History Hawai‛i Creole English

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Chapter 3 Hawai‛i Creole English

3.1 History

Roberts’ 1995 study divides Hawai‛i’s pre-HCE linguistic history into four stages: Stage 1: 1790–1820 The emergence of pidginized Hawaiian PH Stage 2: 1820–1850 The emergence of mixed varieties of PH The emergence of English-based jargon The establishment of PH in plantations Stage 3: 1850–1876 The acquisition of PH by Chinese plantation workers Stage 4: 1876–1900 The acquisition of PH by large numbers of immigrant workers from various linguistic backgrounds, especially Japanese, Portuguese, and Filipino The gradual supplanting of PH by mixed PH and pidginized English According to Roberts p. c., it is difficult to pinpoint an exact time for the emergence of HCE, but HCE was undoubtedly in vigorous use by 1910, at least in certain areas. Sato 1989:193 suggests that HCE usage reached its peak in the 1930’s. Consequently, one can extend Roberts’ time line in the following manner: Stage 5: 1900–1930 The emergence and spread of HCE Sato 1985:265–267 identifies several factors which have contributed to the relatively recent displacement of HCE with SE. At the onset of World War II, the Japanese, Hawai‛i’s largest group of immigrants, became particularly motivated to speak SE as a token of their loyalty to America. This, together with the diversification of Hawai‛i’s economy, statehood 1 , the rise of the economic and political status of SE, and pressure from the educational establishment have conspired to bring about the decline of HCE in Hawai‛i. So, we can tentatively add yet another stage in Hawai‛i’s linguistic development: Stage 6: 1940–present? Widespread decreolization of HCE Decreolization, however, does not appear to be the end of the story. As we shall see, the socioeconomic forces which gave rise to decreolization do not remain stationary. 1 There is an amusing anecdote that following statehood, Lippy Espinda a popular local personality and an informant for Labov 1990 set up a sign at his place of business which read “Statehood – Congratulations, we all haoles now. ” Haole is the vernacular, somewhat pejorative term, for mainland Caucasians. 30

3.2 Language attitudes