Overview

The content of this book is concerned with various issues at stake in Creole studies that are also of interest for general linguistics. These include the general issue of Creole genesis and of the accelerated linguistic change that characterizes the emergence of these languages as compared to ordinary cases of linguistic change, the problem of the development of morphology in incipient Creoles, the problem of the validity of data in linguistic analysis, the issue of multifunctionality as regards the concept of lexical entry, the question of whether Creole languages are semantically more transparent than languages not known as Creoles, the issue of whether Creole languages constitute a typologically identifiable class and the problem of the interaction between the processes involved in the emergence and development of Creole languages. The purpose of this book is to present the major debates that are currently taking place in the field of Creole studies; evaluate the arguments against data (mainly drawn from Haitian Creole); and address the issues at stake within the framework of new paradigms. The various positions on each issue are summarized on the basis of a thorough review of the literature.

Full Product Details

9781588115164

Table of Contents

Reviews

As always, Lefebvre's style is clear and systematic, avoiding as much as possible technical terms and complicated theoretical apparatus. And, as was the case with her Creole Genesis, this book is the result of an incredible amount of research. It provides new answers, raises new questions and opens up new perspectives for specialists or dilettantes in creole studies alike. -- Anne-Marie Brousseau, in University of Toronto Quarterly 76(1), 2007

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Countries Available