A closer look at the post-nominal genitive in Asian Creole Portuguese
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Alan N. Baxter
Abstract
The chapter discusses the post-nominal genitive present in many varieties of Asian Creole Portuguese and derived from a Portuguese prenominal possessive. The text builds on Clements’ Malabar Pidgin Portuguese hypothesis, and Dalgado’s vision of an easterly spread of Indo-Portuguese features. The role of Dravidian substrate in genitive restructuring is stressed. Possessives in 6 varieties of Asian Creole Portuguese are compared and a grammaticalization path for the post-nominal genitive is proposed. The extension of post-nominal genitives to further inter-NP functions is discussed, focusing on the creoles of Korlai and Malacca. Some extended post-nominal genitive functions may represent early Indo-Portuguese Pidgin/Creole use. Quantitative analysis of post-nominal genitive in Malacca Creole reveals a preference for + hum possessors, and traits of a 3rd person prenominal possessive typical of 16th-century Portuguese. This suggests early consolidation of the structure.
Abstract
The chapter discusses the post-nominal genitive present in many varieties of Asian Creole Portuguese and derived from a Portuguese prenominal possessive. The text builds on Clements’ Malabar Pidgin Portuguese hypothesis, and Dalgado’s vision of an easterly spread of Indo-Portuguese features. The role of Dravidian substrate in genitive restructuring is stressed. Possessives in 6 varieties of Asian Creole Portuguese are compared and a grammaticalization path for the post-nominal genitive is proposed. The extension of post-nominal genitives to further inter-NP functions is discussed, focusing on the creoles of Korlai and Malacca. Some extended post-nominal genitive functions may represent early Indo-Portuguese Pidgin/Creole use. Quantitative analysis of post-nominal genitive in Malacca Creole reveals a preference for + hum possessors, and traits of a 3rd person prenominal possessive typical of 16th-century Portuguese. This suggests early consolidation of the structure.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Introduction 1
- Notes on the phonology and lexicon of some Indo-Portuguese creoles 15
- A closer look at the post-nominal genitive in Asian Creole Portuguese 47
- Luso-Asian comparatives in comparison 81
- Measuring substrate influence 125
- Indefinite terms in Ibero-Asian Creoles 149
- Maskin, maski, masque… in the Spanish and Portuguese creoles of Asia 181
- Nenang, nino, nem não, ni no 205
- Bilug in Zamboangueño Chavacano 239
- Portuguese pidgin and Chinese Pidgin English in the Canton trade 263
- Traces of superstrate verb inflection in Makista and other Asian-Portuguese creoles 289
- Mindanao Chabacano and other ‘mixed creoles’ 327
- Language index 365
- Location index 369
- General index 371
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Introduction 1
- Notes on the phonology and lexicon of some Indo-Portuguese creoles 15
- A closer look at the post-nominal genitive in Asian Creole Portuguese 47
- Luso-Asian comparatives in comparison 81
- Measuring substrate influence 125
- Indefinite terms in Ibero-Asian Creoles 149
- Maskin, maski, masque… in the Spanish and Portuguese creoles of Asia 181
- Nenang, nino, nem não, ni no 205
- Bilug in Zamboangueño Chavacano 239
- Portuguese pidgin and Chinese Pidgin English in the Canton trade 263
- Traces of superstrate verb inflection in Makista and other Asian-Portuguese creoles 289
- Mindanao Chabacano and other ‘mixed creoles’ 327
- Language index 365
- Location index 369
- General index 371
