djk ISO 639
Okanisi tongo Autonyms
Aukan
Visualizations
A language of Suriname
- ISO 639
- djk
- Alternate Names
- Aukaans, Businenge Tongo, Businengee Tongo, Eastern Maroon Creole, Ndjuká, Ndyuka, Ndyuka tongo, Nenge, Nenge Tongo, Nengee Tongo, Njuká, Okanisi, “Djoeka” (pej.), “Djuka” (pej.)
- Autonym
- Okanisi tongo
- Population
- 45,300 in Suriname (2018). 1,550 monolinguals. Total users in all countries: 67,800.
- Location
- Brokopondo district: Sarakreek commune; Commewijne district: Bakkie, Meerzog, and Tamanredjo communes; Marowijne district: Moengo, Patamacca, and Wanhatti communes; Para district: Carolina commune; Sipaliwini district: Tapanahony commune; Aluku dialect: French Guiana border; Paramaccan dialect: Northeast.
- Language Maps
- French Guiana and Suriname
- Language Status
- 5* (Developing).
- Classification
- Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname, Ndyuka
- Dialects
- Aluku (Aloekoe, Boni), Paramaccan (Pamaka). Ndyuka, Aluku and Paramaccan are highly mutually intelligible dialects; Kwinti [kww] is slightly less intelligible with them.
- Typology
- SVO; prepositions, noun head final, content q-word initial, up to 2 suffixes, clause constituents indicated by word order, passives and voice, tonal, 25 consonant (some rare) and 14 vowel (5 long monophthongs, 5 short monophthongs, 4 diphthongs) phonemes.
- Language Use
- Vigorous. In Paramaribo some shifted to Dutch [nld], some younger ones to Sranan Tongo [srn]. All domains. Also in oral and written form for religious services. Positive attitudes. Most also use Sranan Tongo [srn], especially men. Many also use Dutch [nld].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: Below 10%. Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%. Literature. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1999–2009.
- Writing
- Afaka script [Afak], developed in early 1900s, never widely used, may be in use by a few individuals. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.
- Other Comments
- The society was formed by escaped slaves. Subsistence and economy is Amerindian; social culture and religion are West African. Aluku has more French influence than Paramaccan does. Spelling of Ndyuka without the initial nasal is considered derogatory. Aukan is English, Aukaans is Dutch. In early 1900s an Aukaner named Afaka developed a syllabic writing system, but few learned to read it, and it was not officially endorsed. 12 clans. In the 1980s and 1990s many went to Paramaribo. Traditional religion, Christian.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Aukan
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Cayenne islands, Iracoubo, Kourou, Macuria, Mana, St. Laurent Sinnemarie. Suriname border.
- Dialects
- Aluku, Pamaka.
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing)
- Language Use
- All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes.
- Language Development
- Taught in primary schools, experimentally as part of the project ‘Intervenant en langue maternelle’.
- Other Comments
- Christian. View other languages of French Guiana
Language Name
Aukan
User Population
22,500 in French Guiana (2019), increasing, based on ethnicity. 6,000 monolinguals.
