Datapoint Bahamian Creole/Tightness of the link between the progressive marker and the verb

The progressive marker, -ing, generally occurs without the copula in present contexts. However, the more acrolectal a speaker, the more likely he or she is to employ a form of be (often leveled to is). In past contexts, was is often present, even among more basilectal speakers (cf. Hackert 2004: 72–73). Just like many other creoles, Bahamian Creole English also possesses a preverbal particle, de/da/duh, to indicate progressive meaning. However, this form is exceedingly „infrequent except in isolated communities among older people now“ (Holm and Shilling 1982: 59); there, it occurs in expressions such as
Pain an’ ache da rock dis old body.
[Pain and ache PROG rock this old body]
'Pain and ache are rocking this old body.'

Values

Affix

Example 12-106:
And then you know all the people 'rou - and see it's best to know people, because - if you know people ain't nobody could bother with you when you walking [...], you know, yeah.
[...]
[...]
when
when
you
you
walking
walk.prog
[...].
[...]
[...] if you know people, nobody’s going to bother you] when you go for walks [...].
Example 12-107:
[So when did you start working at the school - that was then, too? Two years ago? When you moved here?] Uh-uh. I start - uh-uh. I was work-ing there - let me see - from 91. I's - this year make my six years.
I
I
was
pst
work-ing
work-prog
there
there
[...]
[...]
from
from
91.
1991
I’ve been working here since 1991.
Example 12-108:
[So you like the job?] Yeah, I like the job, but now I getting tired, you know.
[...]
[...]
but
but
now
now
I
I
gett-ing
get-prog
tired
tired
[...].
[...]
[...] but I’m getting tired [of it] [...].
Confidence:
Very certain