Saramaccan language
| Saramaccan | |
|---|---|
| Saamáka | |
| Native to | Suriname, French Guiana |
|
Native speakers
|
90,000 (2013)Price, Richard, The Maroon Population Explosion, New West Indian Guide, 87, pp 323-327 |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | sara1340 |
| Linguasphere | 52-ABB-ax |
Saramaccan (autonym: Saamáka) is a creole language spoken by about 58,000 ethnic African people near the Saramacca and upper Suriname Rivers, as well as in the capital Paramaribo, in Suriname (formerly also known as Dutch Guyana), 25,000 in French Guiana, and 8,000 in the Netherlands. It has three main dialects. The speakers are mostly descendants of fugitive slaves who were native to West and Central Africa; they form a group called Saamacca, also spelled Saramaka.
Linguists consider Saramaccan notable because it is based on two European source languages, English (30%) and Portuguese (20%), and various west- and Central African languages (50%) but diverges considerably from all of these. The African component accounts for about 50% once ritual use is taken into account, the highest percentage in the Americas. African portions are derived from Niger-Congo languages of West Africa, especially Fon and other Gbe languages, Akan, and Central African languages such as KiKongo.
The Saramaccan lexicon is largely drawn from English, Portuguese, and to a lesser extent Dutch, among European languages, and Niger-Congo languages of West Africa, especially Fon and other Gbe languages, Akan, and Central African languages such as KiKongo. The African component accounts for about 50% of the total.
Saramaccan phonology has traits similar to languages of West Africa. It has developed the use of tones, which are common in Africa, rather than stress, which is typical of European languages.
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