Imagine a scenario where a German individual who doesn’t know English has to converse with someone who only knows English. They might try to communicate using gestures and body language, but eventually, they would develop a new language that combines elements of both their native languages. This is how a pidgin language is born when two cultures come into contact with each other. Another term, Creole, often confuses people because of its similarities to pidgin languages. Despite similarities, there are differences between the two.
Key Takeaways
- Pidgin is the first stage of development of a language, while Creole is the secondary stage.
- Creole becomes a mother tongue for later generations, whereas pidgin remains a mere tool of communication.
- Grammar in Creole is fully developed, while it is rudimentary in pidgin.
In a multiethnic society with different groups speaking various languages, there is often a need for communication due to trade or other necessities. This leads to the birth of a common language composed of words from several languages spoken by the population. This language is called a pidgin, a crude language with simplified grammar, task-oriented, and not a language in the classic definition of the word.
A pidgin typically arises when two groups come into contact with each other and lack a common language. A pidgin never develops into a full-fledged language beyond a certain stage of development, but it does give birth to a Creole language.
Creole is a language developed as a result of two languages mixing. Many believe that when children adopt a pidgin as their primary language of communication, it develops and becomes a Creole. Adults develop pidgin as a communication tool, but children adopt it as their primary language and develop it into a Creole. Creole develops due to extended contact between two different groups of people with their own languages. Creole becomes a standard language in its own right.
The word “pidgin” comes from the English word “pigeon,” which was used as a messenger in early times. “Creole” comes from the French word “créole,” which means to create or produce. Pidgin is not a standard language, while Creole is a fully developed language.
