UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN

MARACAS ROYAL ROAD, MARACAS, ST JOSEPH.

Module: Linguistic characteristics of creole languages

An Assignment
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Course
LING400: Introduction to Creole Linguistics

INSTRUCTOR:
Ms. Leiba Ann-Ferreira

By

Shanice Diaz
February 12th 2023

Approval………………
Creole languages have an unusual place in linguistics, yet they frequently enjoy little respect in

the society where they are spoken. These two facts might be related since they focus on terms

like "derived from" or "simplified" rather than "original," among other things. Instead of merely

accepting the term "creole" as a given, try to explain its characteristics and place of origin. A

stable natural language created from the blending of various languages is called a creole. A

creole language is a complete language that is spoken in a community and learned by children as

their native tongue. This is in contrast to a pidgin, a simplified version that emerges as a means

of communication between two or more groups. Like any language, creoles are distinguished by

a regular grammatical structure, a sizable stable vocabulary, and the acquisition of children as

their first language. These three characteristics set a creole language apart from pidgins.

Creole languages are unique in their linguistic characteristics and usually ignore most if not all

rules of grammar. A few ways in which creole language performs and functions differently to

Standard English are:

 Habitual action is shown by the use of the word 'does' before the verb in the sentence

 In Creole nouns that are always plural in Standard English are used as both singular and
plural
 Creole speakers use double negatives

 Creole speakers replace the consonant cluster 'th' with 'd'

 Omission of the 'g' in past participles

 Silencing of the end consonants of words.
 Repetition of words for emphasis
 The word 'did' is used in place of 'was'.
 Future tense is formed by placing either 'go', 'going', 'going to' or 'would' before the verb.
 The word 'was' can be used with any subject.
 References

"Characteristics/Features of Creole." Things You Need to Study, 30 May 2012,

capecommstudybuddy.blogspot.com/2012/04/characteristicsfeatures-of-creole.html.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2023.