Belize

Languages

American Sign Language ase

Users: 3,000 in Belize (2011 L. Parks). Estimated population 3,000 (2011 L. Parks), approximately 0.7% of the total population. Another estimate, assuming 0.2%–0.4%: 800–1,600 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: ASL, Belize Sign Language, Belizean Sign Language Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language

Belize English Creole bzj

Widespread, including communities on Ambergris and Caulker cayes. Users: 130,000 in Belize (2014 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 170,000. Status: 3 (Wider communication). Brought to Belize by shipwrecked British seamen (baymen) in 1638. Lingua franca of Belize. L1 of some Garifunas, Mestizos, Maya and other ethnic groups. Alternate Names: Belize Kriol English, Miskito Coast English Creole, Western Caribbean Creole Autonym: Kriol Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Western

Chinese zho

Users: 2,600 in Belize (2013 census). Status: Unestablished.

English eng

Widespread. Users: 250,000 in Belize, all users. L1 users: 184,000 in Belize (2014 UNSD). L2 users: 56,000 (Crystal 2003a). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

Garifuna cab

Belize, Stann Creek, and Toledo districts: 6 villages. Users: 8,440 in Belize (2014 UNSD). Ethnic population: 15,100 (2013 census). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Caribe, Central American Carib, “Black Carib” (pej.), “Moreno” (pej.) Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Ta-Maipurean, Iñeri

Kekchí kek

Southwest corner, inland following east slopes, Maya Mountains, Toledo and Stann Creek districts; also in Cayo District, Belmopan area. Users: 17,600 in Belize (2014 UNSD). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Cacché, Ketchi, Quecchí Classification: Mayan, Yucatecan-Core Mayan, K’ichean-Mamean, K’ichean

Maya, Mopán mop

Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo districts: highlands. Users: 10,600 in Belize (2014 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 12,610. Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Mopan, Mopane Autonym: Maya Mopán Classification: Mayan, Yucatecan-Core Mayan, Yucatecan, Mopan-Itzá

Maya, Yucatec yua

Cayo district: San Antonio and Succoths; possibly also Corozal and Orange Walk districts near the Mexico border. Users: 2,520 in Belize (2014 UNSD). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Maaya, Maaya t’aan, Maayáa, Maya, Yucantán Maya, Yucateco Classification: Mayan, Yucatecan-Core Mayan, Yucatecan, Yucatec-Lacandon

Plautdietsch pdt

Cayo and Orange Walk districts: inland. Users: 9,360 in Belize (2014 UNSD). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: German, Mennonite German Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Saxon

Sindhi snd

Users: 1,200 in Belize (2011). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Northwestern, Sindhi

Spanish spa

Corozal, Orange Walk, and Cayo districts. Users: 201,000 in Belize, all users. L1 users: 165,000 in Belize (2014 UNSD). L2 users: 36,000 (Instituto Cervantes 2019). Status: 3 (Wider communication). Alternate Names: Castellano, Español Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian