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English-based creole language of the Afro-Caribbean Raizal people in Colombia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
San Andrés–Providencia Creole is an English-based creole language spoken in the San Andrés and Providencia Department of Colombia by the native Raizals. It is very similar to Belizean Creole and Miskito Coast Creole. Its vocabulary originates in English, its lexifier, but San Andrés–Providencia creole has its own phonetics and many expressions from Spanish and African languages, particularly Kwa languages (especially Twi and Ewe) and Igbo languages. The language is also known as "San Andrés Creole", "Bende" and "Islander Creole English".[1][2][3] Its two main strands are San Andres Creole English (or Saintandrewan) and Providence Creole English.[1]
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2009) |
| San Andrés and Providencia Creole | |
|---|---|
| Bende, Islander Creole English[1] | |
| Native to | Colombia (San Andrés and Providencia islands) |
Native speakers | 20,000–30,000[1] |
English Creole
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | icr |
| Glottolog | sana1297 |
| Linguasphere | 52-ABB-ah |
The population of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina uses three languages: Creole, English and Spanish.[4][5] San Andrés–Providencia Creole is an official language in its territory of influence, according to the Colombian Constitution of 1991 which guarantees the rights and protections of languages in the country.[4] Approximately 20,000–30,000 people speak San Andrés–Providencia Creole.[3]
San Andrés–Providencia Creole has been influenced by social and family ties with the Mosquito Coast, and has in turn influenced the Central American English Creoles from the early 19th century onward.[3] It retains a number of African words and phrases in common with the Nicaraguan, Belizean, and Limón creoles, and with Jamaican Patwah.[6] It is closest to Belize Kriol.[7] While many scholars often suggest a common West African pidgin as the source of most Caribbean creole languages, San Andrés Creole, in particular, may partially derive from the Jamaican Patwah of the latter half of the 18th century.[8][3] In contrast, Providence Islander Creole is less popular among the Native Islanders, who feel a stronger affinity for English.[9]
Between 1902 and 1926, a process of forced Hispanization deprecated use of English and Creole. In 1946 and 1956, English was banned in public and private schools (respectively). Large scale immigration from continental Colombia, where most people spoke Spanish, resulted in the creole people of San Andrés becoming marginalised.[3] English remained in use for liturgical purposes in Baptist churches, but the coming of satellite television and growth of foreign tourism has revived the use of English on the islands. The standard English taught in schools is British English and rarely San Andrés Creole.[1][4]
The presence of migrants from continental Colombia and the travel of young islanders to cities like Barranquilla, Cartagena de Indias and Bogotá for higher education has contributed to the presence of Spanish. However, the interest in preserving the Creole has become very important for locals and Colombians in general.[4][5][10] According to Carlos Augusto Arias, "Creole plays a symbolic role in the cohesion and identity of raizals, as the vehicle and an important piece of the cultural heritage, as well as the phenomenology of group identity."[5]
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