Question

Which one of the following is NOT a correct statement about pidgins and creoles?

• A. Pidginisation expands grammatical rules and creolisation reduces them.
• B. Pidgins have little or no grammar.
• C. A stabilised pidgin can lead to the formation of a creole.
• D. Creoles are standardised pidgins.

Hint:

- Pidginisation = simplification (loss of grammar, reduced vocabulary).
- Creolisation = expansion (grammar and vocabulary develop, making it a full language).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding pidgins and creoles
- A pidgin is a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between speakers of different native languages. It typically has reduced grammar and vocabulary.
- A creole arises when a pidgin becomes nativized, i.e., children grow up speaking it as their first language. In this process, grammar and vocabulary expand to make it a fully functional language. Step 2: Analyzing the options
- (A) \emph{Pidginisation expands grammatical rules and creolisation reduces them.}
This is incorrect. In fact, pidginisation reduces grammar and simplifies language, while creolisation expands and systematises it. So this is NOT a correct statement.
- (B) \emph{Pidgins have little or no grammar.}
Correct. Pidgins simplify grammar drastically.
- (C) \emph{A stabilised pidgin can lead to the formation of a creole.}
Correct. Once a pidgin stabilises and is acquired by children as their mother tongue, it evolves into a creole.
- (D) \emph{Creoles are standardised pidgins.}
Correct. Creoles are often described as stabilised, fully developed versions of pidgins.
Step 3: Conclusion
The incorrect statement is (A), because it reverses the actual roles of pidginisation and creolisation. \[ \boxed{\text{Correct Answer: (A)}} \]