Descrioulização lexical no contacto entre o caboverdiano e o português

Abstract

In communities such as Cape Verde, where a creole language coexists with a language of higher social prestige, there is a certain tendency for creole structures and units to be replaced by the contact language in a process known as decreolisation. Decreolisation affects both the grammar and the lexicon of the language, giving rise to a continuum of varieties in which the line between creole and parent language becomes blurred, particularly at the lexical level. In this instance, the lexicon of Cape Verdean Creole is especially susceptible to decreolisation since it is mainly derived from Portuguese, despite differences in phonology, syntax and semantics. The study establishes a series of criteria according to which a lexical item may be classified as ‘less creole’ and its disappearance attributed to the process of decreolisation, and concludes with a reflection on the non-decreolising use of ‘Portuguese’ words to fill lacunae in new semantic fields.