Languages of Guyana

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Languages of Guyana
Downtown Georgetown (23357530030).jpg
Signs in Georgetown with text in English
Official English
Indigenous Akawaio, Arawak, Atorada, Carib, Macushi, Mapidian, Patamona, Pemon, Waiwai, Wapishana, Warao
Vernacular Guyanese Creole, Caribbean English
Minority Guyanese Hindustani
Foreign Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Tamil, Chinese
Signed Guyanese 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. UmanaYana-Georgetown.jpg
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 was once spoken by a segment of the Indo-Guyanese community, although its usage has declined over generations, and it remains mostly in religious and cultural contexts. [4]

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. 1 2 3 Smock, Kirk (2008). Guyana: The Bradt Travel Guide. Bradt. pp.  19. ISBN   978 1 84162 223 1.
  2. 1 2 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.
  4. George, Stephanie Lou (2020). "Invoking the Supernatural and the Supranational: Tappu, Trance, and Tamil Recordings in Indo-Guyanese 'Madras Religion' and the Politics of Sonic Presence" [Invoquer le surnaturel et le supranational : tappu, transe et enregistrements tamouls dans la « religion de Madras » indo-guyanaise, et politique de la présence sonore]. Civilisations. 69. Open Edition Journals: 41–56. Retrieved 7 March 2021.