Krio

Conjugate Verbs

Facts

  • Language: Krio
  • Alternate names: CREOLE, PATOIS
  • Language code: kri
  • Language family: Indo-European, Classical Indo-European, Germanic, Northwest Germanic, West Germanic, North Sea Germanic, Anglo-Frisian, Anglic, Later Anglic, Middle-Modern English, Macro-English, Guinea Coast Creole English, West African Creole English
  • Creole language
  • Number of speakers: 478000
  • Script:

More information:

    Introduction

    Krio and Jamaican Creole, and Krio and Sea Islands Creole may have some interintelligibility. Domains of use include education, urban and town living, every-day life. Dominant language of the younger generation. Vigorous. Spoken more in provincial towns than in villages, and for inter-ethnic communication. Possibly half the speakers use Krio in their workplace. It is the formal language for those who do not speak English. Second language users prefer their indigenous languages for informal situations. Mother tongue Krio speakers are mainly descendents of repatriated slaves from Jamaica. There is linguistic influence from Yoruba (I. Hancock 1987). Language of wider communication. Literacy rate in second language: Fewer than 15% in English. Taught as an elective from primary to college level. Traditional religion, Christian. NT 1986-1992.

    Verblist