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Relexification

November 25, 2023

In linguistics, relexification is a mechanism of language change by which one language changes much or all of its lexicon, including basic vocabulary, with the lexicon of another language, without drastically changing the relexified language's grammar. The term is principally used to describe pidgins, creoles, and mixed languages.[1][2][3]

Relexification is not synonymous with lexical borrowing, by which a language merely supplements its basic vocabulary with loanwords from another language.

Language creation and relexification hypothesis edit

Relexification is a form of language interference in which a pidgin, a creole or a mixed language takes nearly all of its lexicon from a superstrate or a target language while its grammar comes from the substrate or source language or, according to universalist theories, arises from universal principles of simplification and grammaticalization. The language from which the lexicon is derived is called the "lexifier".[4] Michif, Media Lengua, and Lanc-Patuá creole are mixed languages that arose through relexification.[5]

A hypothesis that all creole languages derive their grammar from the medieval Mediterranean Lingua Franca was widely held in the late 1950s and the early 1960s, but it fell out of favour. It was later argued, for example, because of underlying similarities between Haitian Creole and Fon language that the grammar of Haitian Creole is a substratum that was created when Fon-speaking African slaves relexified their language with French vocabulary. However, the role of relexification in creole genesis is disputed by adherents of generative grammar. Wittmann (1994), Wittmann & Fournier (1996), Singler (1996), and DeGraff (2002), for example, have argued that the similarities in syntax reflect a hypothetical Universal Grammar, not the workings of relexification processes.

Second language acquisition edit

Spontaneous second language acquisition (and the genesis of pidgins) involves the gradual relexification of the native or source language with target-language vocabulary. After relexification is completed, native language structures alternate with structures acquired from the target language.[6]

Conlangs and jargon edit

In the context of constructed languages, jargons, and argots, the term is applied to the process of creating a language by substituting new vocabulary into the grammar of an existing language, often one's native language.[7]

While the practice is most often associated with novice constructed language designers, it may also be done as an initial stage towards creating a more sophisticated language. A language thus created is known as a relex. For instance, Lojban began as a relex of Loglan, but the languages' grammars have diverged since then.[8] The same process is at work in the genesis of jargons and argots such as Caló, a natural language used by Gitanos that mixes a Spanish grammar with Romany vocabulary.[9]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Matthews (2007:343)
  2. ^ Campbell & Mixco (2007:170)
  3. ^ Crystal (2008:412)
  4. ^ Wardhaugh (2002:76)
  5. ^ Bakker (1997), Muysken (1981), Wittmann (1994)
  6. ^ Bickerton & Odo (1976)
  7. ^ Wittmann (1989, 1994).
  8. ^ Section on the term "relex" in the Conlang Wikibook
  9. ^ Gamella, Juan F.; Fernández, Cayetano; Adiego, Ignasi-Xavier (June 2015). "The long agony of Hispanoromani. The remains of Caló in the speech of Spanish Gitanos". Romani Studies. 25 (1): 53–93. doi:10.3828/rs.2015.3. ISSN 1528-0748. S2CID 141941862.

References edit

  • Bakker, Peter (1997), A Language of Our Own, New York: Oxford University Press
  • Bickerton, Derek; Odo, Carol (1976), General phonology and pidgin syntax, Change and variation in Hawaiian English, vol. 1, University of Hawaii
  • Campbell, Lyle; Mixco, Mauricio J. (2007), A Glossary of Historical Linguistics, Edinburgh University Press, p. 170, ISBN 978-0-7486-2379-2
  • Crystal, David (2008), A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (PDF), The Language Library (6th ed.), Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, p. 412, ISBN 978-1-4051-5296-9, LCCN 2007-52260, OCLC 317317506, (PDF) from the original on 29 March 2016
  • Danchev, Andrei (1997), "The Middle English creolization hypothesis revisited", in Fisiak, Jacek (ed.), Studies in Middle English Linguistics, Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs [TiLSM], De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 79–108, doi:10.1515/9783110814194.79, ISBN 978-3-11-081419-4, OCLC 203288487
  • DeGraff, Michel (2002), "Relexification: A reevaluation" (PDF), Anthropological Linguistics, 44 (4): 321–414
  • Joyce, James (1916), A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, New York: The Modern Library
  • Matthews, P. H. (2007) [1st pub. 1997], "'Relexification'", The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 343, ISBN 978-0-19-920272-0, LCCN 2007-34904, OCLC 4811330769, OL 2654835W
  • Muysken, Pieter (1981), "Halfway between Quechua and Spanish: The case for relexification", in Highfield, Arnold; Valdman, Albert (eds.), Historicity and variation in creole studies, Ann Arbor: Karoma, pp. 52–78
  • Singler, John Victor (1996), "Theories of creole genesis, sociohistorical considerations, and the evaluation of evidence: The case of Haitian Creole and the Relexification Hypothesis", Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages, 11 (2): 185–230, doi:10.1075/jpcl.11.2.02sin
  • Wardhaugh, Ronald (2002), "Pidgins and Creoles", An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (fourth ed.), Blackwell Publishing, pp. 57–86
  • Wittmann, Henri (1989), "Relexification et argogenèse," Communication, 1er Colloque international d’argotologie, Université de Besançon, Oct. 13-1, 1989
  • Wittmann, Henri (1994), "Relexification et créologenèse" (PDF), Proceedings of the International Congress of Linguists, Québec: Presses de l'Université Laval, 15 (4): 335–38
  • Wittmann, Henri; Fournier, Robert (1996), "Contraintes sur la relexification: les limites imposées dans un cadre théorique minimaliste" (PDF), in Fournier, Robert (ed.), Mélanges linguistiques (in French), Trois-Rivières: Presses universitaires de Trois-Rivières, pp. 245–280

Further reading edit

  • Arends, Jacques, Pieter Muysken & Norval Smith. 1995. Pidgins and Creoles: an introduction. Amsterdam: Benjamins.
  • Sebba, Mark. 1997. Contact Languages: Pidgins and Creoles. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press.
  • Speer, Rob; Havasi, Catherine (2004), Meeting the Computer Halfway: Language Processing in the Artificial Language Lojban (PDF), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (PDF) from the original on 23 October 2014

External links edit

  •   Learning materials related to Psycholinguistics/Pidgins, Creoles, and Home Sign#The Relexification Hypothesis at Wikiversity

November 25, 2023
relexification, linguistics, relexification, mechanism, language, change, which, language, changes, much, lexicon, including, basic, vocabulary, with, lexicon, another, language, without, drastically, changing, relexified, language, grammar, term, principally,. In linguistics relexification is a mechanism of language change by which one language changes much or all of its lexicon including basic vocabulary with the lexicon of another language without drastically changing the relexified language s grammar The term is principally used to describe pidgins creoles and mixed languages 1 2 3 Relexification is not synonymous with lexical borrowing by which a language merely supplements its basic vocabulary with loanwords from another language Contents 1 Language creation and relexification hypothesis 2 Second language acquisition 3 Conlangs and jargon 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksLanguage creation and relexification hypothesis editRelexification is a form of language interference in which a pidgin a creole or a mixed language takes nearly all of its lexicon from a superstrate or a target language while its grammar comes from the substrate or source language or according to universalist theories arises from universal principles of simplification and grammaticalization The language from which the lexicon is derived is called the lexifier 4 Michif Media Lengua and Lanc Patua creole are mixed languages that arose through relexification 5 A hypothesis that all creole languages derive their grammar from the medieval Mediterranean Lingua Franca was widely held in the late 1950s and the early 1960s but it fell out of favour It was later argued for example because of underlying similarities between Haitian Creole and Fon language that the grammar of Haitian Creole is a substratum that was created when Fon speaking African slaves relexified their language with French vocabulary However the role of relexification in creole genesis is disputed by adherents of generative grammar Wittmann 1994 Wittmann amp Fournier 1996 Singler 1996 and DeGraff 2002 for example have argued that the similarities in syntax reflect a hypothetical Universal Grammar not the workings of relexification processes Second language acquisition editSpontaneous second language acquisition and the genesis of pidgins involves the gradual relexification of the native or source language with target language vocabulary After relexification is completed native language structures alternate with structures acquired from the target language 6 Conlangs and jargon editIn the context of constructed languages jargons and argots the term is applied to the process of creating a language by substituting new vocabulary into the grammar of an existing language often one s native language 7 While the practice is most often associated with novice constructed language designers it may also be done as an initial stage towards creating a more sophisticated language A language thus created is known as a relex For instance Lojban began as a relex of Loglan but the languages grammars have diverged since then 8 The same process is at work in the genesis of jargons and argots such as Calo a natural language used by Gitanos that mixes a Spanish grammar with Romany vocabulary 9 See also editStratum linguistics Notes edit Matthews 2007 343 Campbell amp Mixco 2007 170 Crystal 2008 412 Wardhaugh 2002 76 Bakker 1997 Muysken 1981 Wittmann 1994 Bickerton amp Odo 1976 Wittmann 1989 1994 Section on the term relex in the Conlang Wikibook Gamella Juan F Fernandez Cayetano Adiego Ignasi Xavier June 2015 The long agony of Hispanoromani The remains of Calo in the speech of Spanish Gitanos Romani Studies 25 1 53 93 doi 10 3828 rs 2015 3 ISSN 1528 0748 S2CID 141941862 References editBakker Peter 1997 A Language of Our Own New York Oxford University Press Bickerton Derek Odo Carol 1976 General phonology and pidgin syntax Change and variation in Hawaiian English vol 1 University of Hawaii Campbell Lyle Mixco Mauricio J 2007 A Glossary of Historical Linguistics Edinburgh University Press p 170 ISBN 978 0 7486 2379 2 Crystal David 2008 A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics PDF The Language Library 6th ed Malden Massachusetts Blackwell Publishing p 412 ISBN 978 1 4051 5296 9 LCCN 2007 52260 OCLC 317317506 archived PDF from the original on 29 March 2016 Danchev Andrei 1997 The Middle English creolization hypothesis revisited in Fisiak Jacek ed Studies in Middle English Linguistics Trends in Linguistics Studies and Monographs TiLSM De Gruyter Mouton pp 79 108 doi 10 1515 9783110814194 79 ISBN 978 3 11 081419 4 OCLC 203288487 DeGraff Michel 2002 Relexification A reevaluation PDF Anthropological Linguistics 44 4 321 414 Joyce James 1916 A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man New York The Modern Library Matthews P H 2007 1st pub 1997 Relexification The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics Oxford Paperback Reference 2nd ed Oxford University Press p 343 ISBN 978 0 19 920272 0 LCCN 2007 34904 OCLC 4811330769 OL 2654835W Muysken Pieter 1981 Halfway between Quechua and Spanish The case for relexification in Highfield Arnold Valdman Albert eds Historicity and variation in creole studies Ann Arbor Karoma pp 52 78 Singler John Victor 1996 Theories of creole genesis sociohistorical considerations and the evaluation of evidence The case of Haitian Creole and the Relexification Hypothesis Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages 11 2 185 230 doi 10 1075 jpcl 11 2 02sin Wardhaugh Ronald 2002 Pidgins and Creoles An Introduction to Sociolinguistics fourth ed Blackwell Publishing pp 57 86 Wittmann Henri 1989 Relexification et argogenese Communication 1er Colloque international d argotologie Universite de Besancon Oct 13 1 1989 Wittmann Henri 1994 Relexification et creologenese PDF Proceedings of the International Congress of Linguists Quebec Presses de l Universite Laval 15 4 335 38 Wittmann Henri Fournier Robert 1996 Contraintes sur la relexification les limites imposees dans un cadre theorique minimaliste PDF in Fournier Robert ed Melanges linguistiques in French Trois Rivieres Presses universitaires de Trois Rivieres pp 245 280Further reading editArends Jacques Pieter Muysken amp Norval Smith 1995 Pidgins and Creoles an introduction Amsterdam Benjamins Sebba Mark 1997 Contact Languages Pidgins and Creoles Houndmills Basingstoke Hampshire and London Macmillan Press Speer Rob Havasi Catherine 2004 Meeting the Computer Halfway Language Processing in the Artificial Language Lojban PDF Massachusetts Institute of Technology archived PDF from the original on 23 October 2014External links edit nbsp Learning materials related to Psycholinguistics Pidgins Creoles and Home Sign The Relexification Hypothesis at Wikiversity Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Relexification amp oldid 1176340954, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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