German Influences on Cameroon Pidgin English

Brigitte Weber (Alpe Adria University) [BIO]

Email: weber_loets@yahoo.co.uk

 

ABSTRACT:

This paper examines possible German influences on Cameroon Pidgin English (CPE), otherwise known as Kamtok, a rich variety of West African Pidgin English spoken in Cameroon. The rich and diverse sources of CPE reflect the historical conditions of this multiethnic and multilingual country. Research on CPE has tended to focus mainly on sociolinguistic issues, while neglecting German influences on the language. In her work, Loreto Todd (1984) briefly considers German sources in the lexicon of CPE but does not explore the link comprehensively. Our study attempts to examine possible relics of German at the lexical and grammatical levels of Kamtok, given that German colonial influence in Cameroon lasted from 1884 to 1916 during which time this language was used as a lingua franca.