  The text to be used is: Arends, Jacques et al. (eds.) 1995.  Pidgins and
Creoles. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.