On the non-(de)creolization of Chocó Spanish: A linguistic and sociohistorical account

•Sociohistorical and linguistic data on Chocó Spanish (CS), an Afro-Hispanic dialect of Colombia.•Contrary to previous proposals, it is suggested that CS is not the result of (de)creolization.•CS nature is analyzed as the result of advanced SLA processes, which do not imply a previous creole stage.

Chocó Spanish (CS) is an Afro-Hispanic vernacular spoken in the Department of Chocó, located in the Pacific lowlands of Colombia. This dialect has long been at the center of linguistic disputes concerning the genesis and evolution of the Afro-Hispanic Languages of the Americas (AHLAs). A widespread view in creole literature suggests that CS may be seen as the byproduct of a (de)creolization process, which would have affected several Afro-Hispanic varieties spoken across Latin America and the Caribbean (Granda, 1968, 1970; Schwegler, 1991a,b, 1999). The present study offers historical and linguistic evidence that contradicts the (de)creolization hypothesis for CS. Finding suggests that this vernacular may be better conceived as the result of advanced second language acquisition strategies, which do not entail any previous creole phase.