Haitian Creole

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A language of Haiti

ISO 639-3
hat
Alternate Names
Ayisyen, Creole, Haitian, Kreyol, Kreyòl, Western Caribbean Creole, créole haïtien
Autonym
Kreyòl Ayisyen
User Population

6,960,000 in Haiti (2001). Total users in all countries: 8,176,340.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps
Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1987, Constitution, Article 5 (1,2)).

Classification
Creole, French based
Dialects

Fablas, Plateau Haitian Creole. Linguistic influences from Wolof [wol], Fon [fon], and Éwé [ewe] of West Africa.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head final, but articles after noun heads; definite and indefinite articles; 21 consonant and 10 vowel phonemes; non-tonal.

Language Use

Vigorous. Also use French [fra].

Language Development

Newspapers. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1985.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Haitian Creole
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

In 1961 granted legal and educational status in Haiti. A growing literature, including poetry. Lower social status than standard French [fra].

Also spoken in:

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