Bislama | Ethnologue

A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639: bis
Alternate Names: Bichelamar
Autonym: Bislama
Population: 10,000 in Vanuatu (2011), increasing. Ethnic population: 95% Melanesian. Total users in all countries: 12,570.
Location:: Widespread.
Language Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1980, Constitution, Article 3(1)). Most in the country understand and use it as lingua franca and as a symbol of national identity. Since 2012, Bislama has a significant role in formal education.
Classification: Creole, English based, Pacific
Dialects: None known. Partially intelligible with Pijin [pis] (Solomon Islands) and Tok Pisin [tpi] (Papua New Guinea), but, unlike them, Bislama has some French loanwords.
Typology: SVO; prepositions; dual number; tense; 17 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes; non-tonal.
Language Use: Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng]. Also use French [fra].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 35%. Literacy rate in L2: Low. Proposed vernacular education (2011). Since 2012, Bislama is classified along with the vernaculars as a first language for use as a language of instruction in grades 1–3, and for use as a supplementary language as required in other grades. Used informally in classrooms in secondary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1998.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Bislama
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Christian.