Growth and structure of the lexicon of New Guinea pidgin
Date
1976
Authors
Mülhäusler, Peter
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Abstract
This thesis describes the development and present-day
manifestation of the lexicon , in particular the derivational
lexicon , of New Guinea Pidgin (Tok Pisin ) , a form of Pidgin
English spoken in Papua New Guinea. The linguistic description
is embedded in and related to a description of the
external history of this language and the social context in
which it is used in the present . The thesis is divided into
seven chapters .
Chapter I provides introductory notes on the language
and i ts speakers , a discuss ion of data s amp ling techniques
and the corpus of data as well as remarks on the organization
of the thesis .
Chapter II discusses in detail the methodological problems
of describing pidgin languages and New Guinea Pidgin .
In particular , the problems. in connection with linguistic
variation along the temporal , spatial and social axes are
examined . In addition , arguments in support of a lexicalist
approach to the description of the derivational lexicon of
this language are put forward .
Chapter III deals with the socio-historical setting of
New Guinea Pidgin . The chapter is subdivided into a discussion of the external history , t he history of language
policies and attitude s and the external context of present-day
variation . On the basis of the social functions and the
status of the speakers of New Guinea Pidgin , five stages in
the life-cycle and four main social varieties of this language
are distinguish ed .
Chapter IV discusses the linguistic properties of the
lexicon of New Guinea Pidgin in relation to the five main
stages of its life cycle , it s social varieties, its regional
varieties , and its stylistic levels , pointing out the
relationship between these varieties . Chapter V gives an exhaustive treatment of the derivational lexicon of Rural Pidgin , the principal varity of New Guine a Pidgin . The three main derivational processes , multifunctionality , compounding , and reduplication are analysed
and illustrated with a large set of examples .
Chapter VI deals with the linguistic future of New Guinea
Pidgin , in particular with proposals about vocabulary planning .
The role of vocabulary planning is seen as providing new
lexicalitems in a phase of rapid functional expansion of
this language , whilst keeping intact its lexical structures.
Chapter VII contains the principal findings and conclusions . It is argued that an understand in g of the nature
of New Guinea Pidgin can only be attained once diachronic
developments and synchronic variation are related to one
another and to the social context in which the language is
us ed.
An appendix containing the originals of German quotations
is attache d.
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Thesis (PhD)
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