wikipedia
English
Etymology
From :w:pigeon English|pigeon English, from a Chinese attempt to pronounce the English word business during trades in the :w:Far East|Far East.

Pronunciation
(UK): IPA|/�pɪd�ɪn/, SAMPA|/"pIdZIn/
(US): AHD|pĭjʹ�n, IPA|/�pɪd��n/, SAMPA|/"pIdZ@n/
Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-ɪd��n|-ɪd��n, Rhymes:English:-ɪd�ɪn|-ɪd�ɪn

Homophones
pigeon

Noun
en-noun

#linguistics an amalgamation of two disparate languages, used by two populations having no common language as a lingua franca to communicate with each other, lacking formalized grammar and having a small, utilitarian vocabulary and no native speakers.
#:Middle English likely began as a pidgin between the Norman invaders and the Anglo-Saxon-speaking (Old English) occupants of Britain. Otherwise, how could they have gotten any business done?

Translations
trans-top|amalgamation of two languages having no native speakers
German: Kauderwelsch n
trans-mid
trans-bottom

Related terms
pidgin English
Pijin

See also
creole

External links
Pidgin English - English Dictionary: from Webster's Dictionary - the Rosetta Edition.
<!--Not an external link; does not add anything to the meaning of the word "pidgin": (Be advised that there is no one language called "Pidgin English." Pidgins may take several forms and be derived from any two disparate languages.)-->

fr:pidgin
ru:pidgin
vi:pidgin
tr:pidgin
zh:pidgin

• 2007-09-13 07:17 - 16@r - etym

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