Linguifex

Bemé: Difference between revisions

← Older edit
VisualWikitext
Jukethatbox (talk | contribs)
Bots
4,477 edits
Jukethatbox (talk | contribs)
Bots
4,477 edits
No edit summary
 
(18 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{infobox language
{{infobox language
| name = Bemé
| name = Bemé
| nativename = bemeh, bemetak, kriyal
| nativename = bemeh / bemetak / kriyal
| altname = Poccasin Creole, Poccasin Pidgin, Poccasinese
| altname = Poccasin Creole / Poccasin Pidgin / Poccasinese
| image = File:Poccasin.svg
| image = File:Poccasin.svg
| imagesize = 250px
| imagesize = 250px
Line 25: Line 25:
| notice = ipa
| notice = ipa
}}
}}
'''Bemé''' (/[[Help:IPA|bəˈmeɪ̯]]/ ''buh-MAY''; ''bemeh'', <small>pronounced</small> [[IPA for Bemé|[bemɛ]]]), also called '''Poccasin Creole''', '''Poccasin Pidgin''' and '''Poccasinese''', is an [[w:English-based creole languages|English creole]] and [[w:Pidgin|pidgin language]] spoken in the Poccasin Archipelago. It is widely spoken as a first language in Cassim Po and is by far the predominantly spoken language in many other urban areas in the Poccasins, though elsewhere in the archipelago it only holds pidgin language status, exclusively used to communicate between people of separate ethnicites; as such, it is not used at home in most of these areas.
'''Bemé''' (/[[Help:IPA|bəˈmeɪ̯]]/ ''buh-MAY''; ''bemeh'', <small>pronounced</small> [[IPA for Bemé|[bemɛ]]]), also called '''Poccasin Creole''', '''Poccasin Pidgin''' and '''Poccasinese''', is an [[w:English-based creole languages|English creole]] and [[w:Pidgin|pidgin language]] spoken in the Poccasin Archipelago. It is the most spoken language of the Poccasin Archipelago with around 15 million speakers as of 2025; native speakers with Bemé as their mother tongue, primarily inhabiting Cassim Po, number around 2.5 million. Bemé is an official language and designated [[w:Lingua franca|lingua franca]] of the [[Poccasin Federation]], and is considered one of two international trade languages of the country alongside [[Poccasin English|English]].


Despite this varying status, Bemé is by far the most spoken language of the Poccasin Archipelago with around 15 million speakers as of 2025; native speakers with Bemé as their mother tongue, primarily inhabiting Cassim Po, number around 14,565. This high amount of speakers can be mostly attributed to two factors: extensive [[w:United Kingdom|British]] and later [[w:United States of America|American]] colonisation, as well as widespread teaching of the language. Bemé is an official language and designated [[w:Lingua franca|lingua franca]] of the [[Poccasin Federation]], ensuring its continuous widespread usage after independence.
Bemé gradually developed from a [[Kabao]]-English [[w:Pidgin|pidgin language]] used to communicate between [[w:British Empire|British colonisers]] and the indigenous peoples. Before the British, the [[w:Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] initially colonised Kabao island and established what would eventually become Cassim Po and its oldest ''colonias'' (boroughs); there is evidence that a separate Portuguese-Kabao pidgin was spoken at that time, though its features and vocabulary were probably absorbed into Bemé after the Portuguese left and the British took over. Bemé then coalesced into a fully fledged [[w:Creole language|creole language]] probably around the late 19th century, before being suddenly and rapidly spread across the Poccasin Archipelago by the British colonial administration who operated a meticulous program of transporting primarily slaves from Cassim Po (who could speak close enough to the masters' English to communicate with them, incentivising its use to other Poccasins) to work newly developed plantations across the archipelago, including [[Saint Columban]].


This article describes the variety of Bemé that is spoken in the Poccasin Federation; other major varieties/dialects of Bemé include [[Bijun Creole]](native to the Bijuns of Bijou Island) and [[Columbé]](of the people of Saint Columban).
This program only ended in 1914, and by then the linguistic demographics of the Poccasin Archipelago had been so drastically changed that Bemé had effectively become the most spoken language in the Poccasins. The language would go on to diverge into regional [[#Tak vs kriyal|''kriyal'']] varieties until the independence of the Poccasin Federation in 1961, which established the Bemé based on the speech of Cassim Po (''Kasimpo mang'') as the standard variety of Bemé to be used in all official matters including in education, news, government notices, street and road signs, dictionaries, telephone boxes and most literature. This dichotomy between official ''tak'' and unstandardised, regional ''kriyal'' still exists today in the Poccasin Federation and is a major part of Poccasin daily life.
 
This article describes the standard variety of Bemé used in the Poccasin Federation; other major varieties/dialects of Bemé include [[Bijun Creole]] (native to the Bijuns of Bijou Island) and [[Columbé]] (of the people of [[Saint Columban]]).
==Etymology==
==Etymology==
The name ''Bemé'' is derived from the [[Kabao]] phrase ''beme po kasin'', literally meaning "nation of the red mountain", it is also the origin of the English [[w:Exonym|exonym]] ''Poccasin'' and ''Poccasinese''.
The name ''Bemé'' is derived from the [[Kabao]] phrase ''beme po kasin'', literally meaning "nation of the red mountain". It is also the origin of the English [[w:Exonym|exonym]] ''Poccasin'' and ''Poccasinese'', as well as the name for the city of Cassim Po, so named by the Portuguese.
===''Beme'' vs ''Bemé''===
===''Beme'' vs ''Bemé''===
The words ''Beme'' and ''Bemé'', both derived from Kabao ''beme'', mean two distinct things in English. ''Beme'', (/[[IPA for Bemé|ˈbɛmeɪ̯]]/ or /[[IPA for Bemé|ˈbɛmiː]]/, ''BEH-may'' or ''BEH-mee'') without the accent, is the widely used [[w:Endonym|endonym]] of citizens of the Poccasin Federation; in the Poccasins specifically, ''bemeh'' in this context is mostly used to refer to the Poccasin federative government, akin to referring to the British government as simply "Westminster".
The words ''Beme'' and ''Bemé'', both derived from Kabao ''beme'' "nation", mean two distinct things in English. ''Beme'', (/[[IPA for Bemé|ˈbɛmeɪ̯]]/ or /[[IPA for Bemé|ˈbɛmiː]]/, ''BEH-may'' or ''BEH-mee'') without the accent, is the widely used [[w:Endonym|endonym]] of citizens of the Poccasin Federation; in the Poccasins specifically, ''bemeh'' in this context is mostly used to refer to the Poccasin federative government, akin to referring to the British government as simply "Westminster".


In contrast, ''Bemé'', (/[[Help:IPA|bəˈmeɪ̯]]/ ''buh-MAY'') with an accent, is exclusively used in English to refer to the Bemé language. However, in Bemé itself, both ''bemeh'' "nation" and ''bemeh'' "Bemé" are homophones and homonyms, and their differing meanings is only discerned by context, such as:
In contrast, ''Bemé'', (/[[Help:IPA|bəˈmeɪ̯]]/ ''buh-MAY'') with an accent, is exclusively used in English to refer to the Bemé language. However, in Bemé itself, both ''bemeh'' "nation" and ''bemeh'' "Bemé" are homophones and homonyms, and their differing meanings is only discerned by context, such as:
Line 54: Line 56:
However, a key difference between older and younger speakers is the presence of [[w:Situational code-switching|code-switching]]; younger speakers are much more likely to be adept at code-switching between ''tak'' and ''kriyal'' depending on context, as opposed to older, traditionally less educated speakers who can't code-switch and as such whose speech may be permanently considered ''kriyal''. This factor has been considered one of many causes of [[w:Ageism|ageism]] in the Poccasin workforce, where older job applicants who exclusively speak in what is considered ''kriyal'' may be discriminated against compared to younger job applicants who are capable of speaking in more formal ''tak''.
However, a key difference between older and younger speakers is the presence of [[w:Situational code-switching|code-switching]]; younger speakers are much more likely to be adept at code-switching between ''tak'' and ''kriyal'' depending on context, as opposed to older, traditionally less educated speakers who can't code-switch and as such whose speech may be permanently considered ''kriyal''. This factor has been considered one of many causes of [[w:Ageism|ageism]] in the Poccasin workforce, where older job applicants who exclusively speak in what is considered ''kriyal'' may be discriminated against compared to younger job applicants who are capable of speaking in more formal ''tak''.
===Patois===
===Patois===
'''Bemé patois''', (Bemé: ''patwa'' {{bm-ipa|patwa}}) or simply '''patois''', is a register of Bemé used in poetry. It features a more lenient word order, as well as the ability to "degrade" words into fewer syllables for the sake of poetic clarity or [[w:Rhyme|rhyme]]. Additionally, nominative pronouns ending in vowels may "merge" into the following verb or particle if the verb starts with a vowel or the particle is ''{{bm|eh}}'', so ''mi ogul'' {{bm-ipa|mi ogul}} "I see, I look at" becomes ''m'ogul'' {{bm-ipa|mogul}}, or ''mi eh wosh'' "I am washing" {{bm-ipa|mi ɛ woʃ}} becomes ''m'eh wosh'' {{bm-ipa|mɛ woʃ}}.
'''Bemé patois''', (Bemé: ''patwa'', ''patwa tak'') or simply '''patois''', is a register of Bemé used in poetry. It features a more lenient word order, as well as the ability to "degrade" words into fewer syllables for the sake of poetic clarity or [[w:Rhyme|rhyme]]. Additionally, nominative pronouns ending in vowels may "merge" into the following verb or particle if the verb starts with a vowel or the particle is ''{{bm|eh}}'', so ''mi ogul'' {{bm-ipa|mi ogul}} "I see, I look at" becomes ''m'ogul'' {{bm-ipa|mogul}}, or ''mi eh wosh'' "I am washing" {{bm-ipa|mi ɛ woʃ}} becomes ''m'eh wosh'' {{bm-ipa|mɛ woʃ}}.
 
==Orthography==
==Orthography==
Most Bemé speakers use the '''Caine romanisation''', (Bemé: ''Keyn romanisesh'') invented by Charlie F. Caine, the first American ambassador to the Poccasin Federation. Caine allegedly invented the romanisation system while on a particularly long plane ride to Cassim Po, basing the phoneme-grapheme correspondence on the phonology of urban Cassim Po Bemé, of which he was most accustomed to. As such, Caine's romanisation has sometimes been criticised for contributing to urbocentrism in the Poccasin Federation.
[[File:Standard & Regular Romanization of Poccasin Creole.png|200px|thumb|right|3rd edition cover of ''Standard and Regular Romanization of Poccasin Creole'', published in 1970.]]
Most Bemé speakers use the [[Caine orthography]], invented by Charlie F. Caine and first described in ''Standard and Regular Romanization of Poccasin Creole'' (1962). Caine allegedly invented the orthography while on a particularly long plane ride to Cassim Po, basing the phoneme-grapheme correspondence on the phonology of urban Cassim Po Bemé, of which he was most accustomed to. As such, Caine's orthography has sometimes been criticised for contributing to urbocentrism in the Poccasin Federation.


However, the Caine romanisation has also conversely been praised for contributing to the standardisation of the Bemé language. Its lack of diacritics also proved beneficial in the early days of the [[w:Information Age|Information Age]], as the entire standard Bemé language could be displayed using only [[w:ASCII|ASCII]], at a time where many languages such as [[w:Chinese language|Chinese]] or [[w:Japanese language|Japanese]] could not be effectively represented on computers before the introduction of [[w:Unicode|Unicode]] in 1988.
However, the Caine orthography has also conversely been praised for contributing to the standardisation of the Bemé language. Its lack of diacritics also proved beneficial in the early days of the [[w:Information Age|Information Age]], as the entire standard Bemé language could be displayed using only [[w:ASCII|ASCII]], at a time where many languages such as [[w:Chinese language|Chinese]] or [[w:Japanese language|Japanese]] could not be effectively represented on computers before the introduction of [[w:Unicode|Unicode]] in 1988.
{|
{|
|-
|-
Line 219: Line 223:
'''''Leleh''''' or '''''lelé''''' (<small>with ''leleh'':</small> [[IPA for Bemé|[lelɛ]]]; <small>without:</small> [[IPA for Bemé|[lele]]]) is a Bemé word describing the distinction between /e/ and /ɛ/ in a Bemé dialect. ''Leleh'' is present in ''Bemetak'', as well as in all Cassim Po dialects; it is also present in [[Bijun Creole]], though the distinction occurs instead between /i/ and /ɛ/ as /e/ merges with /i/.
'''''Leleh''''' or '''''lelé''''' (<small>with ''leleh'':</small> [[IPA for Bemé|[lelɛ]]]; <small>without:</small> [[IPA for Bemé|[lele]]]) is a Bemé word describing the distinction between /e/ and /ɛ/ in a Bemé dialect. ''Leleh'' is present in ''Bemetak'', as well as in all Cassim Po dialects; it is also present in [[Bijun Creole]], though the distinction occurs instead between /i/ and /ɛ/ as /e/ merges with /i/.


However, some ''[[#Tak vs kriyal|kriyal]]'' dialects especially in the south do not have ''leleh''; instead, /ɛ/ merges with /e/ another phoneme, though the pronunciation of the resultant phoneme is variable. Examples of dialects that lack ''leleh'' include most Southern Seru dialects as well as [[Columbé]]; in the case of Columbé specifically, /ɛ/ is pronounced /e/.
However, some ''[[#Tak vs kriyal|kriyal]]'' dialects especially in the south do not have ''leleh''; instead, /ɛ/ merges with /e/ or another phoneme, though the pronunciation of the resultant phoneme is variable. Examples of dialects that lack ''leleh'' include most Southern Seru dialects as well as [[Columbé]]; in the case of Columbé specifically, /ɛ/ is pronounced /e/.


==Grammar==
==Grammar==
Line 263: Line 267:
|}
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Plural pronouns are written in order from common in ''tak'' to common in ''kriyal''.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Plural pronouns are written in order from common in ''tak'' to common in ''kriyal''.
''im'', although derived from the gendered English word {{l|en|him}}, is ungendered and can be roughly translated to "he", "she", "it" or singular "they" depending on context. Older speakers may use {{l|beme|shi}} or {{l|beme|shya}}/{{l|beme|shiya}} (all from English {{l|en|she}}) in the same way as ''she'' is used in English, but this word is functionally obsolete in modern Bemé (at best archaic in [[#Patois|patois]]).


"Paucal" pronouns refer to groups of people, as in ''wi kri'' would mean "some of us", ''yu kri'' means "some of you all", etc. Paucal pronouns are thought to have been borrowed from [[Dadaareg]], constructed by a combination of pronoun + ''kri'' (lit. "three"), as is typical for paucal pronouns in Dadaareg(''tanuk'', ''penuk'', ''lolonuk''). The third-person paucal pronoun, ''imim''/''emem'', is thought to have been derived via [[Ketaserang]] reduplication, a feature typical of Ketaserang for forming plural pronouns.
"Paucal" pronouns refer to groups of people, as in ''wi kri'' would mean "some of us", ''yu kri'' means "some of you all", etc. Paucal pronouns are thought to have been borrowed from [[Dadaareg]], constructed by a combination of pronoun + ''kri'' (lit. "three"), as is typical for paucal pronouns in Dadaareg(''tanuk'', ''penuk'', ''lolonuk''). The third-person paucal pronoun, ''imim''/''emem'', is thought to have been derived via [[Ketaserang]] reduplication, a feature typical of Ketaserang for forming plural pronouns.


''Tuka'', ''ka'', ''tukeh'' and ''keh'' are all taken from the [[Yabo]] languages, all of which have pronouns along the lines of ''toka'' or ''tokeq''.
''Tuka'', ''ka'', ''tukeh'' and ''keh'' are all taken from the [[Yabo]] languages, all of which have pronouns along the lines of ''toka'' or ''tokeq''.
====Interrogatives====
====Interrogatives====
Bemé interrogatives are derived from the word ''{{bm|wa}}'' "what", from English {{l|en|what}}.
Bemé interrogatives are derived from the word ''{{bm|wa}}'' "what", from English {{l|en|what}}.
Line 428: Line 435:
|big=big
|big=big
|long=long
|long=long
|wide=wi long
|wide=weh long
|thick=wi big
|thick=weh big
|heavy=ebig
|heavy=ebig
|small=na big
|small=na big
|short=na long
|short=na long
|narrow=na wi long
|narrow=na weh long
|thin=na wi big
|thin=na weh big
|woman=jal
|woman=jal
|man (adult male)=mwoi
|man (adult male)=mwoi
Line 552: Line 559:
|rain=rey
|rain=rey
|river=long wateh
|river=long wateh
|lake=big wateh
|lake=desi
|sea=big desi
|sea=big desi
|salt=sal
|salt=sal
Line 610: Line 617:


==Example texts==
==Example texts==
===UDHR 1===
Article 1 of the [[Literature:The Universal Declaration of Human Rights|The Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] in Bemé:
: ''Aldem mang bi bon piri an ikwal ni digniti an reyt. Dem bi gib a dem risun an konshans an mos la go a dem an dem ni brada ting pirit.''
Article 1 of the The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in English:
: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
===Historical texts===
===Historical texts===
====The Lord's Prayer====
====The Lord's Prayer====
This extract is taken from the ''Bemeh Beybl'', verses ''Matru'' 6:9-13, adapted from the [[w:New International Version|New International Version]] by ''{{bm|Abo}}'' Patrick "Pati" Babel.
This extract is taken from the ''Bemeh Beybl'', verses ''Matru'' 6:9-13, adapted from the [[w:New International Version|New International Version]] by {{l|beme|Abo}} Patrick "Pati" Babel.
<poem>
<poem>
''Wey Abo ni skey, yu neym bi bles.''
''Wey Abo ni skey, yu neym bi bles.''
Line 654: Line 666:
==See also==
==See also==
* [[:Category:Bemé words]]
* [[:Category:Bemé words]]
* [[Caine orthography]]
[[Category:Bemé]] [[Category:Conlangs]] [[Category:Languages]] [[Category:Creole languages]]
[[Category:Bemé]] [[Category:Conlangs]] [[Category:Languages]] [[Category:Creole languages]]
Retrieved from "https://linguifex.com/wiki/Bemé"