Algonquian–Basque pidgin explained

Algonquian–Basque pidgin should not be confused with Belle Isle Pidgin.

Algonquian–Basque pidgin
Region:	Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Era:	16th to 18th century
Familycolor:	pidgin
Family:	Basque-based pidgin
Iso3:	none
Glotto:	basq1252
Glottorefname:	Basque-Amerindian Pidgin
Map:	Basques Newfoundland.gif
Mapcaption:	Basque and Breton fishing sites in 16th and 17th centuries.

Algonquian–Basque pidgin, also known as Souriquois,^[1] was a Basque-based pidgin spoken by Basque whalers and various Algonquian peoples. It was spoken around the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It was in use from at least 1580 until 1635,^[1] and was last attested in 1711.^[2]

There were three groups of First Nations that the Basque people distinguished. The ones with which they had good relations were the Montagnais and the St. Lawrence Iroquoians. They also knew of the Inuit, whom they considered hostile. The Basque people referred to them as the Montaneses, the Canaleses, and the Esquimoas, respectively.^[3]

Vocabulary

Pidgin	Original language	English translation
Creoles and pidgins: Normandia	Basque: Normandia (Basque), 'Normandy'	French
Creoles and pidgins: kir	Mi'kmaq; Micmac: kir (Mi'kmaq)	you
Creoles and pidgins: ania	Basque: anaia (Basque)	brother
Creoles and pidgins: capitana	Basque: capitaina (Basque), Basque: kapitaina in Standard Basque	captain
Creoles and pidgins: endia	Basque: andia (Basque), Basque: handia in Standard Basque	large
Creoles and pidgins: chave	Romance languages: chave (Romance)	know
Creoles and pidgins: ouias	Creoles and pidgins: wiya:s (Innu-aimun)	meat
Creoles and pidgins: amiscou	Creoles and pidgins: amisku (Innu-aimun)	beaver

^{[1] [4]}

Sample phrases

Algonquian–Basque pidgin	Basque	English
		Brother, are you a captain?
		Brother captain beaver's meat.
		The French know a lot of things.
		There will be war if we continue like this.
		Those of Saint-Malo are unfair traders.
		How are you? The priests are better.

See also

• Basque–Icelandic pidgin

Further reading

• Koldo Mitxelena (1984): "Lingüística inmanente y lingüística trascendente", "Julio Urquijo" Euskal Filologiaren Seminoarioaren Urtekaria, 18, 251–266. orr, Donostia, Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia.

Notes and References

1. Book: Mithun . Marianne . The Languages of Native North America . 7 June 2001 . Cambridge University Press . 9781107392809 . VII.
2. Bakker . Peter . Fall–Winter 1989 . "The Language of the Coast Tribes is Half Basque": A Basque-American Indian Pidgin in Use between Europeans and Native Americans in North America, ca. 1540-ca. 1640 . Anthropological Linguistics . Trustees of Indiana University . 31 . 3/4 . 117–147 . 30027995.
3. Web site: Echoes from the Past . 2012-07-06 . 2012-09-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120929214838/http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/expositions-exhibitions/echo/html/e-echos-0702.html . dead .
4. Book: Gray, Edward. The Language Encounter in the Americas, 1492-1800. 2000. Berghahn Books. 342. registration. The Language Encounter in the Americas, 1492-1800: A Collection of Essays.. 9781571812100.