**** Pidgin --a pragmatic definition

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UP: <[LINK]>

A pidgin is the linguistic means of communication in contact situations where no other common language is available to the communicating parties, whether as a result of linguistic or social constraints. It can be negotiated and provisional, or it may be more traditional and set. The form (or lack thereof) that a pidgin assumes at a particular moment is heavily dependent on its particular sociohistorical context. Its function is limited to the communication requirements of the task at hand and is not the first language any of its speakers--if it were, it would by definition be something other than a pidgin.

• - Form: provisional or rule based .................... <[LINK]>
• - Function .......................................... <[LINK]>
• - Substance is socio-historical ..................... <[LINK]>

Neither power relations nor social, generational, functional, sexual, geographical and historical factors may be considered in isolation.