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Definition 2024

pidgin

pidgin

English

Noun

pidgin ‎(plural pidgins)

(linguistics) an amalgamation of two disparate languages, used by two populations having no common language as a lingua franca to communicate with each other, lacking formalized grammar and having a small, utilitarian vocabulary and no native speakers.

Translations

amalgamation of two languages having no native speakers

Armenian: փիջին ‎(pʿiǰin)
Bislama: pijin
Chinese:
Mandarin: 皮欽語 (zh), 皮钦语 (zh) ‎(píqīnyǔ), 混雜語言, 混杂语言 ‎(hùnzá yǔyán)
Esperanto: piĝino
French: pidgin (fr) m, créole (fr) m, langue véhiculaire (fr) f
German: Pidgin-Sprache (de) f, Pidgin (de) n
Italian: pidgin

Japanese: ピジン言語 ‎(pijin gengo)
Macedonian: пиџин m ‎(pídžin)
Maori: kōrapurapu, reo kōrapurapu
Pijin: pijin
Polish: pidżyn m, język pidżynowy m
Portuguese: pidgin (pt) m
Russian: пи́джин (ru) m ‎(pídžin)
Spanish: pidgin m
Tok Pisin: pisin (tpi)

Related terms

Derived terms

West African Pidgin Portuguese

See also

creole

References

↑ John Holmes, An introduction to pidgins and creoles, Cambridge University Press (2000)
↑ Holmes
↑ Holmes
↑ Holmes

Portuguese

Noun

pidgin m (plural pidgins)

(linguistics) pidgin (amalgamation of two languages having no native speakers)

Spanish

Noun

pidgin m ‎(plural pidgins)

pidgin (amalgamation of two languages having no native speakers)

Etymology

From pidgin English, from a Chinese Pidgin English pronunciation of English business during trade in the Far East. Other suggested derivations include:

Hebrew [script needed] ‎(pidjom, “exchange; trade; redemption”)^[1];
Chinese pronunciation of Portuguese ocupação ‎(“occupation; business”)^[2];
South Seas pronunciation of English beach^[3];
Portuguese baixo ‎(“low”)^[4].

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɪdʒɪn/
(US) enPR: pĭjʹən, IPA^(key): /ˈpɪdʒən/
Rhymes: -ɪdʒən, -ɪdʒɪn
Homophone: pigeon