INTRODUCTION
Pidgin language, is a grammatically simplified means of communication that develops between
two or more groups that do not have a language in common: typically, its vocabulary and
grammar are limited and often drawn from several languages. It is most employed in situations
such as trade, or where both groups speak languages different from the language of the country
in which they reside (but where there is no common language between the groups). Linguists do
not typically consider pidgins as full or complete languages.
Fundamentally, a pidgin is a simplified means of linguistic communication, as it is constructed
impromptu, or by convention, between individuals or groups of people. A pidgin is not the native
language of any speech community, but is instead learned as a second language.[4][5]
A pidgin may be built from words, sounds, or body language from a multitude of languages.. As
the lexicon of any pidgin will be limited to core vocabulary, words with only a specific meaning
in the lexifier language may acquire a completely new (or additional) meaning in the pidgin. As
a result of the Europeans coming to the coastal part of African continent and their engagement in
slave trade, pidgin was given birth to in Africa. This presentation seeks to highlight the semantic
vocabulary and phonological differences between pidgin and British English.
Examples of pidgin vocabularies and their meaning.
Dawg - to neglect or forget about something or someone
Eye red - envious or greedy.
Bell - to call on phone
Clear - to finish or get rid of something or someone.
Booze man – someone who drinks
Delete – to die or to get killed
Do quick – to hurry up.
Fit – the ability to do something.
Flex -to enjoy
Flog – to beat
Holy holy – acting righteous, especially in an overdone way.
English has gone a long way to have a many vocabulary as it continues borrowing from other
languages. Pidgin has few vocabularies as compared to English. Pidgin English therefore
borrows from English vocabularies. These are some of the pidgin vocabularies with their
meaning in British English.
Pidgin English British English
Masa Boss
Pusi cat
Belle stomach
How you dey how are you
Mufti casual wear
Ofoto Photographer
Bear-bear beard
belle stomach
bifor-bifor long time
big man rich/important man
palaver problem
mess fart
long thing empty promise
Oga Master
Abeg Master
Area boys street boys
Chillin enjoyment
Hala call
Koti police
Semantics is a branch in language that is concerned with meanings. There are a lot of
vocabularies with different meanings in British English. Over the years, Pidgin English has
borrowed many vocabularies from British English which turns to somehow have different
meaning when they are used in the pidgin English. These are some of the examples of British
vocabularies when used in Pidgin English but have different semantic meaning.
British English Pidgin English British Expression
Drop- to let something fall The lady go drop at Kejetia. The lady will alight at Kejetia
Cut- to cut into pieces E dey chop She is eating
Doe- female rabbit or deer My paddy get doe My friend has money
Thief- someone who steals The man dey thief you. The man is stealing from you
Shine- brightness from a Make you shine your eyes. You must be vigilant.
source of light.
Concert- a performance given This is concert. This is a joke.
by singers
Pepper- aspice vegetable that I go show you pepper, I will show a lesson
has hot taste
Throw- to make an object Lemme throw you. Let me see you off.
move quickly in the air.
Vim- energy and enthusiasm Lets go with vim. Lets go with courage .
Chisel- cutting tool used to cut Yaw is chisel. Yaw is a miser
metal wood.
Phonology as a field of studies is about how sounds are organized and how words are words
pronounced. Some dictionaries explains phonology as the study of the sounds function in
languages, including phonemes, syllable structure, stress, accent, intonation, and which sounds
are units within a language. With the borrowed words from British English, Pidgin English has
developed its own phonological systems of pronouncing the words. Below are some British
words that are pronounced differently in Pidgin English.
British English Pidgin English
talk tok
liar laya
brother broad
party partey
brother bro
sister sis
fire faya
get out getat
come out commot
air conditioner aircon
because cos
walk waka
Syntax, as another branch of language deals with the set of rules that govern how words are put
together to form phrases and sentences. Pidgin English do not adhere to these rules.
Eg
B.E. Do you understand?
P. E. You Barb?
B.E i waited but he did not come
P.E I wedged but he no show up
B.E. What is your problem
P. E. Wetin be your problem
B.E. I no no .
P. E. I don’t know.
B.E. What dey prursue you.
P. E. What is pursuing you.
B.E. do quick and come
P. E. hurry up and come
B.E. Yaa dey carry belle
P. E. Yaa is pregnant
B.E. You dey in Kumasi, u for shine your eyes
P. E. You are in Kumasi, you must be vigilant.
Name Index number
Nkrumah John Felix 5191120273
Abdulai Linda 5191120274
Patience Aboagye 5191120275
Atubiga Portia 5191120276
Akowuah Michael Owusu 5191120277
