Datapoint Bahamian Creole/Predicative noun phrases

As in the case of adjective and locative phrases, the occurrence of the copula in front of predicative noun phrases is variable in Bahamian Creole English. The form is usually is, regardless of person and number, even though am and are occur as well. All three forms are usually contracted. Of the three following grammatical environments adjective phrase, locative phrase, and noun phrase, copula absence is rarest with noun phrases (cf. Shilling 1978: 29, 31). Thus, according to Shilling (1978: 47), "one of the copula environments, that before +NP complement, has surface copula in non-past positive contexts in the vast majority of cases." Interestingly, am appears to be absent more frequently than is (cf. Reaser & Torbert 2004: 393).

Values

Variable copula

Example 12-174:
I don't bother with him, not because he's a Christian [...].
[...]
[...]
not
neg
because
because
he's
3sg.cop
a
a
Christian
Christian
[...].
[...]
[I don’t bother with him,] not because he’s a [born-again] Christian [but for other reasons].
Example 12-175:
Da- no, he's a Trinidadian. Yeah, he's a teacher. He's a tea- uh-huh. And he still teaches at the College of the Bahamas [...].
[...]
[...]
he's
3sg.sbj.3sg.cop
a
art
Trinidadian
Trinidadian
[...]
[...]
he's
3sg.sbj.3sg.cop
a
art
teacher.
teacher
[Daddy] is a Trinidadian [...] he’s a teacher.
Example 12-176:
I's a Baptist.
I's
1sg.sbj.cop
a
art
Baptist.
Baptist
I'm a Baptist.
Example 12-177:
I a old woman.
I
1sg.sbj
a
art
old
old
woman.
woman
I am an old woman.

Source: Shilling 1978: 49

Confidence:
Very certain