The creation of pidgins as a possible window on language evolution

Abstract

For some two decades now, linguists have given serious attention to the idea that restricted systems – inter alia 'modern' pidgin languages – provide a 'window' on certain facets of the emergence of language in the human species. Botha (2003: 197-201, 2006b) has identified a number of difficulties that would have to be overcome in constructing a pidgin window capable of yielding insights into language evolution. The window is still, at best, very much 'under construction,' for it lacks in its present forms various core components: 'Developing these components would require a substantial amount of work of a technical sort' (2006b: 12). But, he concludes, 'a well-constructed pidgin window on language evolution will reward us with insights and perspectives that are incentive enough for facing up to just those difficulties' (2006b: 13). This paper represents an attempt to restart work on the pidgin window construction project. My fundamental position is that the creation of 'modern' pidgin languages does indeed provide such a window on language evolution, though not along the lines that have been proposed to date.