Grenadian Creole English


Grenadian Creole English is a Creole language spoken in Grenada. It is a member of the Southern branch of English-based Eastern Atlantic Creoles, along with Antiguan Creole, Bajan Creole, Guyanese Creole, Tobagonian Creole, Trinidadian Creole, Vincentian Creole, and Virgin Islands Creole. It is the common vernacular and the native language of nearly all inhabitants of Grenada, or approximately 89,000 native speakers in 2001.

History

The British Empire took control of Grenada from France in the 18th century, and ruled until its independence in 1974. Despite the long history of British rule, Grenada's French heritage is still evidenced by the number of French loanwords in Grenadian Creole English, as well as by the lingering existence of Grenadian Creole French in the country. The francophone character of Grenada was uninterrupted for more than a century before British rule. This ensured that language in Grenada could never be seen unless in that light.
The Grenada Creole Society, founded in 2009, implemented the mission to research and document the language in Grenada. The initial findings were published in 2012 in the publication Double Voicing and Multiplex Identities ed. Nicholas Faraclas et al.