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Chapter 1. Introduction

  • Claire Lefebvre
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Functional Categories in Three Atlantic Creoles
This chapter is in the book Functional Categories in Three Atlantic Creoles

Abstract

This book bears on the functional categories of three Caribbean creoles: Saramaccan, Haitian Creole and Papiamentu with two specific goals. The first one is to evaluate the respective contribution of the source languages to the functional categories of the three creoles. The second one is to evaluate the degree of similarity/dissimilarity of the functional categories across these creoles. This chapter begins with a discussion of the aims of this book. It provides an introduction to the languages under analysis. It gives information on the methodology and theoretical framework used to carry out the research and the analyses reported on in this book. This study is cast within the relabeling-based account of creole genesis. Three sections introduce this framework. One bears on the various dimensions of the process of relabeling. A second one bears on how word order is established in creole genesis. A third one is dedicated to the processes that play a role in the development of a creole. Several lexical items discussed in this book appear to have more than one function. A whole section is thus dedicated to the issue multifunctionality and to the various approaches to this phenomenon. The chapter ends with an overview of the organization of the book and a short preview of the major findings.

Abstract

This book bears on the functional categories of three Caribbean creoles: Saramaccan, Haitian Creole and Papiamentu with two specific goals. The first one is to evaluate the respective contribution of the source languages to the functional categories of the three creoles. The second one is to evaluate the degree of similarity/dissimilarity of the functional categories across these creoles. This chapter begins with a discussion of the aims of this book. It provides an introduction to the languages under analysis. It gives information on the methodology and theoretical framework used to carry out the research and the analyses reported on in this book. This study is cast within the relabeling-based account of creole genesis. Three sections introduce this framework. One bears on the various dimensions of the process of relabeling. A second one bears on how word order is established in creole genesis. A third one is dedicated to the processes that play a role in the development of a creole. Several lexical items discussed in this book appear to have more than one function. A whole section is thus dedicated to the issue multifunctionality and to the various approaches to this phenomenon. The chapter ends with an overview of the organization of the book and a short preview of the major findings.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents vii
  3. Preface xv
  4. List of abbreviations xvii
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 2. The nominal structures of Saramaccan, Fongbe and English with reference to Haitian Creole 17
  7. Chapter 3. Coordinating constructions in Fongbe with reference to Haitian Creole 69
  8. Chapter 4. The multifunctionality of Saramaccan táa 109
  9. Chapter 5. On the properties of Saramaccan fu 161
  10. Chapter 6. The multiple facets of Papiamentu ku 211
  11. Chapter 7. On the properties of Papiamentu pa 245
  12. Chapter 8. A new analysis of the Papiamentu clause structure 283
  13. Chapter 9. The properties of functional categories in the three creoles 317
  14. Chapter 10. Conclusion 345
  15. References 363
  16. Index of authors 381
  17. Index of subjects 385
https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.50.01ch1

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents vii
  3. Preface xv
  4. List of abbreviations xvii
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 2. The nominal structures of Saramaccan, Fongbe and English with reference to Haitian Creole 17
  7. Chapter 3. Coordinating constructions in Fongbe with reference to Haitian Creole 69
  8. Chapter 4. The multifunctionality of Saramaccan táa 109
  9. Chapter 5. On the properties of Saramaccan fu 161
  10. Chapter 6. The multiple facets of Papiamentu ku 211
  11. Chapter 7. On the properties of Papiamentu pa 245
  12. Chapter 8. A new analysis of the Papiamentu clause structure 283
  13. Chapter 9. The properties of functional categories in the three creoles 317
  14. Chapter 10. Conclusion 345
  15. References 363
  16. Index of authors 381
  17. Index of subjects 385
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