Creole languages are oral languages that typically result from a mix between a socially dominant language (usually a superstratal European language) and a set of substratal languages (often times African languages). The key word in this definition is “mix,” as it is assumed that given the multilingual setting in which they emerge (e.g., plantations), creoles are the result of the multiple grammars that contribute to their individual genesis. The primary objective of this talk is to provide comparative data from distinct varieties of a set of creole languages and demonstrate how their morpho-syntactic properties reflect the contributions of the diverse African languages that contributed to their genesis and development. A related objective is to show the value of fieldwork in documenting variation and giving a voice to the original creators of the distinct creole varieties.

Marlyse Baptista (associate professor, Linguistics and Afroamerican and African studies) studies the morpho-syntax interface in creole languages and theories of language change, language creation and creole formation. She is currently working on the precise identification of the cognitive processes involved in contact situations.