Datapoint Bahamian Creole/Passive constructions

There are a number of passive constructions in Bahamian Creole English: (1) what Winford (1993: 118) labels "basic passive“; this type involves no agent phrase, no morphological marking to indicate that the verb is passive, and no copula (as in Examples 220 and 221); (2) the get-passive, which consists of the auxiliary get and an unmarked form of the transitive verb as its complement (as in Example 219) (more acrolectal speakers employ got, and the transitive verb is usually marked, as in Example 176); (3) the be-passive (as in Example 223), which, however, only occurs among very acrolectal speakers. Based on my own informal observation, the "basic passive“ is the most basilectal form.

Values

Typical passive construction Frequency: 70.0%

Example 12-219:
I been to court for a person - witness for a person, because he couldn't come to the hospital, because he did get jook. Ne- close here - more to he heart, and that - and that thing stop about that much from he heart.
[...]
[...]
he
3sg.m.sbj
did
pst
get
get
jook.
stab
[...] he had gotten stabbed.
Example 12-222:
So - they - OK, so - uh - lot of people got arrested, people went to prison and what not, you know, after - after they had this riot, you know.
[...]
[...]
lot
lot
of
of
people
people
got
get[pfv]
arrested
arrest.ptcp
[...].
[...]
[...] (a) lot of people got arrested [...].
Example 12-223:
I was never confirm – in the Anglican, so I got confirm.
I
1sg.sbj
was
cop.pst
never
never
confirm
confirm
–
 
in
prep
the
art
Anglican,
Anglican
so
so
I
1sg.sbj
got
get.pst
confirm.
confirm
I had not been confirmed in the Anglican [Church], so I was confirmed [in the Catholic Church].
Confidence:
Certain

Passive without verbal coding Frequency: 30.0%

Example 12-220:
Anyhow, they done christen - I glad that over.
[...]
[...]
they
3pl.sbj
done
compl
christen
christen
[...].
[...]
[Anyhow,] they’ve been christened now [- I’m glad that that’s over].
Example 12-221:
When I been home - I christen in that when I was - in 1916 I born. I christen in that church, and I been back home, and I used to look and I walk in the church [...] I say, This the church I christen in. From a baby.
[...]
[...]
I
1sg.sbj
christen
christen
in
in
that
dem
[...]
[...]
I
1sg.sbj
christen
christen
in
prep
that
dem
church
church
[...]
[...]
This
dem
the
art
church
church
I
1sg.sbj
christen
christen
in.
prep
[...] I was christened in that [...] I was christened in that church [...] This is the church I was christened in.
Confidence:
Certain