Grenadian Creole
| Grenadian Creole | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Grenada |
| Native speakers | 89,227[1] (date missing) |
| Language family |
English Creole
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | gcl |
| Linguasphere | 52-ABB-as |
Grenadian Creole, is a term that may refer to either Grenadian Creole English or Grenadian Creole French.
Contents |
Grenadian Creole English [edit]
Grenadian Creole English is a Creole language spoken in Grenada. It is a member of the Southern branch of English-based Eastern Atlantic Creoles, along with Antiguan Creole (Antigua and Barbuda), Bajan Creole (Barbados), Guyanese Creole (Guyana), Tobagonian Creole, Trinidadian Creole (Trinidad and Tobago), Vincentian Creole (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), and Virgin Islands Creole (Virgin Islands).[2] It is the native language of nearly all inhabitants of Grenada, or approximately 89,000 native speakers.[1]
Grenadian Creole French [edit]
The older Grenadian Creole French is a variety of Antillean Creole French.[3] In Grenada, and among Grenadians, it is referred to as Patois or French Patois. This was once the lingua franca in Grenada, and was commonly heard as recently as 1930, when even children in some rural areas could speak it. In the twenty-first century, it can only be heard among elderly speakers in a few small pockets of the country.
History [edit]
The first successful settlement by a western colonial power was in 1650, when the French from Martinique established friendly contact with the native Caribs. The British took control of the island in the 18th century, and ruled until its independence in 1974.[4] Despite the long history of British rule, Grenada's French heritage is still evidenced by the number of French loanwords in Grenadian Creole.[5]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
External links [edit]
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