What is Hawaiian Pidgin English?
Hawaiian Pidgin English is a native speech that evolved as a result of Hawaii s diverse background. It is also called “Da Kine” or, more commonly, “Pidgin” when it really isn t a pidgin anymore but actually a creole, or Hawaii Creole English, as termed by the Ethnologue Database. Creole, in this case, is defined as “a language based on 2 or more languages that serves as the native language of it s speakers” (Webster s 1991:305-6). Unlike other English based pidgin, Hawaiian Pidgin is founded on several different languages, with the Hawaiian language contributing the most words. Still, the term “Pidgin” remains. How Did Hawaiian Pidgin English Emerge? From my understanding, Hawaii had so many immigrant workers from many different places, that a common language based on English had to be established. This was because the majority of the persons in charge of the workforce spoke English. In 1849, Westerners came to Hawaii for its agricultural capabilities. Plantations, sugar refineries, an
