SRN ISO 639-3
Sranan Tongo
Sranan Tongo Autonym
A language of Suriname
- ISO 639
- srn
- Alternate Names
- Sranan, Surinaams, Suriname Creole English, Surinamese, “Taki-Taki” (pej.)
- Autonym
- Sranan Tongo
- Population
- 291,000 in Suriname, all users. L1 users: 141,000 in Suriname (2018). L2 users: 150,000 (2016). Total users in all countries: 669,600 (as L1: 519,600; as L2: 150,000).
- Location:
- Widespread.
- Language Status
- 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Suriname’s lingua franca since 1725. First used as communication among slaves, trade language. Now used by majority of people.
- Classification
- Creole, English based, Atlantic, Suriname
- Dialects
- None known. Reportedly similar to Ndyuka [njt], but with cultural differences. Reportedly many similarities to Krio [kri] of Sierra Leone.
- Language Use
- All domains. Used by all. Also use Dutch [nld]. Used as L2 by Arawak [arw], Aukan [djk], Carib [car], Dutch [nld], Hakka Chinese [hak], Kwinti [kww], Sarnami Hindustani [hns], Wayana [way], Yue Chinese [yue].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: 10%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. Literature. Dictionary. Texts. Bible: 1997–2016.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Sranan Tongo
- Writing
- Latin script [Latn].
- Other Comments
- Christian, traditional religion.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of French Guiana
Language Name
Sranan Tongo
User Population
17,600 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Netherlands
Language Name
Sranan Tongo
User Population
361,000 in Netherlands (2019).
Map
Location: Widespread.
Size and Vitality
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