A Comparative Analysis of the Functions of the Preverbal Markers 'Bin' and 'Go' in Jamaican Post-Creole and Hawaiian English

الملخص

Pidgin and Creole languages are probably not recent innovations in human linguistic history. It is likely that ancient Egyptian, Sumerian, and Chinese soldiers and merchants used variations of Pidgin to communicate with the so-called "barbarians" they encountered at the borders of their empires. Hall (1966:3)

The objective of this study is to explore the function of the markers "bin" and "go" in both Jamaican Post-Creole and Hawaiian English. To address this, the researcher has reviewed the works of Bickerton, Mufwene, Todd, Day, and Tsuzaki. Specifically, the study aims to determine whether "bin" functions as a marker of the simple past in Jamaican Post-Creole and Hawaiian English, or it serves a different function. Observations from Bickerton and Day will be central to this analysis. Another key question is whether the marker "wen," derived from "bin," results from tense neutralization, as suggested by Day, or from the process of decreolization, as proposed by Bickerton. Additionally, the study explores whether "go" functions as a marker or simply as a regular verb. To achieve these objectives, the research reviews existing literature and studies related to this topic. The findings indicate that both Jamaican Post-Creole and Hawaiian English use the markers "bin" and "go." While "bin" typically signals the past tense, it cannot be considered merely a marker of the simple past. Bickerton's suggestion to label it as "anterior" seems more accurate. However, this analysis has some limitations, as "bin" is sometimes used with non-stative verbs while still indicating the simple past. Bickerton attributes this to cultural factors rather than linguistic ones, which introduces some ambiguity. The conversion of "bin" to "wen" in Hawaiian may be linked to either the process of decreolization or tense neutralization. Day emphasizes the importance of recognizing decreolization, as it involves significant changes to Creole features, such as the adoption of standard features or sound modifications. The similarity between "bin" and "wen" in terms of neutralization supports the idea that their conversion may be part of the decreolization process. The Hawaiian marker "go" appears to signal the future, conditional mood, and direction. However, its ambiguity suggests that such exceptions are inherent in all languages.