Guyana Languages

Description

 * English is the official language of Guyana, which is the only South American country with English as the official language.
 * Guyanese Creole or Creolese (an English-based creole with African, Indian, and Amerindian syntax) is widely spoken.
 * Guyanese Hindustani is retained and spoken by some Indo-Guyanese for cultural and religious reasons. Guyanese Bhojpuri may be used by older generations, folk songs, or in a limited way at home.
 * Standard Hindi is used in religious services, writing, and passively through the consumption of Hindi film exports from India.
 * A number of Amerindian languages are also spoken by a minority of the population. These include Cariban languages:
 * Macushi
 * Akawaio
 * Wai-Wai
 * Arawakan languages such as Arawak (or Lokono) and Wapishana.


 * Spanish and Portuguese are increasingly being used as a second language. Along with French, they are taught in most secondary schools.

Word List(s)
Guyanese Creole
 * Guyanese Creole Sample words and phrases (Wikipedia)

Guyanese Hindustani

Standard Hindi
 * Useful Hindi phrases (Omniglot)

Alphabet and Pronunciation
Guyanese Creole
 * Guyanese Creole Alphabet and Pronunciation (Wikipedia)
 * Devonish, Hubert, and Dahlia Thompson. A concise grammar of Guyanese Creole (Creolese). Muenchen: LINCOM EUROPEA, 2010. Available at: WorldCat.

Guyanese Hindustani

Standard Hindi
 * Standard Hindi Alphabet and Pronunciation (Wikipedia)
 * Hindi Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)

Language Aids and Dictionaries
Guyanese Creole
 * Guyanese Creole at York College – A Resource Site
 * Guyanese Creole English Examples
 * Rickford, John R. A Festival of Guyanese words. Georgetown: University of Guyana, 1978. Available at: WorldCat.
 * Guyanese Creolese Lessons (YouTube)

Guyanese Hindustani
 * Guyanese Hindi Dictionary pdf

Standard Hindi
 * English to Hindi Dictionary (Glosbe)
 * Hindi Dictionary (Lexilogos)
 * Hindi Dictionary (Hindi-English)
 * Learn Hindi (My Languages)
 * Learn Hindi (Hindipod 101)
 * Hindi (MustGo)

Additional Resources

 * The Loss of the Ancestral Language of Indo-Guyanese (Stabroek News)
 * Hindustani, Caribbean (Caribbean Hindustani)
 * Guyana (Britannica)
 * Guyana (Wikitravel)