Curacao

Summary

Official Name

Country of Curaçao

Population

160,000

Principal Languages

Dutch, Papiamentu

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for Curacao is 5. All are living languages. Of these, 1 is indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 2 are institutional, 2 are developing, and 1 is vigorous.

Languages

Dutch nld: Widespread. Users: 11,400 in Curacao (2011 SIL). Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: Nederlands Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian
English eng: Widespread. Users: 5,000 in Curacao (2018). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Papiamentu pap: Widespread. Users: 135,000 in Curacao, all users. L1 users: 115,000 in Curacao (2011 SIL). L2 users: 20,000. Total users in all countries: 343,100 (as L1: 323,100; as L2: 20,000). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Alternate Names: Curassese, Curaçoleño, Papiamen, Papiamento, Papiamentoe Autonym: Papiamentu Classification: Creole, Iberian based
Sign Language of the Netherlands dse: Scattered. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Spanish spa: Scattered. Users: 8,960 in Curacao (2018 World Factbook). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Papiamentu

[pap] 1 (National). De facto national language. 135,000 in Curacao, all users. L1 users: 115,000 in Curacao (2011 SIL). L2 users: 20,000. Total users in all countries: 343,100 (as L1: 323,100; as L2: 20,000).

5 (Dispersed)

English

[eng] 5* (Dispersed). 5,000 in Curacao (2018).

Spanish

[spa] 5* (Dispersed). 8,960 in Curacao (2018 World Factbook).

6a (Vigorous)

Sign Language of the Netherlands

[dse] 6a* (Vigorous).