16th edition

US$ 100.00

Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Americas > Honduras > Garifuna

Garifuna

A language of Honduras

ISO 639-3: cab

Population	98,000 in Honduras (Rivas 1993). 100 monolinguals. Population total all countries: 195,800.
Region	Mainly on north coast between Masca, Cortés Department and Plaplaya, Gracias a Dios Department. 37 villages in Honduras, 46 elsewhere in Central America (plus cities La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, and Puerto Cortés). Also in Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, United States.
Language map	El Salvador and Honduras
Alternate names	Black Carib, Caribe, Central American Carib, Garífuna
Dialects	Eastern Garifuna, Western Garifuna. The Eastern Garifuna dialect is in Honduras and Nicaragua (leaves out ‘r’ and tends to shorten words), The Western Garifuna dialect in Guatemala and Belize. Related to Island Carib [crb], with Spanish, English, and French borrowings.
Classification	Arawakan, Maipuran, Northern Maipuran, Caribbean
Language use	Shifting to Spanish [spa] in some villages. All domains. Positive attitude in about half of the villages. A few also use English as well as Spanish.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. English-oriented orthography used for Belize, Spanish-oriented in Guatemala. The Western dialect is written standard, and the orthography is being standardized. Radio programs. Dictionary. Bible: 2002.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	VSO. Agriculturalists; fishermen; sailors on merchant and cruise ships; city jobs. Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

Belize

Language name	Garifuna
Population	16,100 in Belize (2006).
Region	Dangriga, Stann Creek, and Toledo along the coast. 6 villages.
Language map	Belize
Alternate names	Black Carib, Caribe, Central American Carib, “Moreno”
Language use	Also use Belize Kriol English [bzj].

Guatemala

Language name	Garifuna
Population	16,700 in Guatemala.
Region	2 villages on the northeast coast: Livingston and Puerto Barrios.
Language map	Guatemala, reference number 19
Alternate names	Black Carib, Caribe, Central American Carib, Garífuna
Language use	Also use Spanish.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 15%–20%.
Comments	Ancestors brought from Saint Vincent Island in 1796–1797, and taken to Roatan Island. Most went to Trujillo in 1937. About 35 years later political troubles threatened their existence, and they fled further east in Honduras and Belize. Later they emigrated to other countries.

Nicaragua

Language name	Garifuna
Population	A few in Nicaragua (2001 E. Velásquez). Ethnic population: 1,500 in Nicaragua (1982 Meso-America).
Region	Región Atlántica Autónoma del Sur, Orinoco village, far from speakers in other countries.
Language map	Nicaragua
Alternate names	Black Carib, Caribe, Central American Carib, “Moreno”
Language use	Older adults only. Also use Creole [bzk].

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BENDOR-SAMUEL, John T., author. 1968. Review of: Languages of Guatemala, Marvin K. Mayers, editor.

FLEMING, Ilah, author. 1966. "Carib."

FLEMING, Ilah, author. 1966. "Caribe."

FLEMING, Ilah, author. 1977. "Alfabeto caribe centroamericano."

FLEMING, Ilah, author. 1979. "Participant identification in C. A. Carib discourse."

HOWLAND, Lillian G., author. 1971. "Carib."  

HOWLAND, Lillian G., author. 1972. "Caribe."

HOWLAND, Lillian G., author. 1981. "Communicational integration of reality and fiction."

HOWLAND, Lillian G., author. 1984. "Spirit communication at the Carib dügü."

HOWLAND, Lillian G., author. 1988. Comunicación con los espíritus ʼdügü garifuna (Caribe).

MAYERS, Marvin K., editor. 1966. Languages of Guatemala.

SHAW, Mary, editor. 1971. According to our ancestors: Folk texts from Guatemala and Honduras.  

SHAW, Mary, editor. 1972. Según nuestros antepasados: Textos folklóricos de Guatemala y Honduras.

VIELMAN, Julio, translator; MAYERS, Marvin K., editor. 1966. Lenguas de Guatemala.

Vernacular Publications

Alfabeto caribe. 1962.

Garifuna líburu 1. 1956.

Ligáburi lafánreinragun uboú. 1969.

Luáguti paludismo. 1969.

Uboú jama planéta. 1969.

Uraga garífunoúti. 1969.

Walagante: wañeñe walagantebei le tímatimaati, ayanuha waméi bürü waméi ani aliiha waméi, meferidirun wamaamugei. 2000.

Wan luma figaga: sánrügüñoun tidangiñe garudia to asagarutu. 1997.