hns ISO 639
Sarnaanie Hiendoestaanie Autonyms
Hindustani, Sarnami
Visualizations
A language of Suriname
- ISO 639
- hns
- Alternate Names
- Caribbean Bharatiya, Caribbean Hindi, Caribbean Hindustani, Caribbean Urdu, Sarnami Hindi, Sarnami Hindoestani
- Autonym
- Sarnaanie Hiendoestaanie
- Population
- 153,000 in Suriname (2018). Ethnic population: 160,000 (2003). Total users in all countries: 299,400.
- Location
- Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, and Wanica districts; north coast.
- Language Maps
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing).
- Classification
- Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bihari
- Dialects
- Trinidad Bhojpuri, Sarnami Hindustani (Aili Gaili, Sarnami Hindi). Reportedly more similar to Bhojpuri [bho] than Hindi [hin]. Similar dialect to Trinidad-Tobago. Distinctive variety of Sarnami spoken in Nickerie district (Damsteegt 2002).
- Language Use
- All domains, except education. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Dutch [nld]. Also use Sranan Tongo [srn]. Used as L2 by Dutch [nld].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 1997–2010.
- Writing
- Latin script [Latn].
- Other Comments
- Based on Bhojpuri [bho], with influences from Awadhi [awa], and loans from Sranan Tongo [srn], Dutch [nld], and English [eng]. Hindu, Christian, Muslim.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Hindustani, Sarnami
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of French Guiana
Language Name
Hindustani, Sarnami
User Population
11,800 in French Guiana (2019), based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Barima-Waini and Pomeroon-Supenaam regions.
- Language Status
- 8b (Nearly extinct)
- Language Use
- Elderly only. Shifted to Guyanese English Creole [gyn]. Also use English [eng]. Also use Hindi [hin], especially for religious purposes.
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Hindu. View other languages of Guyana
Language Name
Hindustani, Sarnami
User Population
Ethnic population: 539,000.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Netherlands
Language Name
Hindustani, Sarnami
User Population
119,000 in Netherlands (2019).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- 8a (Moribund)
- Language Use
- Older adults only. Shifted to Trinidadian English Creole [trf]. Also use English [eng].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 70%.
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Hindu, Christian, Muslim. View other languages of Trinidad and Tobago
Language Name
Hindustani, Sarnami
User Population
15,600 in Trinidad and Tobago (2006). Ethnic population: East Indians are 41% of the population.
