CREOLE

pidgin language that has become established as the native language of a speech community. Examples are Gullah (derived from English) spoken in the Sea Islands of South Carolina, U.S., Haitian Creole (derived from French), Krio (derived from English) spoken in Sierra Leone, Louisiana Creole (derived from French), Melanesian Pidgin (derived from English), Sranantonga (derived from English) spoken in Suriname, and Papiamento (derived from Spanish and Portuguese) spoken in Curaao, Aruba, and Bonaire. Typically, a creole arises when the speakers of one language become economically or politically dominant over speakers of another language or languages, particularly if the latter are illiterate. At first, a simplified or otherwise modified form of the language of the dominant group comes to be used for communication between members of the different groups. At this stage the communicating language is a lingua franca and, if simplified in its forms, a pidgin; when the lingua franca becomes the standard or native language of a community, usually of the less dominant group, the language has become a creole. See also lingua franca.