Grammar and History of Français Tirailleur: A French Military Pidgin from Africa

Français-Tirailleur (FT) was a French-lexicon pidgin spoken in the French African army between 1860 and 1960, and by civilians in contact with it. Despite their importance, pidgins remain understudied, often dismissed as mere precursors to creoles. Yet FT, like other pidgins, was a rule-governed, functional language—streamlined for communication, stripped of unnecessary complexity, and optimised for ease of learning. Born in the crucible of colonial encounters, FT’s history reflects both unlikely solidarities and the harsh realities of war, exploitation, and racism. This study offers the most detailed account yet of FT’s structure, background, and enduring linguistic significance.