Belize Languages
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Description[edit | edit source]
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]
| 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)[edit | edit source]
Spanish
Kriol or Belizean Creole
Q'eqchi' Maya
- Q'eqchi' Maya Grammar (Wikipedia)
- Q'eqchi' Phrases (Quizlet)
- Book of Phrases, Compact Dictionary (Q’eqchi’) (Mayaglot)
Alphabet and Pronunciation[edit | edit source]
Spanish
- Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)
- Spanish Pronunciation Dictionary (Forvo)
- Spanish grammar (Wikipedia)
Kriol or Belizean Creole
Q'eqchi' Maya
Language Aids and Dictionaries[edit | edit source]
Spanish
- Spanish Letter Writing Guide
- Spanish Handwriting Clarified
- Learn Spanish (duolingo)
- Spanish dictionary (Lexilogos)
- English to Spanish Dictionary (Glosbe)
- The Spanish Script Tutorial (byu.ed)
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
Additional Resources[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 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.