Measuring substrate influence
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Ian Smith
Abstract
Word order characteristics of the Ibero-Asian creoles are examined in order to determine the extent of influence of the lexifier and substrate(s) and to correlate this with the strength and extent of lexifier presence in the history of each creole. The design and application of a numerical metric is discussed. The creole most influenced by its substrate is Sri Lanka Portuguese and the least influenced is the creole of Macau. Overall, the degree of substrate influence displays strong negative correlation with the strength of the lexifier presence. Each creole has thus been subject to a “tug-of-war” between lexifier and substrate. Arguably, early Ibero-Asian creoles adopted word order similar to their lexifier and, in weakened lexifier presence allowed former substrates to exert adstrate influence on them.
Abstract
Word order characteristics of the Ibero-Asian creoles are examined in order to determine the extent of influence of the lexifier and substrate(s) and to correlate this with the strength and extent of lexifier presence in the history of each creole. The design and application of a numerical metric is discussed. The creole most influenced by its substrate is Sri Lanka Portuguese and the least influenced is the creole of Macau. Overall, the degree of substrate influence displays strong negative correlation with the strength of the lexifier presence. Each creole has thus been subject to a “tug-of-war” between lexifier and substrate. Arguably, early Ibero-Asian creoles adopted word order similar to their lexifier and, in weakened lexifier presence allowed former substrates to exert adstrate influence on them.
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
