Guinea-Bissau Creole

A language of Guinea-Bissau

Crioulo, Crioulo de Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Kriyol, Guineense, Kriulo, Portuguese Creole, Upper Guinea Crioulo

Kiriol

1,251,000 in Guinea-Bissau, all users. L1 users: 251,000 in Guinea-Bissau (2018), increasing. Transition from L2 to L1 use is limited to the capital city of Bissau (2019 S. Graham). L2 users: 1,000,000 (2015 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 1,339,500 (as L1: 319,500; as L2: 1,020,000).

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps

Guinea and Guinea-Bissau

Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto language of national identity. Primary L2 LWC in Guinea-Bissau. It is an L2 that is actively supported by all ethnic groups in the country, used generally in church, work, commerce, and government.

Classification

Creole, Portuguese based

Dialects

Bissau-Bolama Creole, Bafatá Creole, Cacheu Creole. Some lexical similarity with Casamance Creole [pov] in Senegal, and with the Kabuverdianu [kea] variety spoken on the island of Santiago, as Portuguese-based creole was used for trade with the Portuguese in these regions.

Language Use

Used as an L1 only in the capital city of Bissau. Positive attitudes. Some also use Portuguese [por], the language of education, governmental operations, industry, and business with international relations. Used as L2 by Badyara [pbp], Bainouk-Gunyuño [bab], Balanta-Kentohe [ble], Bayot [bda], Biafada [bif], Bidyogo [bjg], Jola-Felupe [eja], Kabuverdianu [kea], Mandinka [mnk], Mandjak [mfv], Mankanya [knf], Mansoanka [msw], Nalu [naj], Papel [pbo], Pulaar [fuc], Pular [fuf], Soninke [snk], Susu [sus].

Language Development

Taught in primary schools as subject. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1999.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Guinea-Bissau Creole

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Muslim, Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

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Gambia

Language NameGuinea-Bissau Creole

User Population

21,300 in Gambia (2016).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Language Use

Most also use Gambian Wolof [wof], as the language of commerce and media (Biel 2014). Many also use English [eng], as the language of education and government (Biel 2014). Also use Mandinka [mnk], as the secondary LWC for commerce and media (Biel 2014).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Netherlands

Language NameGuinea-Bissau Creole

User Population

13,500 in Netherlands (2019).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Portugal

Language NameGuinea-Bissau Creole

User Population

23,700 in Portugal (2007 J. Leclerc).

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Language Use

Most also use Portuguese [por], as the language of education, government, business, and upward mobility.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Senegal

Language NameCasamance Creole

User Population

30,000 in Senegal, all users. L1 users: 10,000 in Senegal (Biagui and Quint 2013), decreasing. A significant population (2,500) speaks Casamancese Creole in Dakar (Biagui and Quint 2013). L2 users: 20,000 (Biagui and Quint 2013).

Location

Ziguinchor region: Ziguinchor city and surrounding villages.

Alternate Names

Casamancese Creole, Casamançais, Créole, Créole afro-portugais de Casamance, Créole casamançais, Créole de Casamance, Kriyol, Portuguese Creole, Upper Guinea Crioulo

Dialects

None known. Casamance Creole is different from Guinea-Bissau Creole, due to its distinct development path in French West Africa since 1886. However, there is some intelligibility between the two.

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Language Use

The existence of a context in the Casamance, that is supportive of L2 to L1 transition, is highly unlikely. Most also use French [fra]. Casamance Creole speakers tend to be the more educated segment of the population. Most also use Wolof [wol]. Wolof [wol] now has more L2 speakers than any other language in the Casamance region. Used as L2 by Bandial [bqj], Bayot [bda], Jola-Fonyi [dyo], Jola-Kasa [csk], Mandinka [mnk], Mankanya [knf].

Language Development

There has been some resistance to wolofization from the Casamance secessionists’ movement, who want to revive Casamance Creole [pov] as the LWC for the Casamance (Sarr and Thiaw 2012).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Genesis of continental Portuguese-based Creole occurred in a fort founded on the mouth of the Cacheu River in 1645, and from there spread throughout Portuguese Guinea. The Casamance region of Portuguese Guinea was traded from Portugal to France in 1886, creating an independent development path for the Portuguese-based Creole spoken in that new region in French West Africa. Christian.

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Guinea-Bissau Creole

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A language of Guinea-Bissau

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