French Guiana

Languages

Arabic, North Levantine Spoken apc

Users: 1,470 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic

Arawak arw

Northeast and Cayenne area, Balaté, Larivot, Saint-Sabat, and Sainte-Rose de Lima communities. Users: 380 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012). Ethnic population: 1,500 (Crevels 2012). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Lokono, Lokono Dian Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Ta-Maipurean

Aukan djk

Cayenne islands, Iracoubo, Kourou, Macuria, Mana, St. Laurent Sinnemarie. Suriname border. Users: 22,500 in French Guiana (2019), increasing. , based on ethnicity. 6,000 monolinguals. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Businenge Tongo, Businengee Tongo, Eastern Maroon Creole, Ndyuka, Nenge, Nenge Tongo, Nengee, Nengee Tongo, Okanisi tongo, “Taki-Taki” (pej.) Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname, Ndyuka

Carib car

Northwest coast, along lower Mana and Maroni rivers east of Maroni river mouth, Iracoubo and Organabo areas between Kourou and Mana. Users: 2,400 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 4,000 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Caribe, Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalin’a, Kalinya, Kari’na, Kari’na auran, Kari’ña Classification: Cariban

Chinese, Hakka hak

Cayenne, Kourou, Macouria, Matoury, and Remire-Montjoly communes, especially in urban concentrations. Central coast. Users: 14,700 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese

French fra

Widespread. Users: 291,000 in French Guiana, all users. L1 users: 111,000 in French Guiana (2019). L2 users: 180,000 (2019). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1958, French Constitution, Article 2). Alternate Names: Français Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French

French Sign Language fsl

Scattered. Users: 300 in French Guiana (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated, assuming 0.1% of total population. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: LSF, Langue des signes française Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language

Guianese French Creole gcr

Widespread. Users: 134,000 (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: French Guianese French Creole, Guyanais, Guyane, Guyane Creole, Patois, Patwa Classification: Creole, French based

Guyanese English Creole gyn

Users: 4,200 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Eastern, Southern

Haitian Creole hat

Users: 23,500 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, French based

Hindustani, Sarnami hns

Users: 11,800 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bihari

Hmong Njua hnj

Users: 4,300 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Hmong-Mien, Hmongic, Chuanqiandian

Javanese, Suriname jvn

Awala-Yalimapo commune. Coastal area. Users: 2,940 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Caribbean Javanese Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Javanese

Palikúr plu

Central coast and lower Oyapock river. Users: 250 in French Guiana (Queixalos 2000). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 1,500 (Crevels 2012). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Pa’ikwaki, Palicur, Palikour Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Eastern, Palikur

Portuguese por

Users: 14,200 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician

Saramaccan srm

Widespread. Users: 3,000 in French Guiana (2019), decreasing. , based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Creole, English based

Sranan Tongo srn

Users: 17,600 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname

Tekó eme

Brazil border area, at the confluence of Camopi and Oiapock rivers; Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni district: Maroni river area, on Suriname border. Users: 400 (Crevels 2012), increasing. Ethnic population: 400 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Emereñon, Emerillon, Emerilon, Melejo, Mereo, Mereyo, Teco Classification: Tupian, Tupí-Guaraní, Wayampí, Wayampí

Wayampi oym

Upper Oyapock river in 2 settlements, one near Camopi, the other south along Oyapock headwaters. Users: 750 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012), increasing. Ethnic population: 750 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Oiampí, Oiumpian, Oyampí, Oyapí, Wajapi, Wayapi, Wayãpi Classification: Tupian, Tupí-Guaraní, Wayampí, Wayampí

Wayana way

Southwestern border area, along upper Maroni river. Users: 1,000 in French Guiana (Crevels 2012). Ethnic population: 1,000 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Alukuyana, Guayana, Oayana, Uaiana, Upurui, Wayâna Classification: Cariban, Central, Wayana