Pijin

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈpɪdʒɪn/

Origin

Pijin Pijin, from English pidgin.

Full definition of Pijin

Proper noun

1. A language spoken on the Solomon Islands.

Usage notes

Despite the literal meaning of the word pidgin, the language is instead considered by linguists to be a well developed creole, because a creole is the native language of a group of people, whereas a pidgin has no native speakers, and is a blended, ad-hoc trade language used when two groups of people have no other common language to communicate. Creoles develop from pidgins, and this language is no longer in the pidgin stage.