what languages are spoken in saint lucia

The people of St. Lucia are a mixture of different nationalities, heritages and customs but share similar characteristics to peoples of the nearby islands. English is the official language of St. Lucia, but about 80% of the population speaks Antillean Creole, which is a Creole based on French and mixed with vocabulary from African languages and Carib. Learn more about St. Lucian Creolehere. Swing It!) All Around This World, We Meet the Drone All Around This World, AccordiON and On and On All Around This World, Calypso WarWhat is it Good For? French Patois or Creole is widely used by St.Lucians as a way of communicating by using figurative expressions or phrases.

A large part of the inhabitants of the island is black with a small minority of mulattoes and other mixtures. The only pre-Columbian population of the Carib Indians exists only in the Dominica. If you are really interested in learning some Patwa I'm sure there must be some phrases on line. Swimming pool, AC, WIFI, Maid service in a Gated community Beautiful 2 Bedroom 2 bathroom Vacation Villa near Rodney Bay, St.Lucia. The Month of October is Kweyol heritage month where all things kweyol are celebrated. more. Indiana University They really help me and I try to shop and adk fir things in Kweole. Is there a guide to access on line on understanding the native languages. With this in mind, tourists can visit this tropical island without expecting communication barriers. The Island Carib language was extinct in the 1920s in the Lesser Antilles, but its variant Garifuna exists in Central America. Saint Lucian Creole French like other Caribbean creoles combines syntax that have origin in the Carib and African languages with some words with French roots. Hi, we are taking our first trip to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? IU.

The population of approximately 170,000 is evenly distributed between the rural and urban areas. From what little I've read so far, everyone speaks English and French? Each year on the last Sunday in October St. Lucians celebrate Jounen Kweyol to express pride in Creole language and culture. Another indigenous language family that was prevalent in the larger south American region was Cariban language. However, historians believe that the natives learned the language earlier than that after interacting with European settlers, centuries before the signing of the Paris Treaty. This language is as widely used as the official language of the country and as such it is preserved through its everyday use. 2 Bedroom Vacation Villa available in St.Lucia. About 85% of them are of pure African origin while the other 15% is made up of British, mixed African, French and East Indian.

This creole is not patois or broken French as other types of creole. How to Make the St. Lucia Rum Punch, A Cocktail That Packs a Punch, 4 Lovely Beaches Near St. Lucias Cruise Port to Visit on Your Port Day, 10 Things to do in Rodney Bay on Your St. Lucia Vacation, Love Smoothies? Pigeon Island is another historic part of Saint Lucia and that of Gros Islet. It is instead a complete language by itself with different rules for syntax and grammar but even so, the inhabitants are not considered bilingual. Nobel Laureate, Sir Arthur Lewis was also a St. Lucian. All rights reserved. Hymns and Hers) All Around This World, Dancing With Our Hands All Around This World, Lesson 1: West Asia and the Middle EastInstruments, Lesson 1: West Asia and the Middle EastGenres of Music, The Caucasus for Kids Georgian Supra All Around This World, Iraq for Kids Coffee! After gaining independence from Britain in 1979, English has remained the most predominant language.Over the years, St. Lucian English has become the official language in all sectors. These individuals range from actors, to poets and authors as well. These phrases or proverbs were commonly used by their ancestors and have influenced the lives of the people even today.

I will have fun with this and just think that it shows some respect to have a least a little native pronounciation to use for the key words like Please and Thank you. All Around This World, Congo and CongoLukasa Memory Board Game(2), Morocco for Kids the Imilchil Marriage Festival, Lesson 1: South and Central AsiaInstruments, Lesson 1: South and Central AsiaGenres of Music, India for Kids Teach Kids About Konnakol, Lets Build a Yurt! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-39383536', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');St Lucia later this year. 215-913-2679jay(at)allaroundthisworld.comallaroundthisworld.com/contact. All Rights Reserved. 2 Bedroom Vacation Villa available in St.Lucia. St. Lucia is a tropical Island found at latitude 13 54' north and 60 50' west.

All the signposts are in English or have a translation. The language is a mixture of French and other West African languages, and it comes complete with its syntax and grammar. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Damian is an IT Manager / Web developer by profession, but he loves to Blog and share his knowledge about St. Lucia in travel forums. All of the road signs are standard symbols and written in English. Perhaps you have, but did you get to really explore it? There is also The Visitors Guide to St Lucian Patios obtainable from various bookshopd in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? If possible, I would like to know at least a few words like please, thank you, hello, good bye. Saint-Lucia Creole is a creole based on French, mainly spoken in the Carribean country, Saint Lucia. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-39384553', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');St. Lucia is a French based Creole- so if you speak French, you can understand and make yourself understood, but everybody speaks English - on tours, in restaurants, at bars, in supermarkets, etc. Your email address will not be published. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. They have a written form of the language which is used for teaching scenarios and they even have textbooks for these lessons to include Mwen Vin Wakonte Sa Ba'w (I am going to explain it to you). Accessibility | Privacy Notice Here's a link that I found helpful regarding pronunciation of some common St. Lucian terms: http://www.guidetocaribbeanvacations.com/st_lucia/Pronunciation.htm. The accents, syntax, grammar, and pronunciation of St. Lucian English might be different from British or American English, but most people speak clearly without the effects of cultural influences. The intelligibility rate with speakers of other varieties of Antillean Creole is almost 100%. The language exhibits different expressions that mirror presence of Spanish and English Creole effects. Hixkaryana and Macushi are some of the Cariban languages. Visitors to Saint Lucia should have no worries as far as communication is concerned. Even though most people in Saint Lucia speak this language, English is the official language. This language is so highly esteemed that there is even a festival; the Jounen Kwyl is staged every year as a means of celebration for the language. One famous actor who is a St. Lucian by birth is the butler in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bellaire. His real name is Joseph Marcell and he plays Geoffrey in the show. All Around This World, Yemen for Kids The Hour of Solomon All Around This World, Egypt for Kids Tarab All Around This World, Israelis and PalestiniansDancing in Circles, Israelis and PalestiniansWhen you go there. Have fun! Another Nobel Laureate who hails from St. Lucia is Derek Walcott. Many people wear traditional clothing and use traditional utensils through-out the festivities.

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Hope this helps - you should have no problem understanding the locals when they speak and if you kow a bit of French, then even better. Interestingly, some locals use English words when conversing in the indigenous Creole dialect, making it very easy for vacationers to get along and understand some sentences.

As such there have been attempts to use language outreach programs to target these members of society that do not speak English so that they can integrate well with the rest of their islanders. Keep in mind that Kwyl is written as it is pronounced. Thanks to all of you! The people are proud of their heritage and the unique mix of cultures and it makes the island truly distinctive. Go to Castries market and speak to the ladies there. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2022 worldatlas.com. All St.Lucianshave access to the language although with varying levels of competence. Indiana University It is a Windward Island and can be found in the center of the archipelago of the Eastern Caribbean. Donny B. Lord started his acting career while he was just 7 years old with ads for Footlocker, Pepsi and Cheerios. All Around This World, Lebanon for Kids Dabke All Around This World, Saudi Arabia for Kids Camels! Basically - please, thank you, hello and goodbye are very similar to French, just a slight different pronunciation - i.e. Copyright 2022 The Trustees of Any suggestions? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-39397417', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');St Lucia. St. Lucia is a small Island found in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean. I found it is surprisingly easy to get to grips with even with my basic understanding of french. As a matter of fact the Island is said to have the most famous people per capita coming second only to Faroe Islands. I too am planning a trip to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? He is also a dedicated father and husband.

The official English language inherited from Europe stands apart from this indigenous French Creole language, known locally as Kweyol or Patwa.

Being a mixture of different ethnic groups, St. Lucians have a diversity of cultural events. The majority of St Lucians speak French Creole, popularly known as Patwa. The French creole that is spoken by islanders is a mix of French and African grammar mostly English vocabulary with a mix of French and a little bit of Spanish words as well. Understanding the local accents and language, Re: Understanding the local accents and language, http://linguafranka.net/saintluciancreole/dictionary.htm, Get answers to your questions about St. Lucia. The author is well known for his role in Final Shot the Hank Gathers Story. Here's some basic Patois for you, but everyone speaks English.

Online global music education for kids and their families, Amazonian (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru), Teach Kids About Ecuador Bomba Del Chota, South America for Kids Yanomami Counting, Brazil for kids Teach kids about Samba Drumming, Mali for Kids Griots! Serenity at Coconut Bay - Suitability for "Oldies"? All modern conveniences including, WIFI, AC, Maid and Gated community. What Languages Are Spoken In Saint Lucia? Everyone speaks and understands English. Most visitors dont get to discover St. Lucia beyond the traditional vacation package. While visitors may enjoy experiences of a traditionally planned St. Lucia vacation, theyre merely scratching the surface of the wonderful experiences that are left unexplored more, 2019 IslanderKeys.com. Though English is St. Lucias official language it is estimated that approximately 20% of the islands population still does not speak English.

The French creole language of St.Lucia is an indigenous language spoken by the majority of St.Lucians. Although English is the original Language of St. Lucians, a larger percentage of the people speak French Patois. Bon Jour is Bon Jou, Merci is meci, etc. Before gaining sovereignty, St. Lucia was at the center of a ferocious power struggle between the British and the French. Activities includes traditional sawing of wood and the crushing of sugar cane. There were many indigenous languages spoken in Saint Lucia but the majority are extinct today.

Like alot of the Caribbean the local language is Patwa, But I have never met anyone down there who doesn't understand English. Its capital is Castries with a population of over 70,000 on the northwest side of the island. Would be useful for myself also as I am a transplant (gre up speaking English and Spanish!!!). The natives of St. Lucia have English as their official language but quite a large amount of the St. Lucian population speaks a French dialect called creole. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

It forms part of the Lesser Antilles and is the second largest of the Windward group.It is south of Martinique and north of the islands of Grenadines and Saint Vincent.

Before the Spanish explorers arrived in the Caribbean, Caribs invaded and occupied the lesser Antilles, and the language was mixed with the Arawak. Jalousie Reopening as The Tides, Sugar Beach. Your email address will not be published. They celebrate Catholic feast days, African festivals and all English national holidays. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-39389836', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');St. Lucia and wanted to know a little bit about the local language and accents. There are people from other ethnic backgrounds as well but in a smaller percentage, such as Carib, British, East Indian, European and a number of mixed nationalities as well. The Creole is also known as patois or Patwa, and it is used by approximately 95% of the local population. Connecting the Dots, Work Work Work Work Work Work All Around This World, All That Jazz (a.k.a. Patwa is often used in informal settings for conversations, at home or in the streets. However, according to various studies, about 20% of the island speaks predominantlycreole. Required fields are marked *.

Community living is emphasized by the coup de main which basically is that members of a community will come together and take on projects such as the building of timber homes, planting gardens or any other related community activity. A typical story telling or folk tales occasion normally takes place in groups during the nights.The la Veilee, is an event where mourners come together for the night and are comforted by prayers and the popular folk tales known as quick, quack stories often told by the elderly members of the community.

St. Lucian Kwyl (Creole) developed to facilitate communication between African slaves and their "masters" which changed so frequently - 12 times in 140 yrs (1674-1814)! Among this smaller percentage group are descendants of the Caribs; the original descendants from European and East Indian ancestry. Some radio stations use Creole when conveying messages to the 20% of the predominantlyCreole-speaking population in St. Lucia. All kweyol speaking people are expected to use the language and no other on that day.

French Patois is as a result of the shared French Creole heritage and a combination of British and French domination during colonial years. Visit Felly Belly in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, Castries Market: Why its a Must Visit and Tips to Know Before You Go, St Lucia Currency A Definitive Guide For Travellers. Saint Lucian Creole French is a variant of the Antillean Creole language family and is widely used in music and literature. The Wonders Of The Pitons, A UNESCO World Heritage Site In Saint Lucia. He was born in the town of Castries in the year 1930. Actually, it is English and Creole - which here in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? It is asub-variety of Antillean Creole, which is spoken in other islands of the Lesser Antilles and is very closely related to the varieties spoken in Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. The entire population of St. Lucia is about 170,000 with at least a third of its population living in the city of Castries-Gros Islet and its environs. Even though the pronunciations and accents may be different from the usual British/American English, the language is still the same. Donny B. Lord is also a St. Lucian. His mother was a professional dancer and his father William A. Lord- Butcher is political strategist. It lies just 700 yards westward, Marigot Bay is located just off the West Coast road and is home to what some consider to be. The road signs are all in standard symbols and written in English. Congomon can give a better explanation -but basically, the local Creole is a version of French with some English words thrown in (similar to Haiti's Creole) and the local accent is not super strong (nothing like Jamaica or Barbados!). - between the English & the French. The Saint Lucia Creole French has Lexical, grammatical, and syntactic features that are fundamentally identical to the Martinican Creole, though it has more English loan words like the Dominican Creole than the Martinican Creole. The Arawak people who mainly occupied south America and particularly the Caribbean are referred to as the Lokono and the Taino who lived in the northern Lesser Antilles and the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean. Its syntactic, grammatical and lexical features are virtually identical to that of Martinican Creole, though, like its Dominican counterpart, it includes more English loanwords than the Martinican variety. His contributions were in the field of economics and he was the first Black person to win a Nobel Prize in a category apart from peace.

document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Have you ever been to St. Lucia? English is the official language in the island country of Saint Lucia. Saint Lucia is a tropical island country that lies on the eastern side of the Caribbean Sea. However, in some instances, Patwa may be used for educational purposes or during special local festivals. No online guide to the Creole language - as far as I know. Approximately 90% of the population is Roman Catholic which has been influenced directly by early French settlement on the island. The language is appreciated and has gained official status in the Island. It would be great if someone could verify these and possibly add more. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992. Used in less formal communication, Kweyol is the language of popular expression. A small group of English attempted to establish a settlement in 1605, and another group attempted to establish a colony in 1638 but were all murdered by the local Caribs. A high number of locals speak Creole or Patwa, which is French-based dialect. Hot to Trot) All Around This World, Shape Notes (a.k.a. It is a windward Island that is bordered by the Northern Atlantic Ocean on one side but is in the Caribbean Sea too. LISTEN ONLINE to Radio Caribbean International's Marcellus Miller's Kwyl broadcasts in RADIYO-A-CE SA NOU at 7:30 PM http://www.rcistlucia.com.

everything is in English and everyone speaks English.

I don't speak french, creole, or patwa, so I don't know the accuracy of the pronunciations. All rights reserved. We do have access toarchived materials and resources. The island has a population of over 174,000 people who are mainly from African descent. Part of these celebrations is Jounen Kweyol. I have always found the people warm, friendly and willing to help and eager for conversation. There are a number of famous people who were born in, or born and lived in St. Lucia for major part of their young lives. It is not only the natives that use this dialect when communicating with each other but there are radio programs that are read in Creole only. He was born in St. Lucia on the 18th of August 1948. Although Saint Lucian Creole French is not mutually intelligible with ordinary French, it is comprehensible with other Lesser Antilles French Creoles and shows a close relationship with Haitian Creole.

Over the last 20 yrs it has been documented & standardized in written form and is now available as a dictionary & writing system online at http://linguafranka.net/saintluciancreole/dictionary.htm. Trying to speak the local language is always fun and I enjoy the friendly interaction with Lucians when attempting this! Sandals Grande St. Lucian, over the water Bungalows. 2019 IslanderKeys.com. Interestingly, some tourists find the Creole dialect intriguing, and actually, learn to speak as much of it during their visit. Which is nicer.Sandals La Toc or Grande? This language is not currently taught at IU. Legally the language is not officially recognised in St.Lucia but it represents the heart and soul of the local populace. Kwyl has only recently been recognized as a legitimate language. The history of St. Lucian English traces its roots back to the days when the British eventually took control of the island in 1814. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Developed by enslaved Africans living on the plantations during colonialism,the language is a product of cultural syncretism between African and European language cultures.Its syntax and phonology resembles that of Niger-Congo languages in West Africa. The language traces its roots to the beginning of French colonization just before the British Crown took over the island. The Carib and Arawak settlers were also part of the battle for power, but the Island eventually came under the rule of the British. Jounen Kweyol celebrated in different communites where kweyol speaking people congreate to enjoy traditional foods eaten from a calabash, folklore, dance and cultural activities. All conveniences including optional maid service, WIFI, AC etc in gated community. The language is used in government, business, media, entertainment, and school. But I see the term "Bon Jou" used so there just be some differences from classic French.

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Antigua or St. Lucia - Which one for wedding/honeymoon? The remaining population is white or of East Indian descent. The language can be traced back to the 16th century when the British established a colony in the Caribbean. The language has its roots in the period of the French colonization of the island, and it is derived from the French and West African languages, while some of its vocabularies are borrowed the Carib and other languages. All the signs are in English or have a transalation. | All modern conveniences including, Swimming pool, WIFI, AC, Maid service. 1 Bedroom luxury town house available for Vacation Rental. As a result, St. Lucia is home to people of various descent. Later in 1814 the British ultimately took possession of St. Lucia after the treaty of Paris and effectively became a colony.In 1979 the Island became independent and English language had been established in the Island. Within the rural communities of St. Lucia, the people use figurative expressions and phrases to tell stories.