Social and linguistic factors constraining grammatical variability in Hawaii Creole

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02736
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Aichi University of the Arts
• Principal Investigator: Inoue Aya 愛知県立芸術大学, 音楽学部, 教授 (90634915)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ハワイ・クレオール / 文法的変異 / 言語接触 / 過去時制標識 / 補文標識 / 言語変異 / 言語変化 / 言語態度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project primarily analyzes variability of the two grammatical features in current Hawai‘i Creole speech; past-tense marking and tu/fo infinitives. The analysis of the past-tense marking suggests strong correlation with phonological environments characteristic of English-based creoles. In terms of tu/fo infinitives, the analysis suggests there are very little inter-speaker variability. Furthermore, detailed analysis of the exceptional cases with variability suggests the case of covert decreolization (Siegel 2008) where the form of creole (fo infinitive) remains, but the way it is used is on the model of the lexifier (Standard English). The two grammatical features are also observed in many English-based creole languages, thus, the implication of this project may also be applied to the study of other English-based creoles and contact-induced English varieties.

Free Research Field

ピジン・クレオール言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、量的な実証研究がまだ少ないハワイ・クレオールの文法的変異のうち、過去時制標識、補文標識の変異に注目して分析した。音韻的な特徴との強いつながりや、標準英語から影響を受けたクレオールの使い方といった現象が見られた。これら二つの文法的特徴は他の英語系クレオールでも頻繁に共通してみられる特徴であるため本研究の成果は今後の世界中に散らばる英語系クレオールの比較研究に貢献できると考える。