Datapoint Bahamian Creole/Expletive subject of existential verb

There are basically three types of existential sentences in Bahamian Creole English; they are described in Shilling (1978: 145–149): (1) get/got or have with a zero subject; (2) they get/got or have "where the anaphoric reference for they is vague", as in Example 150; and (3) a form of be, often also with a zero subject (or with it or there).

Values

An expletive subject is used Frequency: 70.0%

Example 12-149:
It's - it's all kind of stories about the Shine [...].
it-'s
expl-cop[exist]
all
all
kind
kind
of
of
stories
stories
[...].
[...]
There are all kinds of stories [about the Shine] [...].
Example 12-150:
Or then if you want know more further, you could go 'round the House of 'Sembly [...] - not down the House of 'Sembly, but up Court, and - you see, they get plenty CID there, you could ax 'em - if they - just ax 'em.
[...]
[...]
they
expl
get
get[exist]
plenty
plenty
CID
CID
there
there
[...].
[...]
[Or then, if you wanted to know more, you could pass by the House of Assembly] [...], [at the Court,] there are many CIDs there, [you could ask them] [...].
Confidence:
Very certain

An expletive subject is not used Frequency: 30.0%

Example 12-151:
The people was nice, and everything. You going 'round, they used to treat you good. Had nice people - I get nice girlfriends and thing.
Had
have.pst.exist
nice
nice
people
people
-
 
I
1sg.sbj
get
get.pst.poss
nice
nice
girlfriends
girlfriend.pl
[...]
[...]
[The people were nice and everything. You went around - they used to treat you well.] There were nice people there - I had nice girlfriends [and [every]thing.]
Example 12-152:
[Turtle, is there much turtle now?] No, don’t have turtle round.
[...]
[...]
don’t
neg
have
have
turtle
turtle
round.
around
[Are there many turtles here now?] No, there aren’t any turtles here.

Source: Holm and Shilling 1982: 145

Example 12-153:
Only be three live here, my husband and just that little grand.
Only
only
be
cop.inf
three
three
live
live
here
here
[...]
[...]
There are only three (people) living here, [my husband (and me) and that little grandchild].

Source: Holm and Shilling 1982: 148

Confidence:
Very certain