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JM

Jamaica

Summary

Official Name
Population
2,819,000
Principal Languages
English
Literacy Rate
89% (2015 World Factbook)
International Conventions
CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References
Hall 1966, Holm 1989
Deaf Population
7,500–200,000
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Jamaica is 4. All are living languages. Of these, 3 are indigenous and 1 is non-indigenous. Furthermore, 1 is institutional, 2 are developing, and 1 is in trouble. Also listed are 4 unestablished languages.

Languages

Arabic, North Levantine Spoken apc
Users: 22,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Chinese, Hakka hak
Users: 76,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
English eng
Users: 86,000 in Jamaica, all users. L1 users: 36,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. L2 users: 50,000 (Crystal 2003a). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Jamaican English Creole jam
Widespread. Users: 2,670,000 in Jamaica (2001). Total users in all countries: 3,043,280. Status: 5* (Developing). De facto language of national identity. Alternate Names: Bongo Talk, Jamaican Patois, Jimiekn, Jimiekn Langwij, Jumieka Kruyol, Jumieka Languij, Jumieka Langwij, Jumieka Taak, Jumiekan, Jumiekan Kriol, Jumiekan languij, Langui Jumieka, Patois, Patua, Patwa, Patwah, Southwestern Caribbean English Creole, “Quashie Talk” (pej.) Autonym: Jamiekan Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Western
Jamaican Sign Language jls
Scattered. Users: 7,500 (2011 E. Parks). Approximately 0.3% of the total population. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: JSL, Jamaica Sign Language Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Konchri Sain jcs
Primarily in Saint Elizabeth parish, near Top Hill. Users: 40 (Parks et al 2011b), decreasing. Approximately 40 deaf L1 users, number of hearing L1 users is unknown. 4 monolinguals (2016 B. Gayle). Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Country Sign, Jamaican Country Sign Language, KS Classification: Sign language, Shared sign language
Portuguese por
Users: 6,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician
Spanish spa
Users: 8,000 in Jamaica (Instituto Cervantes 2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian

Languages by Status

    English
    [eng] 1 (National). De facto national language. 86,000 in Jamaica, all users. L1 users: 36,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. L2 users: 50,000 (Crystal 2003a).
    Jamaican English Creole
    [jam] 5* (Developing). De facto language of national identity. 2,670,000 in Jamaica (2001). Total users in all countries: 3,043,280.
    Jamaican Sign Language
    [jls] 5 (Developing). 7,500 (2011 E. Parks). Approximately 0.3% of the total population.
    Konchri Sain
    [jcs] 7 (Shifting). 40 (Parks et al 2011b), decreasing. Approximately 40 deaf L1 users, number of hearing L1 users is unknown. 4 monolinguals (2016 B. Gayle).
    Arabic, North Levantine Spoken
    [apc] Unestablished. 22,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Chinese, Hakka
    [hak] Unestablished. 76,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Portuguese
    [por] Unestablished. 6,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Spanish
    [spa] Unestablished. 8,000 in Jamaica (Instituto Cervantes 2019).

Maps

  • Creole Languages of the Northern Caribbean

Graphs

  • Language Vitality Profile

  • Language Status Profile

Resources

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    Digest of the languages of Jamaica ($149.95, 21 page PDF)