SoSe 16: Semantics 2: Semantic phenomena in creole languages

We will use the tools for formal semantics to gain a systematic understanding of phenomena attested in creole languages.

Creole languages are natural languages that have developed in a multilingual contact situation. Typically, the majority of the lexical items come from a historically dominant language, but the grammatical structure of a creole is clearly independent of that of its main lexifier language.

After a general introduction to creole linguistics, we will concentrate on phenomena at the syntax-semantics interface that are attested in many creole languages but differ from the system of their lexifier languages. These include:

- reduplication

- differences in the determiner systems

- tense, mood and aspect marking

We will primarily look at English-based creole languages (such as Bislama and Jamaican Creole), but also extend our discussion to some

Romance- and Dutch-based languages (such as Papiamentu and the partially creolized language Afrikaans).

It is essential for this course that we can use the tools of formal semantics to describe the relevant phenomena. For this reason semantic knowledge at the level of Semantics 1 or equivalent is mandatory.