Creole genesis and the acquisition of grammar
Subtitle: the case of Haitian creole
By: Claire Lefebvre.
Series: Cambridge studies in linguistics ;; 88
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Cambridge, UK; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 461
Subjects: Creole dialects.; Pidgin languages.; Psycholinguistics.; Second language acquisition.; Creole dialects, French -- Haiti -- Grammar.
Description: "This study focuses on the cognitive processes involved in creole genesis - reflexification, reanalysis and dialect levelling - processes which the author demonstrates play a significant role in language genesis and change in general." "Dr. Lefebvre argues that the creators of pidgins/creoles use the parametric values of their native languages in establishing those of the language that they are creating and the semantic principles of their own grammar in concatenating morphemes and words in the new language. This theory is documented on the basis of a uniquely detailed comparison of Haitian creole with its contributing French and West African languages."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 424-451) and indexes.