Kabuverdianu

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A language of Cape Verde Islands

ISO 639-3
kea
Alternate Names
“Badiu” (pej.), Caboverdiano, Criol, Crioulo, Kriol, Krioulo, Krioulu, “Sampadjudu” (pej.)
Population

492,000 in Cape Verde Islands (2010 census), increasing. 80,000 to 100,000 monolinguals. 66% in Kabuverdianu-Sotaventu, 34% in Kabuverdianu-Barlavente. Population total all countries: 1,202,000. Ethnic population: 1,000,000.

Location

Kabuverdianu-Sotaventu is spoken on Santiago, Maio, Fogo, and Brava islands; Kabuverdianu-Barlavente is spoken on Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Sal, and Boa Vista islands. Also in France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Mozambique, Netherlands, Portugal, Senegal, Spain, United States.

Language Status

4 (Educational). Statutory language of national identity (1992, Constitution, Article 9(2)), not co-equal with Portuguese.

Classification
Creole, Portuguese based
Dialects

Kabuverdianu-Barlavente (Caboverdiano-Barlavento), Kabuverdianu-Sotaventu (Caboverdiano-Sotavento). Low mutual intelligibility between the dialects.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 29% Portuguese. Cape Verdeans who can read Portuguese [por] are able to read Kabuverdianu, with a little effort to adjust to a few differences between the Portuguese orthography and the official Kabuverdianu orthography. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Poetry. Magazines. Newspapers. New media. Radio programs. Films. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1936–2009.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kabuverdianu
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

“Badiu” is a somewhat pejorative name for the indigenous inhabitants of the southern island of Santiago, often used by extension as the name for the variant of Kabuverdianu-Sotaventu spoken on this island. “Sanpadjudu” is a somewhat pejorative name for the indigenous inhabitants of the northern island of Santo Antão, often used by extension as the name for the variant of Kabeverdiane-Barlavente spoken on this island). Christian.

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