Belize Languages: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 14:16, 20 March 2024

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Local Research Resources

Belize

Languages

Description

The major languages spoken in Belize include English, Spanish and Kriol or Belizean Creole and all three are spoken by more than 40% of the population according to the 2010 census. Mayan languages are also spoken in certain areas, as well as German. ^[1]

English is the official language of Belize, a former British colony. It is the dominant language of public education, government and most media outlets. The majority of Belizeans, regardless of ethnicity, speak an English-based creole called Kriol or Belizean Creole during most informal, social and interethnic dialogue. ^[2]

Languages spoken in Belize (2010) ^[3]
Language	Speakers	Percentage
English	183,903	62.9%
Spanish	165,296	56.6%
Belizean Creole	130,467	44.6%
Q'eqchi' Maya	17,581	6.0%
Mopan Maya	10,649	3.6%
German	9,364	3.2%
Garifuna	8,442	2.9%
Other languages	7,847	2.7%
N.A.	1,537	0.5%
Total	292,263	100%

Word List(s)

Spanish

Kriol or Belizean Creole

Belizean Creole Grammar (Wikipedia)

Q'eqchi' Maya

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Spanish

Kriol or Belizean Creole

Belizean Creole Phonology (Wikipedia)

Q'eqchi' Maya

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Spanish

Kriol or Belizean Creole

English to Belize Kriol English Dictionary (Glosbe)
Decker, Ken. The song of Kriol : a grammar of the Kriol language of Belize. Belize City, Belize: Belize Kriol Project, National Kriol Council, 2009. Available at: WorldCat.

Q'eqchi' Maya

English to Maya-Q'eqchi' Dictionary (Glosbe)

Additional Resources

Belize (Britannica)
Salmon, William Noel and Jennifer Carolina Gómez Menjívar. Tropical Tongues Language Ideologies, Endangerment, and Minority Languages in Belize. North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 2018. Available at: WorldCat.

References

↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Belize," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize, accessed 15 May 2023.
↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Standard English and Belizean Creole," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize#Standard_English_and_Belizean_Creole, accessed 15 May 2023.
↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Belize," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize, accessed 15 May 2023.

[1] Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Belize," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize, accessed 15 May 2023.

[2] Wikipedia contributors, "Standard English and Belizean Creole," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize#Standard_English_and_Belizean_Creole, accessed 15 May 2023.

[3] Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Belize," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize, accessed 15 May 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{breadcrumb
+{{CountrySidebar
+|Country=Belize
+|Name=Belize
+|Type=Topic
+|Topic Type=Background
+|Background=Languages
+|Rating=Standardized
+}}{{breadcrumb
 | link1=[[Belize Genealogy|Belize]]
 | link2=
@@ Line 5: / Line 12: @@
 | link4=
 | link5=[[Belize Languages|Languages]]
-}}{{Belize-sidebar}}
+}}__TOC__
+==Description==
+The major languages spoken in Belize include '''English''', [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_language '''Spanish'''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belizean_Creole '''Kriol or Belizean Creole'''] and all three are spoken by more than 40% of the population according to the 2010 census. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayan_languages '''Mayan languages'''] are also spoken in certain areas, as well as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language '''German''']. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Belize," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize, accessed 15 May 2023.</ref>
+'''English''' is the official language of Belize, a former British colony. It is the dominant language of public education, government and most media outlets. The majority of Belizeans, regardless of ethnicity, speak an English-based creole called '''Kriol or Belizean Creole''' during most informal, social and interethnic dialogue. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Standard English and Belizean Creole," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize#Standard_English_and_Belizean_Creole, accessed 15 May 2023.</ref>
+{| class="wikitable"
+|+ Languages spoken in Belize (2010) <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Belize," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Belize, accessed 15 May 2023.</ref>
+|-
+! Language !! Speakers !! Percentage
+|-
+| English || 183,903 || 62.9%
+|-
+| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_language Spanish] || 165,296 || 56.6%
+|-
+| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belizean_Creole Belizean Creole] || 130,467 || 44.6%
+|-
+| [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q%CA%BCeqchi%CA%BC_language Q'eqchi' Maya] || 17,581 || 6.0%
+|-
+| Mopan Maya || 10,649 || 3.6%
+|-
+| German || 9,364 || 3.2%
+|-
+| Garifuna || 8,442 || 2.9%
+|-
+| Other languages || 7,847 || 2.7%
+|-
+| N.A. || 1,537 || 0.5%
+|-
+| '''Total''' || '''292,263''' || '''100%'''
+|}
+==Word List(s)==
+'''Spanish'''
+*[[Spanish Genealogical Word List]]
+*[https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/spanish.php Useful Spanish phrases (Omniglot)]
+'''Kriol or Belizean Creole'''
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belizean_Creole#Grammar Belizean Creole Grammar (Wikipedia)]
+'''Q'eqchi' Maya'''
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q%CA%BCeqchi%CA%BC_language#Grammar Q'eqchi' Maya Grammar (Wikipedia)]
+*[https://quizlet.com/44823421/qeqchi-phrases-flash-cards/ Q'eqchi' Phrases (Quizlet)]
+*[https://mayaglot.com/blog/?p=763 Book of Phrases, Compact Dictionary (Q’eqchi’) (Mayaglot)]
+==Alphabet and Pronunciation==
+'''Spanish'''
+*[https://www.omniglot.com/writing/spanish.htm Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)]
+*[https://forvo.com/search/Spanish/ Spanish Pronunciation Dictionary (Forvo)]
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_grammar Spanish grammar (Wikipedia)]
+'''Kriol or Belizean Creole'''
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belizean_Creole#Phonology Belizean Creole Phonology (Wikipedia)]
+'''Q'eqchi' Maya'''
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q%CA%BCeqchi%CA%BC_language#Phonology Q'eqchi' Maya Phonology (Wikipedia)]
+*[https://www.omniglot.com/writing/qeqchi.htm Q'eqchi' Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)]
+==Language Aids and Dictionaries==
+'''Spanish'''
+*[[Spanish Letter Writing Guide]]
+*[[Spanish Handwriting Clarified]]
+*[https://www.duolingo.com/course/es/en/Learn-Spanish Learn Spanish (duolingo)]
+*[https://www.lexilogos.com/english/spanish_dictionary.htm Spanish dictionary (Lexilogos)]
+*[https://glosbe.com/en/es English to Spanish Dictionary (Glosbe)]
+*[https://script.byu.edu/spanish-handwriting/introduction The Spanish Script Tutorial (byu.ed)]
+'''Kriol or Belizean Creole'''
+*[https://en.glosbe.com/en/bzj English to Belize Kriol English Dictionary (Glosbe)]
+* Decker, Ken. ''The song of Kriol : a grammar of the Kriol language of Belize.'' Belize City, Belize: Belize Kriol Project, National Kriol Council, 2009. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/953624089 WorldCat].
+'''Q'eqchi' Maya'''
+*[https://en.glosbe.com/en/kek English to Maya-Q'eqchi' Dictionary (Glosbe)]
+==Additional Resources==
+*[https://www.britannica.com/place/Belize Belize (Britannica)]
+* Salmon, William Noel and Jennifer Carolina Gómez Menjívar. ''Tropical Tongues Language Ideologies, Endangerment, and Minority Languages in Belize.'' North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 2018. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/1371760294 WorldCat].
+==References==
 [[Category:Belize]]