Abstract Narrative Most creole languages evolved in a plantation setting, in the context of contact between a metropolitan language spoken by the plantation masters and one or several indigenous languages spoken by the workers, and the theoretical study of creole languages has depended heavily on this context. The French creole of St. Barthelemy (St. Barth) in the French West Indies is an exception. There was never a plantation economy (the climate and terrain of the island would not support it), and never a significant black population. Nonetheless, the inhabitants of St. Barth speak, according to the small amount of linguistic investigation that has been done there, several distinct creole varieties, a surprising phenomenon in view of the history and very small size of the island. The Principal Investigator proposes to undertake a systematic examination of the linguistic situation on St. Barth, initiated with a summer field trip to gather data. She is well prepared to carry out this project, by virtue of the dissertation research she has recently completed on language variation in the language enclave situation. In addition to the project's potential for increasing our understanding of the dynamics of creole languages, the Principal Investigator's participation in the project will enhance the teaching of undergraduate students interested in linguistics at the undergraduate institution which is the project's home.
