Lesser Antillean French Creole

A language of Saint Lucia

Location

Widespread.

Also spoken in:

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Dominica

Language NameLesser Antillean French Creole

User Population

56,000 in Dominica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Dominican Creole French, Kwèyòl, Patois, Patwa

Language Status

6b (Threatened). De facto language of national identity.

Language Use

Parents are not encouraging children to speak the language, especially in the town areas (2017 T. Young). Some young people, all adults. Younger speakers shifting to English [eng]. Negative attitudes. Most also use English [eng], especially youth. Also use French [fra], understood by up to 10% of the population (Adler 1977).

Other Comments

Loanwords from Island Carib [car] and Arawak [arw]. Christian.

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France

Language NameLesser Antillean French Creole

User Population

150,000 in France (2015 J. Leclerc).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Grenada

Language NameLesser Antillean French Creole

User Population

3 in Grenada (Ferreira and Holbrook 2001), decreasing.

Location

Carriacou department: Carriacou island; Grenada island: northeast St. Andrew, St. Mark north of Victoria, and St. Patrick parishes. Scattered, mainly rural.

Alternate Names

Créole, French Creole, French-lexicon Creole, French-lexified Creole, Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa

Dialects

Grenadian Creole French.

Language Status

8b (Nearly extinct).

Language Use

Most speakers reported learning this as a second language as children in order to communicate with monolingual grandparents. Few domains. Elderly only. No speakers under the age of 60 in Grenada. All speakers in Carriacou were over the age of 50. A few individuals under age 50 in Carriacou could produce a few phrases or expressions (Ferreira and Holbrook 2001). Shifted to Grenadian English Creole [gcl].

Other Comments

The same as, or similar to, that spoken in Saint Lucia (Alleyne n.d.). Christian.

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Martinique

Language NameLesser Antillean French Creole

User Population

361,000 in Martinique (2019).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa

Dialects

Martiniquan French Creole (Martinican Creole).

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous). De facto language of national identity.

Other Comments

There is a continuum of variation from basilectal Creole to acrolectal French of the educated.

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Trinidad and Tobago

Language NameLesser Antillean French Creole

User Population

4,100 in Trinidad and Tobago (2020 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.

Location

Trinidad: Diego Martin municipality, peninsular coastal settlements north of the capital.

Alternate Names

Créole, French Creole, French-lexicon Creole, French-lexified Creole, Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa

Dialects

Trinidadian French Creole.

Language Status

5 (Developing).

Language Use

Used by all.

Language Development

Literacy, using Saint Lucian materials, taught to teachers and other adults in Paramin.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Lesser Antillean French Creole

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A language of Saint Lucia

Also spoken in:

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