A Dictionary of Cameroon Pidgin English Usage: Pronunciation, Grammar and Vocabulary

Pidgin English has been in active use in Cameroon for over 500 years; it started in the Slave Trade years, resisted a German ban during the German annexation period (1884-1914) and survived post-independence neglect. It took flight when it became a makeshift language used in plantations and, today, it has left the plantations for the homes and other domains of public life. The first attempt to codify this language was made by the Catholic Church, which used it to produce a number of religious materials including the catechism. The second attempt was made by textbook writers for American Peace Corps, who have to learn the language when they arrive Cameroon as they need it to communicate with people in rural areas. The present work sets out to bring together, in a single document, the characteristic features of this language. The work is divided into two parts. Part One comprises two chapters. The first gives background information on Cameroon, focusing on its geographic and economic sit