A Preliminary Sociolinguistic Comparison of Four Indigenous Pidgin Languages of North America ( With Notes Towards a Sociolinguistic Typology in American Indian Linguistics)

Abstract

This article presents a systematic sociolinguistic comparison of four indigenous pidgin languages of North America: Eskimo Jargon, Chinook Jargon, Delaware Jargon, and Mobilian Jargon. Drawing on available historical and descriptive sources, the study examines both linguistic features—such as phonology, lexicon, morphology, syntax, word order, and variability—and extralinguistic factors, including sociocultural environments, language functions, and patterns of use.