Languages of Suriname
See language map.[See also SIL publications on the languages of Suriname.]
Republic of Suriname. 452,000. National or official language: Dutch. Literacy rate: 65%–95%. Immigrant languages: English, Korean, North Levantine Spoken Arabic, Portuguese. Information mainly from SIL 1964–2003. Blind population: 1,300 (1982 WCE). Deaf population: 25,646. Deaf institutions: 1. The number of individual languages listed for Suriname is 17. Of those, 16 are living languages and 1 is a second language without mother-tongue speakers.
| Akurio | [ako]
10 (2000 E. Carlin). Ethnic population: 50. Southeast jungle.
Alternate names: Akoerio, Akuliyo, Akuri, Akurijo, Akuriyo, Oyaricoulet, Triometesem, Triometesen, Wama, Wayaricuri.
Dialects: Related to, but not inherently intelligible with, Trió [tri].
Classification: Carib, Northern, East-West Guiana, Wama
Nearly extinct.
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| Arawak | [arw]
700 in Suriname (1980 census), decreasing. Population total all countries: 2,450. Ethnic population: 2,051 in Suriname (1980 census). North Suriname, scattered. Also in French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela.
Alternate names: Arowak, Lokono.
Classification: Arawakan, Maipuran, Northern Maipuran, Caribbean
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| Aukan | [djk]
15,500 in Suriname. 10%–20% monolingual. 14,353 Aukan, 33 Aluku, 1,156 Paramaccan (1980 census). Population total all countries: 22,090. Near Brokopondo, east along Marowijne and Tapanahony rivers, northeast along Cottica River. Aluku are along French Guiana border; Paramaccan in northeast Suriname. Also in French Guiana.
Alternate names: Aukaans, “Djoeka” , “Djuka” , Ndjuká, Ndyuka, Njuká, Okanisi.
Dialects: Aukan, Aluku (Aloekoe, Boni), Paramaccan. Kwinti [kww] is less similar to Aukan than the Aluku and Paramaccan dialects.
Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname, Ndyuka
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| Carib | [car]
1,200 in Suriname (Carlin 2001). Ethnic population: 3,000. North coast. Eastern dialect primarily in Albina and in French Guiana, Brazil, and Venezuela; western dialect in central and western areas of Suriname and in Guyana.
Alternate names: Caribe, Cariña, Galibí, Kali’na, Kalihna, Kalinya, Maraworno.
Dialects: Murato (Myrato, Western Carib), Tyrewuju (Eastern Carib).
Classification: Carib, Northern, Galibi
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| Chinese, Hakka | [hak]
7,010 in Suriname (2000). Ethnic population: 12,000 Chinese, including Yue (1971).
Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
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| Dutch | [nld]
200,000 in Suriname (1997 C. DeKleine).
Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian
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| Guyanese Creole English | [gyn]
50,000 in Suriname (1986 SIL).
Alternate names: Creolese, Guyanese Creole.
Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Eastern, Southern
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| Hindustani, Caribbean | [hns]
150,000 in Suriname (1986). Population total all countries: 165,600. Coastal region. Also in Guyana, Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago.
Dialects: Trinidad Bhojpuri, Sarnami Hindustani (Sarnami Hindi, Aili Gaili). More similar to Bhojpuri [bho] than to Hindi. Similar dialect to Trinidad-Tobago.
Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Eastern zone, Bihari
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| Javanese, Caribbean | [jvn]
60,000 in Suriname (1986). Coastal area. Also in French Guiana.
Alternate names: Suriname Javanese.
Dialects: Significantly different from Javanese [jav] of Indonesia.
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Javanese
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| Kwinti | [kww]
130 (1980 census). North central, along Coppename River, upstream from Kaimanstan and Witagron.
Dialects: Further removed from Ndyuka [njt] than Aluku and Paramaccan. Probably needs literature adapted from Ndyuka.
Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname, Ndyuka
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| Ndyuka-Trio Pidgin | [njt]
South Suriname, upper Tapanahonij River.
Classification: Pidgin
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| Saramaccan | [srm]
23,000 in Suriname (1995 SIL). 1,000 Matawari. Population total all countries: 26,000. Central, along Saramacca and upper Suriname rivers. Refugees in Paramaribo. Also in French Guiana.
Dialects: Matawari (Matawai, Matuari, Matoewari). Ian Hancock classifies it as Portuguese based rather than English. Linguistic influences from Kongo [kng] (Hancock 1988). 20% or more of the lexicon has an African component.
Classification: Creole, English based
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| Sikiana | [sik]
15 in Suriname (Carlin 2001). Ethnic population: 50. Sipaliwini River in Kwamalasamutu.
Alternate names: Chikena, Sikiyana, Tshikiana.
Classification: Carib, Northern, East-West Guiana, Waiwai, Sikiana
Nearly extinct.
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| Sranan | [srn]
120,000 in Suriname (1993). Population total all countries: 126,400. Mainly Paramaribo and along the coast. Also in Aruba, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles.
Alternate names: Sranan Tongo, Surinaams, Suriname Creole English, Surinamese, Taki-Taki.
Dialects: Similar to Ndyuka [njt], but with cultural differences. Many similarities to Krio [kri] of Sierra Leone.
Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname
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| Trió | [tri]
1,400 in Suriname (2003 ISA). Population total all countries: 2,300. South central, Tepoe and Alalapadu villages. Also in Brazil.
Alternate names: Tirió.
Classification: Carib, Northern, East-West Guiana, Wayana-Trio
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| Warao | [wba]
Few in Suriname. Near Guyana border.
Alternate names: Guarao, Guarauno, Warrau.
Classification: Language isolate
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| Wayana | [way]
400 in Suriname (1980 census). Population total all countries: 750. Southeast Suriname villages. Also in Brazil, French Guiana.
Alternate names: Alukuyana, Oayana, Oiana, Oyana, Roucouyenne, Uaiana, Upurui, Wajana.
Dialects: Partially intelligible with Apalaí [apy].
Classification: Carib, Northern, East-West Guiana, Wayana-Trio
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