French-based creole languages
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A French creole, or French-based creole language, is a creole language based on the French language, more specifically on a 17th century koiné French extent in Paris, the French atlantic harbors, and the nascent French colonies. Descendants of the non-creole colonial koiné are still spoken in Canada (mostly in Québec), the Prairies, Louisiana, Saint-Barthélemy (leeward portion of the island) and as isolates in other parts of the Americas.[1]
In the Americas
- Antillean Creole is a language spoken primarily in the French (and some of the English) Lesser Antilles, such as Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and many other smaller islands. Although all of the creoles spoken on these islands are considered to be the same language, there are noticeable differences between the dialects of each island. Notably, the Creole spoken in the Eastern (windward) part of the island Saint-Barthélemy is a Creole spoken exclusively by a white population of European descent.
- French Guiana Creole or French Guianese Creole is a language spoken in French Guiana, and to a lesser degree in Suriname and Guyana. It is closely related to Antillean Creole, but there are some noteworthy differences between the two.
- Haitian Creole or Kreyol ayisyen, is a language spoken primarily in Haiti. It is the largest French-derived language in the world, with a total of 12 million fluent speakers. French is its superstrate language, with numerous African languages and some indigenous Amerindian languages providing substrate input. Some words are also derived from English, and Spanish.
- Karipúna, spoken in Brazil, mostly in Uaçá, the state of Amapá. It was influenced by a Portuguese adstratum. It was developed by Amerindians and immigrants from neighboring French Guiana and French territories of the Caribbean.
- Lanc-Patuá, also spoken in Brazil, mostly in Macapá, Amapá, was taken there mainly by St. Lucian immigrants.
- Louisiana Creole (Kréyol Lwizyàn), the Louisiana creole, spoken mainly by members of lower socio-economic ranks of society Creoles in Louisiana.
In Africa
- Mauritian Creole, spoken as the lingua franca in Mauritius
- Réunion Creole, Spoken on Réunion Island.
- Seychellois Creole, also known as Seselwa, Seychellois Creole is an official language, along with English and French, as well as the lingua franca of the Seychelles.
In the Pacific
- Tayo, spoken in New Caledonia.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Robert Fournier & Henri Wittmann (ed.), 1995. Le français des Amériques. Presses universitaires de Trois-Rivières. (ISBN 2-9802307-2-3)
| French-based creole languages |
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In the Americas: Haitian Creole (kreyòl ayisyen) • Lanc-Patuá • Antillean Creole • Louisiana Creole (Kréyol La Lwizyàn) • French Guiana Creole |
