🌍 Pidgin — Linguistic SAT Vocabulary
PIDGIN most nearly means: A) euphemism; B) hybrid tongue; C) hieroglyph; D) soliloquy. Answer inside. 👉️
This is a key term in the study of linguistics, and it comes up when cultures and languages intersect in a geographical region, especially for commerce.
📚️ Definition of Pidgin
Pidgin (noun): A simplified form of language that develops as a means of communication between groups of people who do not share a common tongue, typically combining vocabulary and grammar from each group’s native language. Example: a trade pidgin used among merchants at busy port cities.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Pidgin
IPA: /ˈpɪdʒ.ɪn/ (See IPA key)
Respelling: PIJ-in
📰 Examples of Pidgin
Here are some examples of the word pidgin:
When European traders first arrived in Chinese ports, they communicated using a pidgin that blended English vocabulary with Chinese grammatical structures.
Tok Pisin, now one of the official languages of Papua New Guinea, began as a pidgin combining English and local Melanesian languages.
Interestingly, a pidgin is no one’s native language; rather, it is a pragmatic tongue with fewer rules of grammar and pronunciation that more established languages.
Quiz answer: B, hybrid tongue.
This is a funky choice. Very nice!