Off Topic: Petit-nègre, Petit-français

[Grant Barrett]

I'm having a bit of difficulty looking for a source that gives a
general overview of African French dialects, known variably as
petit-nègre or petit-français, depending on whether you're
European or African. I'm sure it's a much of a complicated
multi-branched monster as English is in the world, but any recommendations
would be appreciated.


Two small items on the subject are included below just because I
liked them (with my suspect translations).

Ngalasso, Mwatha Musanyi, 1988:

Le français pratiqué en Afrique n'est pas une langue à part, car
il ne possède ni l'autonomie ni l'autochtonie suffisantes pour
le distinguer ou le séparer du français général. Il n'est pas
davantage à confondre avec la variété pidginisée, corrompue, produite
exclusivement par des non-lettrés, appelée en Europe
"petit-nègre", en Afrique "petit-français" qui se développe totalement en
marge de la norme du français commun".

The French practiced in Africa is not a separate language,
because it does not possess the autonomy or the aboriginality
sufficient to distinguish it or separate it from universal French. It
further should not be confused with the variety pidginised,
corrupted, produced exclusively by the un-lettered, called in Europe
"petit-nègre", in Afrique "petit-français" which developed totally
outside of the margin of common French.


Chaurand, Jacques:

Si le français avait gagné le marché des échanges linguistiques,
il aurait dû en payer le prix et sacrifier ce qui n'est pas
strictement utilitaire et passe-partout. Il aurait perdu ses
difficultés, ses conjugaisons, ses subtilités et ses nuances. Le monde
aurait parlé petit-nègre, petit français.

If French had won the market in linguistic exchanges, it would
have had to pay the price and sacrifice that which is not strictly
useful and universal. It would have lost its difficulties, its
congugations, its subtleties and its nuances. The world would have
spoken petit-nègre, petit français.