Languages of the Caribbean
It never hurts to learn a little of the local language. In fact, mastering a few basic words and terms is enough to make talking to the locals much more rewarding.
The influences
Because of the British colonial background and the large number of American tourists in the region, English is the most widely spoken language in the Caribbean. It is followed by Dutch (St. Maarten/St. Martin, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, and St. Eustatius), French (Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St-Barthélemy) and Spanish (Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico).
The dialects
You’ll hear a variety of regional dialects throughout the islands, including Jamaican Patois (a melding of English, African, and French words), Papiamento (a mixture of African languages, Dutch, French, Portuguese, and Spanish), and French Creole (a Patois with a strong French influence). The white population of French-speaking St-Barths often use the Norman dialect of their ancestors.
The Caribbean is a mix of influences, and a great place to visit and discover. For more information about cheap all inclusive Caribbean vacation, we also suggest:
| We also suggest: |
Related posts:
Comments are closed.