The Personal Pronominal System of Yilan Creole

Abstract

This paper describes the personal pronominal system of a Japanese-lexifier creole, Yilan Creole. The data were collected from three generations of consultants in Tungyueh Village, Taiwan. The analysis indicates that, for the most part, the personal pronouns derive from an informal style of Japanese, which may reflect the social structure of the colonial context in which the creole emerged. The analysis also shows that Yilan Creole makes no distinction between bound and free pronouns, and does not mark case or style. The pronominal system does indicate number; plural pronouns are formed with a productive plural marker (-taci). There are also many clipped forms of plural pronouns. In addition, Yilan Creole first-person plural pronouns make an inclusive/exclusive distinction, which can be considered an influence from the substrate language, Atayal (Austronesian). Yilan Creole first-person singular pronouns also use forms derived from the adstrate language, Southern Min, in the dative and genitive cases. As well as providing a description of the Yilan Creole pronominal system, the paper draws on data of generational variation to clarify the process of change that led to the current system.