A rare case of language acquisition and pidginization

Abstract

In the 1820s, two young sailors from Canton (Guangdong), China, began studying German at the University of Halle under the sponsorship of the Prussian authorities; however, they did not achieve the desired results. This case of language contact and acquisition unfolded under unique historical conditions and produced unusual outcomes, as evidenced by the autographs of the two learners and the observations of contemporary German scholars. This article presents the first systematic analysis of these sources with respect to pronunciation, lexicon, morphology, and syntax. It is argued that this unique variety of German, used unilaterally, should not be defined as a pidgin; nevertheless, it exhibits pronounced features of pidginization, notably sharing many characteristics with Chinese Pidgin English.