Using Anglo-Nigerian Pidgin as an illustration, this article demonstrates that there may be a need to broaden the scope of ethnolinguistic vitality to take cognizance of languages such as Pidgins and Creoles that may not be categorizable as ethnic languages or languages of any particular social group. (Author/VWL)

Illustrates substrate reinforcement in the development of three current dialects of Melanesian Pidgin. Evidence of earlier variability is presented and the sociolinguistic conditions that later led to greater stability are described. Grammatical features that differentiate the dialects are examined. For each feature, it is shown that at least two…