French Guiana

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Arabic, North Levantine Spoken
[apc] Users: 1,470 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.

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Arawak
[arw] Northeast and Cayenne area, Balaté, Larivot, Saint-Sabat, and Sainte-Rose de Lima communities. Users: 380 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012). Ethnic population: 1,500 (Crevels 2012). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Lokono, Lokono Dian. Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Ta-Maipurean.

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Aukan
[djk] Cayenne islands, Iracoubo, Kourou, Macuria, Mana, St. Laurent Sinnemarie. Suriname border. Users: 22,500 in French Guiana (2019), increasing, based on ethnicity. 6,000 monolinguals. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Businenge Tongo, Businengee Tongo, Eastern Maroon Creole, Ndyuka, Nenge, Nenge Tongo, Nengee, Nengee Tongo, Okanisi tongo, “Taki-Taki” (pej.). Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname, Ndyuka.

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Carib
[car] Northwest coast, along lower Mana and Maroni rivers east of Maroni river mouth, Iracoubo and Organabo areas between Kourou and Mana. Users: 2,400 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 4,000 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Caribe, Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalin’a, Kalinya, Kari’na, Kari’na auran, Kari’ña. Classification: Cariban.

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Chinese, Hakka
[hak] Cayenne, Kourou, Macouria, Matoury, and Remire-Montjoly communes, especially in urban concentrations. Central coast. Users: 14,700 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese.

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French
[fra] Widespread. Users: 291,000 in French Guiana, all users. L1 users: 111,000 in French Guiana (2019). L2 users: 180,000 (2019). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1958, French Constitution, Article 2). Alternate Names: Français. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French.

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French Sign Language
[fsl] Scattered. Users: 300 in French Guiana (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated, assuming 0.1% of total population. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: LSF, Langue des signes française. Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.

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Guianese French Creole
[gcr] Widespread. Users: 134,000 (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: French Guianese French Creole, Guyanais, Guyane, Guyane Creole, Patois, Patwa. Classification: Creole, French based.

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Guyanese English Creole
[gyn] Users: 4,200 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Eastern, Southern.

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Haitian Creole
[hat] Users: 23,500 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, French based.

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Hindustani, Sarnami
[hns] Users: 11,800 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bihari.

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Hmong Njua
[hnj] Users: 4,300 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Hmong-Mien, Hmongic, Chuanqiandian.

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Javanese, Suriname
[jvn] Awala-Yalimapo commune. Coastal area. Users: 2,940 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Caribbean Javanese. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Javanese.

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Palikúr
[plu] Central coast and lower Oyapock river. Users: 250 in French Guiana (Queixalos 2000). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 1,500 (Crevels 2012). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Pa’ikwaki, Palicur, Palikour. Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Eastern, Palikur.

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Portuguese
[por] Users: 14,200 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician.

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Saramaccan
[srm] Widespread. Users: 3,000 in French Guiana (2019), decreasing, based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Creole, English based.

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Sranan Tongo
[srn] Users: 17,600 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname.

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Tekó
[eme] Brazil border area, at the confluence of Camopi and Oiapock rivers; Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni district: Maroni river area, on Suriname border. Users: 400 (Crevels 2012), increasing. Ethnic population: 400 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Emereñon, Emerillon, Emerilon, Melejo, Mereo, Mereyo, Teco. Classification: Tupian, Tupí-Guaraní, Wayampí, Wayampí.

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Wayampi
[oym] Upper Oyapock river in 2 settlements, one near Camopi, the other south along Oyapock headwaters. Users: 750 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012), increasing. Ethnic population: 750 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Oiampí, Oiumpian, Oyampí, Oyapí, Wajapi, Wayapi, Wayãpi. Classification: Tupian, Tupí-Guaraní, Wayampí, Wayampí.

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Wayana
[way] Southwestern border area, along upper Maroni river. Users: 1,000 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012). Ethnic population: 1,000 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Alukuyana, Guayana, Oayana, Uaiana, Upurui, Wayâna. Classification: Cariban, Central, Wayana.

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