Trinidadian Creole English is the result of cultural influence by those in power and those that passed through over the years and left an indelible mark on the speech of the nation.
Originally, the island of Trinidad was inhabited by the Arawak and Carib people who were swiftly annihilated, after the arrival of the Spanish in 1498. The few indigenous people that remained were absorbed into the life of Spanish Trinidad and maintained a pidgin of their own native tongues, which also died out shortly thereafter. Spanish, however, never became a dominant language in Trinidad. It was considered the language of government for some time but the island was dominated by French settlers. The French had claimed Tobago, the sister island to Trinidad, and used it as a large sugar plantation. The close proximity with which the French had to mainland Trinidad caused French and French Creole to become the lingua franca of the island for a long portion of the its history due to it being necessary for trade and commerce.
In 1797, the British seized Trinidad from the Spanish and, five years later, the Spanish finally conceded with the Treaty of Amiens. This five year gap is important in that both countries staked claim to possession of the island and this time period would most likely be filled with language contact as both of the empires were attempting to wrestle control of the island and as many know, “Language is Power.” The power struggle here is definitely responsible for whatever little Spanish influence there is on modern day Trinidadian Creole.
The cultural variety of Trinidad became vast under the British rule due to immigration from other islands and the Slave Trade Act of 1807 lead to many freed slaves fleeing their homelands for Trinidad. This resulted in a massive gathering of languages and cultures. Still, French Creole remained the dominant lingua franca due to its importance to trade. The British Empire, however, took it upon itself to impose English on the island.
Schools were established that taught in English and, over time, the dominant language became English. As with most languages that are taught via the school system, the Queen’s English became the language of those with education while the Trinidadian Creole English because the true voice of the nation. By the 1900’s, Trinidadian Creole English had supplanted French Creole, in every facet. Trading and commerce was no longer dominated by the French Creole. Going forward, English would be the lingua franca of the island. Therefore, one can claim that the existence of Trinidadian Creole English is the result of a strict and dominant linguistic policy enforced by the British and the continued contact with the native tongues of those that immigrated to the island over the years.
For More Information:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110724162817/http://vsites.unb.br/il/liv/crioul/textos/ferreira.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1209872.stm
