Languages of Guyana

Languages of Guyana
Signs in Georgetown with text in English
OfficialEnglish
IndigenousAkawaio, Arawak, Atorada, Carib, Macushi, Mapidian, Patamona, Pemon, Waiwai, Wapishana, Warao
VernacularGuyanese Creole, Caribbean English
MinorityGuyanese Hindustani
ForeignSpanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch
SignedGuyanese Sign Language, South Rupununi Sign Language
Keyboard layout

English is the official language of Guyana, which is the only South American country with English as the official language.[1][2]

The Umana Yana in Georgetown; the name means "Meeting place of the people" in Waiwai.

Guyanese Creole (an English-based creole with African, Indian, and Amerindian syntax) is widely spoken in Guyana.[1]

Guyanese Hindustani is retained and spoken by some Indo-Guyanese for cultural and religious reasons. Guyanese Bhojpuri may be used by older generations, folk songs, or in a limited way at home, while standard Hindi is used in religious service, writing, and passively through the consumption of Hindi film exports from India.[3] Tamil is also retained in Madras identifying communities.

A number of Amerindian languages are also spoken by a minority of the population. These include Cariban languages such as Macushi, Akawaio and Wai-Wai; and Arawakan languages such as Arawak (or Lokono) and Wapishana.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Smock, Kirk (2008). Guyana: The Bradt Travel Guide. Bradt. pp. 19. ISBN 978 1 84162 223 1.
  2. ^ a b Ali, Arif (2008). Guyana. London: Hansib. ISBN 978-1-906190-10-1.
  3. ^ Gambhir, Surendra K. (1983). "Diglossia in Dying Languages: A Case Study of Guyanese Bhojpuri and Standard Hindi". Anthropological Linguistics. 25 (1): 28–38. ISSN 0003-5483.