pidgin
pidgin
Noun
pl: pidgins
A pidgin is a functional, makeshift language created for basic communication, typically in trade or colonial contexts. It is characterized by a limited vocabulary and a simplified grammar, lacking the complexity of a native language because it is learned as a second language by all its speakers.
It is crucial to distinguish a pidgin from a creole. While a pidgin is a transitional tool used by adults for specific purposes, a creole develops when a pidgin becomes the first language of a new generation, evolving into a full, complex linguistic system with its own stable grammar and expanded lexicon.