Sranan Tongo
From Open Encyclopedia
Sranan Tongo ("Surinamean tongue"), also Sranang Tongo, Sranantongo, Sranan, is a creole language spoken as a native language by 100,000 people in Suriname.
Since this language is shared between the English-, Dutch-, Javanese- and Hindustani-speaking communities, many Surinamese speak it as a second language.
Contents |
Origins
The Sranan Tongo words for 'to know' and 'small children' are sabi and pikin which, according to the monogenetic theory of pidgin formation (contested by many if not most linguists in this area of research), identifies it as a derivation of Lingua franca, also known as Sabir.
Sranan Tongo's lexicon is a fusion of Dutch, English, Portuguese and Central and West African languages.
Features
Sranan Tongo's grammar matches traditional creole patterns: it has no inflections or declensions, a simple vocabulary (in the thousands of words), and is relatively easy to learn. Many people consider Sranan Tongo as a creolized form of English only.
Further Reading
Jan Voorhoeve and Ursy M. Lichtveld. Creole Drum: An Anthology of Creole Literature in Suriname. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1975.
External link
br:Sranang Tongoda:Sranan tongo de:Sranan Tongo es:Sranang Tongo fr:Sranan nl:Surinaams nds:Sranantongo
