Algonquian–Basque pidgin
pidgin language last attested in 1710, in Canada
Algonquian–Basque pidgin, also known as Souriquois, is a Basque-based pidgin that linguist Peter Bakker proposed was spoken by ethnic Basque whalers and various Algonquian peoples around the Gulf of St. Lawrence; it was in use from at least 1580 until 1635, and was last attested in 1711.
There were three Indigenous groups distinguished by the Basques. They had good relations with the Montagnais and the St. Lawrence Iroquoians, while relations with the Inuit were often hostile. The Basque people historically referred to them as 'Esquimoas'.
Historical background
Timeline
Early 16th century
Basque fishermen began to visit North American coasts frequently. This allowed them to establish relationships with Indigenous tribes in the area. Some of these groups included the Montagnais, Mi’kmaq, St. Lawrence Iroquoians, and Inuit.
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This entry incorporates text from “Algonquian–Basque pidgin” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.