What Is a “Pidgin”?
A pidgin is a type of language used for limited communication between groups who otherwise do not share common linguistic grounds. It is a means of understanding (and being understood) without each party needing to learn the other’s language. While some pidgins remain mostly utilitarian in areas of trade and cohabitation, others become more widely adopted by the general public.
Pidgin languages are characterized by a more restrictive set of grammar rules and vocabulary than fully fleshed languages. However, pidgins may evolve over time into creoles, which broaden the ruleset and transform the pidgin from a second language into people’s potential native language.
Some of the World’s Pidgin Languages
The planet is full of diverse cultures and peoples, so it is no surprise that there have been dozens of pidgin languages over the course of history. Currently, around 15 pidgin languages exist; some have millions of users, while others teeter on the verge of extinction at less than 1,000 living speakers (e.g., Onin Based Pidgin) or even fewer than 50 (Broome Pearling Lugger Pidgin).
Hawaiian Pidgin
A frequently used pidgin that has developed into a full creole, Hawaiian pidgin is spoken natively by more than half a million people. Taking its inspiration from the melting pot of cultures who relied on Hawaii for sugar cane plantations, this pidgin derives many of its phrases from loanwords originating in the eastern Asian languages, Portuguese, and Spanish.
To get started with Hawaiian pidgin, consider phrases such as:
- Broke da mout – “Broke the mouth,” or something that is delicious.
- Hamajang – To be disorderly, such as someone’s hair when getting up in the morning.
- Rajah – To agree or understand; from the military term “roger,” as in “roger that.”
Jargon
Also known as Chinook Jargon or Chinook Wawa, this pidgin is a blend of native American Chinook, French, and English that arose as a primary trade language to facilitate fur trade in the early 1800s. While it is now widely considered to be extinct, a small group of passionate speakers strives to keep its use alive.
Much of Chinook Wawa that remains available to people outside the tribe comes in the form of old telegrams, where readers can enjoy living examples of Jargon use. In the late 1800s, a message came through reading:
Lytton Siwashes tumtum mika cloosh hyack chaco. Tikke wawwawd [sic] mika.
Douglas Robertson, a linguist dedicated to the preservation of Jargon, translates the message as such: “The Lytton Natives feel you should come right away, wanting to talk to you.”
Tok Pisin
New Guinea Pidgin has developed into the fully fledged Tok Pisin creole thanks to commercial and administrative popularity in the Papua New Guinea community. In fact, this pidgin has become so ubiquitous that it is drowning out other, older variants, such as Hiri Motu from the same region to become one of the three official languages of the country.
Because Tok Pisin derives many of its phrases from earlier Pacific Pidgin English alongside blends of Malaysian and even Chinese influence, it presents with an English-centric logic that can make it an accessible language to learn for newcomers. Some phrases beginners will want to know include:
- Wanem name bilong yu – “What name belongs to you,” or asking for a person’s name.
- Nem bilong mi [name] – “The name that belongs to me is [name],” or sharing your name with someone.
- Yu orait? – “How are you,” from “You all right?”
Nigerian Pidgin
One of the largest pidgin-speaking populations in the world is located in Nigeria, where more than 4.5 million people speak Nigerian Pidgin as their native language and another 116 million use it as a second language. Originally developing through the contact of British tradesmen and local communities in the 1600s, Nigeria’s pidgin language has taken on the full role of a creole. Prince Charles received widespread acclaim during his 2018 visit to the country when he incorporated pidgin phrases into his address, stating that “God don butta my bread,” or that his hopes had come to fruition.
Other phrases that come up often in Nigerian pidgin include:
- If life dey show you pepper, my guy, make pepper soup – Another of Prince Charles’ inclusions, this phrase is the pidgin version of “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
- How you dey – “How are you” in general settings; with friends, “How na” is sufficient.
- Notin spoil – “It’s fine,” as in “Everything is all right.”
- Abeg – The most common way to say “please.”
The Future of Pidgins
While pidgins arise from contact with disparate communities, they are far from a relic of the past. As more groups continue to move, change, and meet, pidgin languages will continue to develop over time—and others will fade into obscurity and later extinction. The best way to keep pidgin languages alive is to get out and engage with the world beyond your doorstep!
