Guyana

Languages

Akawaio ake

Cuyuni-Mazaruni region: Mazaruni river basin, north of Patamona. Users: 4,500 in Guyana (2002 SIL). Ethnic population: 5,000 (Crevels 2007). Total users in all countries: 6,380. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Acahuayo, Acewaio, Akawai, Akawayo, Ingariko, Kapóng Autonym: Kapon Classification: Cariban, North Amazonian, Pemón, Pemón proper, Kapong

American Sign Language ase

Scattered. Users: 2,000 in Guyana (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 1,500–3,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.2%–0.4% of the total population. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: ASL Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language

Arawak arw

Widespread. West coast and northeast along Corantyne river. Users: 1,500 in Guyana (Forte 1990). Ethnic population: 15,500. The ethnic group represents 33% of the Amerindians in Guyana. Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Arowak, Lokono, Lokono Dian Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Ta-Maipurean

Atorada aox

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region: Southwest, near Wapishana [wap] language area. Users: Few in Guyana. Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Ator’ti, Atorai, Dauri Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Wapixana

Berbice Dutch Creole brc

East Berbice-Corentyne and Upper Demerara-Berbice regions. Users: No known L1 speakers. Last speaker, Princess Sauers, died in 2015. Status: 10 (Extinct). Classification: Creole, Dutch based

Carib car

Barima-Waini and Pomeroon-Supenaam regions: Northwest, coastal river heads and coastal lowland forests. Users: 480 in Guyana (1991). Ethnic population: 3,000 (2000 J. Forte). The ethnic group represents 6% of the Amerindians in Guyana. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Caribe, Cariña, Galibi, Kalihna, Kalinya, Kari’nja, Kari’nya, Kari’ña, Kariña, Karìna, Karìna auran Classification: Cariban

Chinese zho

Users: 1,500 in Guyana. Status: Unestablished.

English eng

Users: 102,000 in Guyana, all users. L1 users: 72,000 in Guyana (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity. L2 users: 30,000 (Crystal 2003a). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

Guyanese English Creole gyn

Widespread. Possibly also in French Guiana. Users: 643,000 in Guyana (2021 Joshua Project). 324,000 Afro-Guyanese Creole and 319,000 Indo-Guyanese Creole (2021 JoshuaProject). Total users in all countries: 715,200. Status: 5* (Developing). De facto language of national identity. Alternate Names: Creolese, Guyanese, Guyanese Creole, Kriiyliiz, Kriiyoliiz Autonym: Gaiyniiz Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Eastern, Southern

Hindustani, Sarnami hns

Barima-Waini and Pomeroon-Supenaam regions. Users: Ethnic population: 539,000. Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Aili Gaili, Caribbean Hindustani, Guyanese Hindustani Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bihari

Macushi mbc

Potaro-Siparuni and Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo regions: Southwest border area, Rupununi north savannahs, 20 small settlements up to Pakaraima mountain foothills. Users: 930 in Guyana (2001 FUNASA). Ethnic population: 7,750 (Crevels 2007). Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Macusi, Macussi, Makushi, Makusi, Makuxi, Teueia, Teweya Classification: Cariban, North Amazonian, Pemón, Pemón proper

Mapidian mpw

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. Users: No known L1 speakers in Guyana. The last speakers either died or moved to Brazil by the 1960s. Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: Maiopitian, Maopidian, Maopityan, Mapidi, Mapidiana, Mawayana Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Wapixana

Mawayana mzx

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region: southwest, among the Waiwai [waw] language group. Users: No known L1 speakers in Guyana. The last speakers in Guyana survived into the 1960s and either moved to Suriname or shifted to Waiwai [waw] (Carlin and Mans 2015). Total users in all countries: 2. Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: Mahuayana Classification: Maipurean, Unclassified

Patamona pbc

Potaro-Siparuni and Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo regions: west central, upland savanna in Pakaraima mountains, about 13 villages. Users: 4,700 in Guyana (Forte 1990). Ethnic population: 5,000 (2000 J. Forte). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Eremagok, Ingariko, Kapon Classification: Cariban, North Amazonian, Pemón, Pemón proper, Kapong

Pemon aoc

Cuyuni-Mazaruni region: Paruima and Kaikan on upland savannah. Users: 480 in Guyana (Forte 1990). Ethnic population: 500 (Crevels 2007). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Kamarakotos, Pemong Classification: Cariban, North Amazonian, Pemón, Pemón proper

Skepi Dutch Creole skw

Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region. Users: No known L1 speakers. Last speakers survived into the 1990s (Holm 1989). Status: 10 (Extinct). Classification: Creole, Dutch based

Taruma tdm

Southern East Berbice-Corentyne and Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo regions, Guyana-Brazil border area, in the Wapishana [wap] language area. Users: 1 (2015). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Aroaqui, Charuma, Saloema, Saluma, Taruamá Classification: Language isolate

Urdu urd

Scattered. Status: 8a (Moribund). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani

Waiwai waw

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region: southwest, headwaters of Essequibo river. Users: 200 in Guyana (Forte 1990). Ethnic population: 240 (Crevels 2007). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Ouayeone, Parukota, Uaieue, Uaiuai, Wai Wai Classification: Cariban, Waiwai

Wapishana wap

East Berbice-Corentyne and Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo regions: southwest, south of the Kanuku mountains, a few villages northwest of the Waiwai [waw] language area. Users: 6,000 in Guyana (2000 J. Forte). Ethnic population: 6,900 (Crevels 2007). Total users in all countries: 12,500. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Uapixana, Vapidiana, Wapichan, Wapichana, Wapisana, Wapishshiana, Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Wapixana Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Wapixana

Warao wba

Barima-Waini, Pomeroon-Supenaam, and Essequibo Islands-West Demerara regions: near the coast, mixed with Arawak [ake] and Carib [car] speakers. Users: Few speakers (Forte 1990). Ethnic population: 5,000 (2000 J. Forte). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Guarao, Guarauno, Warau, Warrau Classification: Language isolate