Pidgins and Creoles

A pidgin language is nobody's native language. It often arises when two speakers with no common language try and have a makeshift conversation. Lexicon usually comes from one, structure from the other. The prestige of Pidgin languages is very low due to slavery and colonialism for example. Many pidgins may only exist for one speech event.

A Creole is a stable natural language which has developed from a pidgin.