Page Type: languageGuinea-Bissau Creole | Ethnologue

POV ISO 639-3

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Kiriol Autonym

A language of Guinea-Bissau

ISO 639
pov
Alternate Names
Crioulo, Crioulo de Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Kriyol, Guineense, Kriulo, Portuguese Creole, Upper Guinea Crioulo
Autonym
Kiriol
Population
1,251,000 in Guinea-Bissau, all users. L1 users: 251,000 in Guinea-Bissau (2018), increasing. Transition from L2 to L1 use is limited to the capital city of Bissau (2019 S. Graham). L2 users: 1,000,000 (2015 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 1,339,500 (as L1: 319,500; as L2: 1,020,000).
Location:
Widespread.
Language Status
3 (Wider communication). De facto language of national identity. Primary L2 LWC in Guinea-Bissau. It is an L2 that is actively supported by all ethnic groups in the country, used generally in church, work, commerce, and government.
Classification
Creole, Portuguese based
Dialects
Bissau-Bolama Creole, Bafatá Creole, Cacheu Creole. Some lexical similarity with Casamance Creole [pov] in Senegal, and with the Kabuverdianu [kea] variety spoken on the island of Santiago, as Portuguese-based creole was used for trade with the Portuguese in these regions.
Language Use
Used as an L1 only in the capital city of Bissau. Positive attitudes. Some also use Portuguese [por], the language of education, governmental operations, industry, and business with international relations. Used as L2 by Badyara [pbp], Bainouk-Gunyuño [bab], Balanta-Kentohe [ble], Bayot [bda], Biafada [bif], Bidyogo [bjg], Jola-Felupe [eja], Kabuverdianu [kea], Mandinka [mnk], Mandjak [mfv], Mankanya [knf], Mansoanka [msw], Nalu [naj], Papel [pbo], Pulaar [fuc], Pular [fuf], Soninke [snk], Susu [sus].
Language Development
Taught in primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1999.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Guinea-Bissau Creole
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Muslim, Christian, traditional religion.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Guinea-Bissau Creole
User Population
21,300 in Gambia (2016).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Gambia
Language Name
Guinea-Bissau Creole
User Population
13,500 in Netherlands (2019).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Netherlands
Language Name
Guinea-Bissau Creole
User Population
23,700 in Portugal (2007 J. Leclerc).
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Portugal
Language Name
Casamance Creole
User Population
30,000 in Senegal, all users. L1 users: 10,000 in Senegal (Biagui and Quint 2013), decreasing. A significant population (2,500) speaks Casamancese Creole in Dakar (Biagui and Quint 2013). L2 users: 20,000 (Biagui and Quint 2013).
Location
Ziguinchor region: Ziguinchor city and surrounding villages.
Dialects
None known. Casamance Creole is different from Guinea-Bissau Creole, due to its distinct development path in French West Africa since 1886. However, there is some intelligibility between the two.
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Genesis of continental Portuguese-based Creole occurred in a fort founded on the mouth of the Cacheu River in 1645, and from there spread throughout Portuguese Guinea. The Casamance region of Portuguese Guinea was traded from Portugal to France in 1886, creating an independent development path for the Portuguese-based Creole spoken in that new region in French West Africa. Christian.
View other languages of Senegal

Map

Location: Widespread.