Nicaragua Creole English

A language of Nicaragua

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Mískito Coast Creole English

Population

30,000 (2001 SIL). 630 Rama Cay Creole speakers (Holm 1989).

Location

Autonomous Region of the South Atlantic, Bluefields region, Rama Cay island, Pearl lagoon, Prinzapolka, Puerto Cabezas, and Corn islands.

Language Status

5 (Developing). Statutory language of provincial identity in northern and southern areas (1993, Atlantic Coast Languages Act No. 162, Article 4).

Classification

Dialects

Bluefields Creole English, Rama Cay Creole English.

Language Use

L1 of Creole people and most Garifuna; L2 of most Mískito and some Spanish speakers. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng] or Spanish [spa].

Language Development

Bible portions: 1999.

Language Resources

Other Comments

There is a continuum of variation from basilectal Creole to acrolectal English of the educated.