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28 Romance-lexifier creoles

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Abstract

This chapter describes the phonological inventories and most notable synchronic and diachronic processes observed in Romance-lexifier creoles, languages that emerged from contexts of intense linguistic coalescence, subject to particular sociolinguistic parameters. Focusing on the Ibero-Romance- and French-lexifier subgroups, we exemplify the major phonological characteristics of Papiamentu and Haitian, respectively. We also briefly address phenomenological issues of creole simplicity and complexity, reiterating arguments that assert this to be a specious dichotomy.

Abstract

This chapter describes the phonological inventories and most notable synchronic and diachronic processes observed in Romance-lexifier creoles, languages that emerged from contexts of intense linguistic coalescence, subject to particular sociolinguistic parameters. Focusing on the Ibero-Romance- and French-lexifier subgroups, we exemplify the major phonological characteristics of Papiamentu and Haitian, respectively. We also briefly address phenomenological issues of creole simplicity and complexity, reiterating arguments that assert this to be a specious dichotomy.

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