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ArchivesRe: Créole names - CLARIFICATION
in reply to a message by Chrystelle
Although the term "créole" is used mostly by Americans to refer to the French heritage in Louisiana, it is actually a much more global term.
Historically, it has been used in both French and Spanish (criollo) to refer to 'pureblood' Europeans who were born in the New World, although it sometimes also came to mean those who mixed with Africans.
Linguistically, a "creole" is a language that has its roots in two or more languages. Creoles usually start as pidgins used mainly for commerce, and become actual languages once they begin to develop their own grammar rules and have children who speak it as their first language.
Haitian Créole and Louisiana Créole are an *examples* of this, but are most definitely not the only ones - for example, an African-Portuguese Crioulo is spoken in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, West Africa. So be aware that when you use the term "creole", it's not just French, and not just in Louisiana!
Historically, it has been used in both French and Spanish (criollo) to refer to 'pureblood' Europeans who were born in the New World, although it sometimes also came to mean those who mixed with Africans.
Linguistically, a "creole" is a language that has its roots in two or more languages. Creoles usually start as pidgins used mainly for commerce, and become actual languages once they begin to develop their own grammar rules and have children who speak it as their first language.
Haitian Créole and Louisiana Créole are an *examples* of this, but are most definitely not the only ones - for example, an African-Portuguese Crioulo is spoken in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, West Africa. So be aware that when you use the term "creole", it's not just French, and not just in Louisiana!
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