The languages of the Caribbean reflect the region's diverse history and culture. There are six official languages spoken in the Caribbean. The six languages are:
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- Spanish (official language of Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico)
- French (official language of Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, St. Barthelemy and St. Martin)
- English (official language of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
- Dutch (official language of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten)
- Haitian Creole (official language of Haiti)
- Papiamento (a Portuguese and Spanish-based Creole language) (official language of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire)
However, there are also number of creoles and local patois. Dozens of the creole languages of the Caribbean are widely used informally among the general population. There are also a few additional smaller indigenous languages. Many of the indigenous languages have become extinct or are dying out.
At odds with the ever growing desire for a single Caribbean community, the linguistic diversity of a few Caribbean islands has made language policy an issue in the post-colonial era. In recent years, Caribbean islands have become aware of a linguistic inheritance of sorts. However, language policies being developed nowadays are mostly aimed at multilingualism.
Read more about Languages Of The Caribbean: Language Groups, Language in The Caribbean, Linguistic Features
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“People in places many of us never heard of, whose names we can’t pronounce or even spell, are speaking up for themselves. They speak in languages we once classified as “exotic” but whose mastery is now essential for our diplomats and businessmen. But what they say is very much the same the world over. They want a decent standard of living. They want human dignity and a voice in their own futures. They want their children to grow up strong and healthy and free.”
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—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)