MU
Republic of Mauritius
Mauritius
Summary
Official Name
Republic of Mauritius
International Conventions
ACHPR (1992), CDE (1970), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2004), ICCPR (1973), UNCRPD (2010), UNDRIP (2007)
Population
1,272,000
Principal Languages
English, French
Literacy Rate
91% (2018 UNESCO)
General References
Baker 1972, Baker and Ramnak 1985, Barz and Siegel 1988, Eriksen 1990
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Mauritius is 9. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are indigenous and 7 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 4 are institutional and 5 are developing. Also listed are 7 unestablished languages.
Languages
- Bengali ben
- Users: 6,660 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese
- Bhojpuri bho
- Widespread. Users: 66,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bihari
- Chinese, Hakka hak
- Users: 4,100 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- Chinese, Mandarin cmn
- Users: 20,200 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- English eng
- Users: 203,100 in Mauritius, all users. L1 users: 3,100 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). L2 users: 200,000 (Crystal 2003a). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Articles 33,46,49), used in education. Alternate Names: Anglais Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
- French fra
- Widespread. Users: 921,000 in Mauritius, all users. L1 users: 51,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). L2 users: 870,000 (2018). Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: français Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
- Gujarati guj
- Users: 2,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati
- Hindi hin
- Users: 36,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani
- Malagasy plt
- Users: 1,300 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Malgache, Plateau Malagasy Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Barito, East, Malagasy
- Marathi mar
- Users: 17,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern
- Mauritian Sign Language lsy
- Scattered. Users: 1,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated, assuming 0.1% of total population. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: MSL Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
- Morisyen mfe
- Widespread. Users: 976,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Total users in all countries: 1,027,800. Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto language of national identity. Originated in 1721 in the colonial society in Bourbon and brought to Mauritius. Lingua franca between freed slaves, Indian and Chinese immigrants. Alternate Names: Creolophone, Kreol, Kreol Mauricean, Kreol Morisyin, Kreole, Maurisyen, Mauritian, Mauritian Creole, Mauritius Creole French, Maurysen Autonym: Kreol Morisien Classification: Creole, French based
- Punjabi, Eastern pan
- Users: 25,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Panjabi
- Tamil tam
- Flacq, Plaines Wilhems, and Savanne districts. Users: 1,100 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil
- Telugu tel
- Users: 19,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, South-Central, Telugu
- Urdu urd
- Widespread. Users: 800 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani
Languages by Status
English
[eng] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Articles 33,46,49), used in education. 203,100 in Mauritius, all users. L1 users: 3,100 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c). L2 users: 200,000 (Crystal 2003a).
Urdu
[urd] 4 (Educational). 800 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c).
Bhojpuri
[bho] 5* (Dispersed). 66,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c).
Chinese, Mandarin
[cmn] 5* (Dispersed). 20,200 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c).
Punjabi, Eastern
[pan] 5* (Dispersed). 25,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c).
Tamil
[tam] 5* (Dispersed). 1,100 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c).
Mauritian Sign Language
[lsy] 5 (Developing). 1,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated, assuming 0.1% of total population.
Language Vitality Profile
Click to enlarge with explanation
Language Status Profile
Click to enlarge with explanation