The comparatively recent origins of pidgins and creoles provide them with a special place in linguistic theory. Debates about the origin and character of these languages have informed broader discussions within grammatical theory, historical linguistics, and sociolinguistics. The Handbook of Pidgin and Creole Studies tackles these cross-linguistic questions that animate pidgin and creole studies. Bringing together newly commissioned material by an international contributor list, this comprehensive and broad-ranging collection explores the core aspects of pidgins/creoles, from phonology to language acquisition, and from language variation to education. The book is structured into five sections covering: the properties of pidgins and creoles; issues in pidgin/creole genesis; pidgins/creoles and linguistic explanation; the relation of pidgins/creoles to kindred languages; and their role in society. The result is a stimulating one-volume reference work covering the key issues, topics, and research in this field.