Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 November 2008
Pidginization is a linguistic process that occurs when people who do not speak the same language come into contact. It involves the simplification of the contacting language and the exploitation of linguistic common denominators. It is essentially an oral process and limited communication. Pidiginization seems to involve the use of base forms, a reduction in or elimination of case endings, inflections and prepositions, a simple and unified method of indicating temporal deistinctions, negation and interrogation, and the meaning of verbal communication is often reinforced by intonation, gestures and, on some occasions, mime.