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Pigeon-English or Pigeon-talk

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A corruption of business-talk. Thus: business, bidginess, bidgin, pidgin, pigeon. A mixture of English, Portuguese, and Chinese, used in business transactions in “The Flowery Empire.”

“The traders care nothing for the Chinese language, and are content to carry on their business transactions in a hideous jargon calledpigeon English.”—The Times.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Pig Hunt (A)
Pig-iron
Pig and Tinderbox
Pig and Whistle
Pig in a Poke (A)
Pigs
Pigskin (A)
Pigtails (The)
Pigeon (To)
Pigeon, Pigeons
Pigeon-English or Pigeon-talk
Pigeon-hole (A)
Pigeon-livered
Pigeon Pair
Pigg
Piggy-wiggy or Piggy-whidden
Pightel or Pightle
Pigmy
Piganey or Pigsnie
Pigwiggin
Pike’s Head (A)