 | This article possibly contains original research. (December 2022) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2017) |
| West African Pidgin English | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea |
Native speakers | 75,000,000 (2017)[1] |
English Creole
| |
| Latin script | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Glottolog | west2851 |
| IETF | cpe-011 |
West African Pidgin English, also known as Guinea Coast Creole English,[2] is a West African pidgin language lexified by English and local African languages. It originated as a language of commerce between British and African slave traders during the period of the transatlantic slave trade. As of 2017,[update] about 75 million people in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea used the language.[1]
Because it is primarily a spoken language, there is no standardized written form, and many local varieties exist.[3] These include Sierra Leone Krio, Nigerian Pidgin, Ghanaian Pidgin English, Cameroonian Pidgin English, Liberian Pidgin English,[4] the Aku dialect of Krio,[5] and Pichinglis.
- ^ a b Kasaree, Najiba (August 22, 2017). "Working towards a standard Pidgin". BBC Academy. BBC. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ "The Origin of Pidgin". www.afrostylemag.com. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
- ^ Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko de (December 30, 2017). "The BBC in Pidgin? People Like It Well-Well". The New York Times. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ Gilbert, Glenn (June 1, 2005). "The Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages and the Society for Pidgin and Creole Linguistics, In Retrospect". Creole Language in Creole Literatures. 20 (1): 167–174. doi:10.1075/jpcl.20.1.09gil. ISSN 0920-9034.
- ^ "Aku People of Gambia". www.accessgambia.com. Retrieved April 1, 2021.