Page:Pidgin-English sing-song; or, Songs and stories in the China-English dialect (IA pidginenglishsin00lelaiala).pdf/18

 Chinese scholars, Professor R. K. Douglas and H. A. Giles, with other proficients who have paid much attention to Pidgin-English, were so kind as to take great interest in this work while it was in progress, aiding me by correction, criticism, and contribution of material of every kind, and that they consider the language of the songs and stories as generally appropriate and correct.

Pidgin, it may be observed, is now the generally accepted spelling of the word in the Anglo-Chinese newspapers. The dialect is very extensively spoken on the whole sea-board of China, and in the Straits; nor is it unknown in India, while its use is rapidly extending to the interior. It may be true, as Professor Douglas observes, that "of late English masters and mistresses in China are beginning to learn Chinese, and that grammars, dictionaries, and vocabularies in the local dialects are now beginning to find their way into houses into which they have never hitherto been admitted;" while, "on the other hand, a generation of Chinamen is growing up which has learned to speak English grammatically." Yet as real Pidgin-English is, after all, only Chinese, both as to structure and sound, with English words, it is evident that scores of common people will acquire it where one will learn English correctly. It is